It's Official!!

Red Bull (Photo credit: miskan)

Yep, its official, we are to get a summer in UK  this year? How do I know? Settle down with a nice cup of tea, or any beverage of your choice and I'll tell you.

It all began a couple of weeks ago. when my wife was reading one of the many magazines she subscribes to. House and Home, Living, Good House Keeping and others, you know the type of thing I mean. Suddenly her eyes lit up and she became as animated as ferret on Red Bull. What caused such an event? It was a 20% off coupon, to be used in one of the largest D.I.Y shops in UK, on a particular range of garden furniture. I knew instictively that life was going to be hell for me, unless we went garden furniture hunting forthwith.

Actually, "forthwith" took place several days later owing to prior commitments. Off we went, or rather off she went, with me struggling to keep up. Within minutes of reaching said D.I.Y store, her mind was made up. Actually, she had decided what to get after spending an indecent number of hours searching the World Wide Web. We then went home to discuss the products identified and see if we agreed on them. To be honest, when invited to "discuss" anything with my boss, it really means that it is her way of rubber-stamping whatever, and giving me due notice of going to collect whatever.

This being done, the order was placed via the internet, and a suitable date for collection negotiated. The due date? Today March 23rd 2013. I rose from my bed this morning full of the joys of spring, until I remembered the duties that lay before me. Added to that, it was snowing, in fact it still is, as I write. 

Eventually we left home on route to the D.I.Y Shop from Hell. To relate to you what went on in the store would be tantamount to cruelty. Suffice it to say, although I put up a struggle about the total cost and the amount of beer vouchers a simple small table cost, I was reminded of my position in the food chain, besides which there was 20% off.In no time at all, the gooods were paid for.


We are now proud owners of new furniture, tucked away in the garage, still in their wrappings. I am prepared to wager that it will still be sat there half way through the summer, unwrapped, but ready for next year. The last decent summer in our neck of the woods was 2008. I have no faith in the forecasts-although my wife has declared it OFFICIAL-there will be a Summer.