h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

... a daily, or even semi-regular, journal from Sue. This is because she works very very (very) hard. She gets up at 6am to do the shop book-keeping etc. and gets home at 7pm to do more of the same. I often tell her that she should set up a camp bed in the office above the shop, which would save her 8 hours travelling per week, £££s in petrol money and would give her more time for work work work work work. She doesn't seem to appreciate this suggestion, even when I say she can come home on Saturday nights. Occasionally. Maybe if I offer to let her take the cat with her she would reconsider, but that would involve ME in hardship, which is a definite no-no.

I am wondering what to make Sue for tea tonight. I have chicken, leeks, carrots, celery, onions, potatoes, broccoli, cabbage and Marigold stock, plus loads of seasoning (I managed not to decimate the herb patch when I mowed the grass out back a few hours ago). I'm thinking about broth. Broth can be eaten with one hand, which will free up the other one for Sue to click her way through the day's postings in Mustardland. Yes, chicken broth, I think.

And a bottle of wine.

And a film, maybe - I have a Clint Eastwood (Perfect World) and a Hitchcock (Mr & Mrs Smith) out from the library. Maybe the Hitchcock.

Running a small corner grocery isn't an easy career option - occupying a precarious niche in the town centre, roughly equidistant from a Tafeways and a Sescos, the only way to survive appears to be to offer the customers a very personal service, to cater for more specialist needs and, if not to match the big supermarkets on price, at the vey least to outdo them on quality (which is possible - where Sue stocks a generic item - coconut macaroons, for example - that the supermarket also stocks, their will generally be cheaper, but Sue's brand willtaste better).

It worries me that there's talk about the supermarkets etc. being able to set up their own law firms for off the peg conveyancing etc. If and when I qualify, I'm looking to do Legal Aid work - criminal, family, public law., etc. Maybe ten years down the line I'll find myself in the same position as Sue. Then she'll be able to make cracks about MY having a camp bed above MY office.

Douglas

PS. Alternative recipie suggestions for the above ingredients appreciated.