Herb Robert

It has been an incredibly busy week for me this week, not sure why but I have hardly touched sides all week. Today has been another crazy day.

Last night once Gavin had unpacked all the new dining chairs from their boxes and taken off the wrapping so we could actually see them, I decided that I did not like them at all so they must be returned. Before we bought them I had checked the supplier's returns policy so I knew it would not be a problem. I wanted to return them and in their place order a different style from the same supplier. So I phoned them this morning to arrange this and was very surprised to find out that I would have to organise for the chairs to be returned at my cost with another courier, and they could not do a swap when they delivered the new chairs as I had envisaged. The supplier does the delivery themselves, it is not as if they are using a third party courier company. The long and the short of it is that due to this most ridiculous returns policy, I have had to hire 'a man and a van' to come collect the eight large boxes containing a chair each and return them as no, I couldn't just drop them off in Coventry as the dim customer service person suggested - how would they fit in my car and besides I live 120 miles away! I won't be buying replacement chairs from them! It took all morning to find someone who could do this for me, I got several quotes and then finally found someone who could take them tomorrow. I had to label each box and now they are ready for collection. Now to find new chairs and no luck so far....

As a result I got to the woods later than usual with Xena - it was warm today but grey and misty. I did like this tiny flower in a sea of green around it.

After the walk I had to go to the pet store to buy more dog food, and then went to vote. No use complaining about the government and policies if you don't bother to vote.

I had time for a hurried lunch before going to a camera club friend's house as we had arranged that he was going to teach me how to print. I have used a professional printing lab for many years but it has got expensive now - Just over £50 for 4 prints when you add on the postage. To be fair the printing is of high quality on giclee paper and the packaging is very thorough and protective. He uses the same printer that I am considering buying so he showed me how to print and showed me all the various papers he uses, it was very informative.

By the time I got home it was late and I did not have time to walk Xena again. I had to get supper made as Tommy wants to eat straight after work as he is driving to Cambridge tonight.

I then spent ages planning menus and preparing my shopping list as Luke, Meriel, Adam and Anna are coming home for the bank holiday weekend (Tommy is going to Norfolk with Inca and a group of friends). It takes a fair bit of meal planning when I have them home for a long weekend, but it will be lovely to see them again.

If you haven't nodded off yet at hearing about my busy day, well done! Now I need to get on with the ironing...