Friday, October 28, 2022

Peak globalization.


Sophie is extremely enthusiastic about some things in life - think Jaffa Cakes. She is much less keen on other things - think grooming. The family diva has reached that age in a dogs life when she deals with things she doesn't like by either feigning deafness or through wilful disobedience.


After a failed attempt at a thorough grooming ( Sophie is in one of her  squirming 'Let's do this tomorrow' moods )  dog and master head off into town for their start of day bacon roll and Jaffa Cake. We sit outside. It's decidedly parky this morning. A few early rising townsfolk and students now recognize us and smile in that patronising way you smile at a man in a bobble hat who talks to his dog and is clearly sixpence short of a shilling. This morning Angus and Sophie discuss Xi's foreign policy goals, the possibility of a new North Korean nuclear test and Roger Stones statement that DeSantis standing against Trump would be 'traitorous'. Soon,  I sense that my companions mind is elsewhere - she's possibly wondering if there are more Jaffa Cakes.  We leave a discussion on whether it was wise for Fetterman to take part in the debate until another day.


Bacon sandwich and Jaffa Cake finished we head off to the beach. Sophie likes the beach but maintains a wary distance from the waves. Experience has taught her that waves are wet and unpredictable. Not a good combination for a routine loving lady.


The grocery van wends its way along the unpaved track to the wee cottage. 'The Font' has received a book of 32% off 'Thank you for your custom' vouchers from the supermarket. Amazingly this applies to everything you order not just selected items. Even more amazingly the 32% discount is applied to already reduced 'special offers '. When it's all added up the real discount works out closer to 45%, probably more as it includes free delivery if you spend more than £100. This tells you a lot about how high supermarket margins must be and how inventories are spiraling out of control.  I don't think I've seen an offer this aggressive - ever. This is what happens when warehouses are stocked to the gunnels for Christmas and people stop spending. Today, 'The Font' notes that our usual coffee has been 'substituted' with something else. Having Japanese coffee as a substitution must mark absolute peak globalization.


 I knew absolutely nothing about this man. He worked from 8 am to 3 am every day : https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/9781982140748?gC=5a105e8b

13 comments:

Lisa in Tokyo said...

The detectives in the British mysteries I read all seem to eat bacon rolls for breakfast, and I am glad finally to know what one looks like. On the other hand, I have a lot of personal familiarity with UCC coffee but have never seen anything remotely as sophisticated looking as your "Tokyo Roast," which seems to be for export only. Sophie looks both lovely and happy.

Teena and Lala said...

Wow - no wonder he looks so grumpy.

The beach looks wondrous.

Have a great day; a bacon roll is always a good start.

Coppa's girl said...

Another best day ever for Sophie! Love the photos of her alone on the beach - mistress of all she surveys, but no pesky seagulls to chase.
Japanese coffee, wow! it must be mighty sophisticated up there! One hopes that some of the people struggling to decide between eating or paying their bills will be able to take up the generous offers of the supermarket where you shop.

WFT Nobby said...

But surely Angus knew that pub quiz favourite fact, that Grover Cleveland was the only US president to have served two non-consecutive terms in office!

WFT Nobby said...

PS The thought that Trump join him is too horrendous to consider...

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari OM
No sign of such discounting here by the Hutch... It's just scary how each grocery order of pretty much the same items hikes up. And I was advised once that substitutions are made not by the human picker, as you might expect, but by the computer/stock system. Sadly, neither of the supermarkets here let one opt for 'no subs' - the only one that does, I think, is "Sainsos." Small stuff in a world that seems to be trying to combust. YAM xx

Maudie said...

Removing the chocolate from Jaffa cakes - tedious for you, much appreciated by Sophie.

Travel said...

Deep political analysis so early in the morning, would make me squirm to.

Jake of Florida said...

My immediate thought!!!

Pam in NH said...

I'm with Lisa: I imagined a bacon roll to be like a bread/ bacon stromboli or maybe a croissant baked with bacon inside. Looks like a hamburger bun?

Also, our Doodle Lola turned 10 in July. We make remarks each day about whether she's "an egg shy of a dozen". We know she's ok b/c she saw the vet for an eye abrasion 2 weeks ago but stray barks just fall out for no reason and she's acting just like Sophie. At least they are both happy old crotchety demanding ladies. We are just the loving staff who serve them.

Gemma's person said...

Maybe start with one leg at a time each day.

Anonymous said...

I order groceries online. Tremendously convenient in many ways. Annoying when they don’t have item in the bag or substitution is not what you like. Still trying to find out why the lack of three bags of whole peanuts (for the blue jays) equaled a substitution of a take and bake baguette.

Lizzie said...

Amen to WTF Nobby's PS.