A good afternoon

 The afternoon's expedition was prompted by deciding that our elderly yard broom, with a fair bit of woodworm in the brush, ought to be replaced. It had probably been treated at some point, but did it need treatment again? Best to start over, although I thought that we might have trouble replacing like with like. Might be pushed into synthetic products.

But the afternoon started with a good omen in the form of three handsome jays strutting about the back lawn, with a green woodpecker in the background. And just as we were leaving, a coal tit paid a flying visit to the bird feeder. Full, incidentally of sunflower kernels, rather than the mixed seeds of last year.

Parked up outside Travis Perkins to find a security company's van dressed up to look like a police car, which I find irritating. But opposite was a No.24, on which we have been stuck for what seems like weeks, trips down the A303 notwithstanding. Actually about three weeks. See reference 1.

Into Travis Perkins to find that they had the very broom we wanted, although it did look to be of slightly cheaper construction that the one we had. And at just under £10 with VAT, probably cheaper than a small tin of woodworm fluid. Not that they had one, only offering 5 litres or something like that - at more than £30.

Out to find a Sainsbury's trolley, with the tape on the handle suggesting condemnation. So not for return, even if the rules were to allow trolleys to be captured on private premises. Which they don't.

Old broom now chopped up with the long handled axe from the fine hardware store somewhere near Montgomery Castle. Old-style hardware store, probably long gone. A very well balanced axe and a good weight. Much better than the sort of thing that Travis Perkins was likely to sell, not that I looked on this occasion. Bits under a bush at the bottom of the garden, where the woodworms can do as they please. Old broom handle retained in case it comes in useful.

I might now spend the evening penning a missive to DVLA to see if they would be prepared to supply an analysis of low number vehicles by area, so that in the event of my getting stuck again, I could put in some time in a high value area. Plague rules permitting.

PS: actually we went on to celebrate with some impromptu e-number soup, that is to say Knorr's chicken noodle soup with some personal touches. 3 onions, coarsely chopped, and 2 rashers of dry cured streaky, cut cross-wise into narrow strips, all fried in a little butter. 3 ounces of pearl barley. The stump of a chou pointu. A little celery, sliced cross-wise. Couple of pints of water. The two of us did around three quarters of it. Very warming. Discerning readers are invited to work out the order in which things were done.

Reference 1: https://psmv4.blogspot.com/2020/10/cheese-time.html.