Apologies for putting this picture at the top of the post but Blogger won't let me move the photos these days and I'd forgotten to take a picture of my 'Smiley chart' before starting today's post. I've either lost 3 not 2 lbs this week or I was only 4lbs heavier than I thought. It could be either so I'll go with the 2lb loss. Doesn't actually make any difference, only in my head.
Barnstaple's town clock built to commemorate Prince Albert, consort of Queen Victoria. All 4 faces show slightly different times . It's a good thing that I finished with the pressure washer yesterday as it started to rain this morning as I loaded it into the back of my car and has got steadily worse all day. I mentioned to the chap at Jewsons that I had some trouble with it, I wasn't complaining but just suggesting that it needed a service before being hired out again but he reduced the hire cost. In fact with the 50% discount he had originally quoted me and the extra discount it cost me less for 6 days than the list price for one day, not bad. I took the pressure washer back reasonably early so that I could spend some time going round the shops. I went to Brian Ford's first. That place is looking so sad, many of the aisles are closed off and there is not much on the shelves. Still somethings are full price and others reduced. I bought some frozen salmon steaks (2 for 49p), had one for lunch and it was really nice. I'm realising that as well as my favourite clothes washing liquid there are other items I won't be able to get elsewhere; 25kg bags of dry cat food, Peter's favourite flapjacks in a tray (I daren't make flapjacks at home because no way would I be able to resist the golden syrup mmm... ) & jars of cheap general purpose handcream that is great for the feet. I'll just be forced to drive to Mole Valley farmers' for the cat food and be very disciplined about not buying anything else.
As can be seen from the above photo of The Square it was wet, typical Devon summer weather in fact. My current trousers for work are too big for me so I really needed to find some alternatives. I like Barnstaple in that there are sufficient shops for choice but not so many that you need a whole day to check out everything. Last time I'd failed to find any trousers for work, cargo pants being my favourite (I tend to find something I like and stick with it even when fashion moves on), so I thought I'd try the charity shops. I struck lucky with the first one and was spoiled for choice in my size and long length. For less than the price of one pair of trousers at a standard shop like 'New Look' I bought; one pair of (blue) jeans, one pair of grey jeans from Next with a slight stretch, one pair of black leggings and one pair of black jeggings (heavier fabric than leggings). All fit excellently and not only have I saved myself money but I've supported a charity and am recycling too. Just a shame we are only allowed to wear jeans on non-uniform days at school. I did check out several other charity shops and apart from a grey vest with stars on that I bought I didn't even find any other trousers to try on. When I lose a bit more weight I do have some lovely silk cargo pants (M&S) that will be fine for work. The rest of the day has been spent lazing around as well as reading some school documents prior to a staff training day tomorrow. 
