I was just in Tchibo in town. They have a coffee shop and shop shop combined, which is closing down- so that's a good idea then- so I popped in and bought a trivet. Actually, it's 2 trivets in one: a circle with a Mary Quant style flower cut out of it, and a Mary Quant style flower that slots into the cut out. I already have a trivet, but it's a little warped so £2 spent on a pair of new ones is not entirely wasted.
A little boy was wandering around saying, very loudly, "Mum, are we having lunch here?" over and over again, to which she replied, every time, "No, we're not." Eventually a male employee broke off his dealings with another customer, "NO, YOU'RE NOT HAVING LUNCH HERE!"
with customer service like that, maybe it's no surprise they're closing down.

I went up the road to Costa. They're doing a special: any drink and a sandwich for under a fiver. After the week I've had, I thought such a meal deal a suitable treat, and watched while the "Barista," as they call them, put vanilla syrup, ice cubes, cold milk, frothed milk and an espresso into my latte glass. How on earth would you come to invent such a thing? My constant query is, however, why do they then arrange everything in such a way as to render the napkin useless? It becomes a filler in a sandwich, layered like this: saucer, napkin, cup, or plate, napkin, sandwich, or plate, napkin, chocolate tiffin. I had to race a couple of teenagers for the corner table with a plump leather chair; they had no food, I had my tray of £4.99 meal deal. By the time I squished into my seat there was iced vanilla latte soaking my napkin.

Another thing! When you buy tea and they leave the bag in the cup, what are you supposed to do with the tea-bag when all is sufficiently brewed? If you put it on your saucer, every time you take a sip, tea drips everywhere!

My eldest daughter had an interview at a rival coffee establishment. She had to do a couple of hours practical assessment, and was horrified to be asked to "make cream." They make it from powder. It isn't actual cream whipped to a delicate frothiness, it is reconstituted white powder.I haven't summoned up courage to go in there again, though I suppose I'll get over it, just like I overcame the rumours about McMilkshakes containing chicken fat and there being whole rats in with the bearded man's chicken. At the moment my children are desperate to go to buy McMeals, just for the coke glasses. We have two one in pink and one in turquoize, and very pretty they are too.

Now, I must go and try out my new trivet. I may bake some scones. To make a really elegant tea-time spectacle I shall serve them up on napkins, perhaps...