Cutlery and Armchairs

In order to accommodate the Much Malarkey Manor Christmas Tree ( which I have to say was a beauty this year) we have to move the three seater sofa to the cuddle chair position and the cuddle chair to where the three seater usually sits thus making room for Kayleigh's wooden toy chest to slide in the newly vacated space between the relocated cuddle chair and the wall and leave its position in the bay window free for the Christmas Tree. This furniture shifting is good because it also makes me look at the state of the skirting boards at least once a year, go 'Yuk!' and set about them with a hot, wet cloth. I also find a lot of cat fur - can't think why. 

So, we've been sitting admiring the Tree for the last couple of weeks and then yesterday, almost as if our brains were welded together in some kind of spooky one-track psychic synchronicity, Andy and I said to each other, 'Why don't we leave the furniture in its Christmas mode and add an armchair in the space the Tree will leave?'

(It really was spooky - it'll be matching jumpers and walking holidays next.)

What an excellent idea! We have a lovely bay window which gets a lot of light and now we have the wood burner, we have switched off the radiator that sits on the bay window wall, so why not add a lovely armchair? (We are NOT thinking about the logistics of where to put the Tree next year - so just don't ask, eh?)

Well, off we trotted to The Sales. Now, I don't usually do sales, especially ones in places like Marks and Sparks because they are cutthroat, with all those middle-aged women and their sharp elbows and clompy feet. Plus, you never find what you want and end up panic buying yellow culottes or other some such tat.  But, we reasoned, it was Monday and the hardened sale goers would have done their business by now and we'd go and see what was left.

And thus it was that we went to Homebase who had a 20% off day today and we purchased a new high back fireside chair from the Longbourne range which is very pertinent given my renewed excitement vis a vis all things Regency, and Longbourne being the family home of the Bennett's in Pride and Prejudice. We chose 'plum' for colour, 20% discount AND Nectar Points, so win-win all round.

High on the thrill of the chair purchase, I scooted off to see what else there was on offer. And I found cutlery! A good, sturdy set of cutlery. Eight place settings. That's eight knives, eight forks, eight pudding spoons and eight teaspoons. Eight of each! I counted them! A matching eight place set of cutlery. Substantial cutlery. Simple, modern design. Shiny. All matching. Eight of each. Perfect! EXACTLY what I had been looking for. And in The Sale. For the grand price of...(cue trumpet fanfare)

....twelve English pounds and forty nine pennies! £12.49!!!

That can't be right, I thought. The equivalent 16 piece set was priced at £19.99. Half the cutlery for £7.50 more???

So I went to the checkout, clutching my eight place setting of matching cutlery (count 'em!) and held my breath as they went through the blipper. And yes, £12.49 and the set was mine, in all its matching glory. I almost danced the Cutlery Dance of Joy! 

I am going to hide my new cutlery set. No-one but NO-ONE is touching that cutlery 'cept me, especially not the Evil Cutlery Goblin who steals knives, forks and spoons and hides them. I am now bursting with Cutlery Confidence. I can provide matching cutlery for eight people dinner parties! 

They are my precious! 

Today's blog was brought to you by CrazyGolem.com for all your shiny, precious needs.