A bargain skirt and the Post Office's cunning plan.

I have an outfit for Heather's graduation! Oh yes, and the fashion god does exist. When we were in Canterbury on Sunday I did actually find a blue skirt that would have gone beautifully with my new top. But it was way over what I'd normally pay for a skirt, so sadly, I hung it back on the rack and moved on.

But today, I went into town and found the exact same skirt in the same shop only this branch was having a sale and I got it in MY size for...(roll of drums)...dum-diddy-dum-dum-DUM....HALF PRICE!!

I did a secret victory jiggle at the 'Pay Here' desk. Don't worry, no-one noticed because the shop was heaving with people all looking for similar bargains. And because I'd saved money on the skirt, I got a new bag and a new pashmina, too. So now I have an outfit in lovely tonal shades of blues 'n' greens ranging from azure through to aqua, through to turquoise and lime. (I know the lime bit sounds yuk, but it's only in small doses and works very well!)

Whilst I was in town I went to the Post Office to get a new tax disc for the car. I don't know why I bother actually, as half the cars up our road have out-of-date tax discs. It infuriates me beyond belief that they manage to get way with it. To me, no current tax disc = probably no MOT or insurance either, but I breathe deeply and try to work my way through the irritation. Actually, I do know why I get a tax disc for our car - because we'd be the blighters who'd get caught and fined if I didn't. Anyway, I digress...

The Post Office has installed a NEW SYSTEM. They have also done away with the queueing barriers and fitted red leather seating banquettes instead. When you go into the Post Office now, you have to take a ticket, like you'd do at the cheese or fish counter in Sainsbugs for example. As the ticket machine is small and unnoticeable, the Post Office have stationed a lady next to it who shrieks 'Have you got a ticket? You need a ticket! Then you can go and sit down because there will be no queue jumping in our Post Office.'

When I went to the Post Office last week, there were three options available on the machine - 1) counter services 2) foreign currency and 3) tax discs. I thought good, I shan't have to wait long as I am in the potentially shorter waiting area for a tax disc. WRONG! Today there were only options 1) and 2). Bum. So I had to take a ticket for counter services. The ticket informed me there were 14 people ahead of me waiting to be served. So no change from the old system then.

I stood waiting for my number to pop up on one of the many newly installed digital information boards. I was drawn into a discussion with an old chap next to me regarding the current exchange rate for the euro (he advised me to use M & S, they're the best. I agreed and said they sell nice tops too, but only if you go to Canterbury), and savings rates (apparently the Chelsea Building Society are the ones to put your cash with.) Since I do not travel abroad, and I can't be bothered with the fuss of moving our savings from one place to another, the information was useless, but I feigned an interest in his wise fiscal advice and we both agreed it was shocking that petrol was still going up when everyone knows you can buy a barrel of oil for a fiver these days.

The ticket machine lady was determined to get everyone sitting down on the newly installed red leather banquettes. 'There are three seats available to the back of the rows and eight near the front,' she yelled. 'If you've got a ticket you can go and sit down. You won't miss your place if you've got a ticket. Have you got a ticket??'

I didn't want to sit down. I thought, why is she hell-bent on getting people to sit down? And then she said it, and the new Post Office queueing system suddenly made sense. The ticket lady said, 'Come along, please take a seat if there is one available. We don't want you cluttering up the place by standing. AHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!'

That's it then. The Post Office know they will never get rid of their interminable queues (although employing an extra cashier or two and opening a couple more service points might do the trick. Just a thought...), so they are spreading people out by removing the potential to queue out of the door (which gives people the chance to whinge), and making them sit down, and thus appear smaller! You still spend exactly the same time waiting to be served as before, but it seems less because you are sitting down in nice little communal groups reading multiple information screens so you don't miss your number being called! It's like occupational therapy. Plus you get to make tiny origami models with your ticket!!

It's a cheap trick, Post Office. A cheap and dirty trick. But it gave me fodder for blogging today and I did eventually get the tax disc. And a nice outfit for Friday!