Gerbera

Whenever Sainsbugs deem their gerbera to be past their 'best before' date (a BB date? On a PLANT???) they put them on the 'SELL NOW- BARGAIN' stand alongside the hardening bread rolls and looking ever-so-slightly-like-there-could-be-a-hint-of-mould cheese oddments, at a reduced price, usually £3.99 down to £1.99.

And I rescue them, and nurse them back to health so their bright and breezy neon coloured cheerfulness can grace the living room window for months to come and distract me from the fact there is a main road outside.

At the moment there are 4 in residence - a red one, a pink one, an orange one and a white one...

...until half an hour ago when Andy collected me from Sainsbugs and spied a yellow one poking from the top of the basket.

'I haven't got a yellow one,' says I, by way of excuse, don't know why because Andy does not mind what I buy.

'Should we start a gerbera rescue centre?' says he.

I give this a moment of thought. 'Best not,' I say. 'Because I suspect there could be some confusion and we might find gerbils being left on the doorstep. And given Pandora is no longer allowed the varied diet she once enjoyed, it could tempt fate.'

So we shall not be starting a gerbera rescue centre in case we find ourselves overrun with rodents.

But I shall still be smuggling the sad and discarded ones out of Sainsbugs whenever I get the chance.