Of dignity and delivery

One of the biggest problems living in Our Little Work in Progress has been the sheer amount of dirt, dust and paint that ends up on our clothes. Being (until today) washing machine-less, we've been forced to enter the real world looking scruffy. However, we've reached the end of our rope (and of moderately clean clothes supply), so today we gleefully headed to Curry's to pick ourselves up a washing machine.

It was glorious going up and down the aisles, testing doors and buttons. The Curry's saleslady was very pleasant. We settled on one we liked. And then the trouble began. Model was not in stock. Model was not in stock at other Exeter branch. Model could, however, be delivered. For a small sum of 9.95 GBP. Unless, of course, we wanted it before the 25th of November. In that case, we could get 'Express Next-Day Delivery' for a mere 19.95 GBP. Except, of course, it wouldn't be next day as it was after 2 pm. In fact, it wouldn't even be the day after next. [By this time, L. is a bit red and pacing. I, of course, am calm and cool]. Instead, we could look forward to 19.95 delivering our washing machine four days later.

Could Curry's not see the dust on my bum? The dirt on my elbows? The paint on my hem? And my thumb! Surely the sheer sadness of my bum thumb would move them? No such luck.

We pondered, we paced, we contemplated the sheer ridiculousness of 'Express, Next-Day Delivery'. In sum, it was too much. We gathered our credit cards and fled to Tesco to drowned our dirty sorrows in wine, pizzas and ice cream (yes, it was that serious). And what should we find at that most amazing of stores? Not only wine, pizzas and ice cream, but a beautiful, slightly cheaper washing machine, in stock and ready for us to take away tonight! Amazing! So, the day ended with a positive, soon to be much cleaner conclusion.