Today We Were Off,

to Croydon,

 for a look around town, so it was wrap up warm as it was a bit chilly,

 Diana uses the 'dragon's breath' test to see if it is cold, if you breath out and can see your breath condensate, it is cold, and hence every time we go out we have the dragon's breath test, the cold did not seem to worry the local pair of magpies,

 we took the tram into Croydon, and watched it disappear going downhill past the Surrey Street market, 

 we decided to walk the length of the High Street, 

which unlike the last time we were here,

 has now got a multitude of temporary stalls,

 many selling food,

 but this one has a definite Red Indian feel about it, selling rugs and clothes styled on the North American tribes, also a good selection of dreamcatchers,

 back to foods, this stall selling coffee,

 this one olives,

 and what appear to be fairly exclusive biscuits,

 as we passed it we decided to call into Debenhams,

 then back out onto the street, where this old timer was belting out a song and dance routine,

 and how strange, another Red Indian stall, 

 I never realized that their culture was so strong in Croydon as to have and support two stalls in one street,

 back to the food stalls, Greek,

 and Caribbean from the two above,

 as well as the Red Indian stalls selling handicrafts,

 this one was selling wooden products,

 the Zara magnet pulled Diana in,

 and for those with a sweet tooth, (if only I had more than a few left!)

 this is the stall for you, look at all of those lovely lollipops,

 back to Greece,

 and on to Germany, it really was a cosmopolitan street,

 as we passed this colorful building we had reached West Croydon train station,

 so it was time to retrace our steps, but first stopping off in the Whitgift Center,

 Diana wanted a few things from Boots, 

 and some aftershave for myself,

 shopping over we walked down to the Surrey Street market,

 as a boy in the 1950's you could hardly move for stalls and people, but now it has spaces for as any stalls as you like,

 one of the reasons we called here was to go to one of the three fresh fish stalls that are in or near the market, a couple of the smoked fish that I really like eating cold are the buckling, and Arbroath smokies, but alas in all three shops it was wet fish, not smoked only,

 time to do a little buying,

 Diana's favorite soft fruit, raspberries,

 we continued our walk,

 and chanced upon this stall,

 selling these lovely dwarf cyclamen,

 £2.00 each,

 so 4 to go,

 walking back towards the tram,

 a neat piece of street art of the great man himself,

the sign says it all,

 new heights indeed, but just do not expect to see me up there any time soon!

 back home, 

 my Christmas jumper, but not just any old jumper,

 this one has ever changing colored flashing lights!

 I should have mentioned the reason we were out was that in the morning Parcel Farce did indeed deliver out BT package,

 so after much blood, sweat and tears, (mine), Diana did the tricky bit with the Broadband and television log in, and we now have lots of channels to choose from, 

 back to the cyclamen, some time ago I noticed these for me, really nice pots,

 I liked the sun-ray patterns from the corners of each pot,

so much so that I contacted Fiona at her Esty shop GlasshouseUK, and asked her to make me a double pot, and here it is,

 all three on the window still, the pictures do not do Fiona's pots justice, but I was so pleased with them and the flowers, I took the pictures at night as we arrived indoors,

then out again, Steve very kindly offered to take me to IKEA and Currys/PC World, we did not take the girls as we had to put the rear seats down to fit the flat pack in, in IKEA our bad luck struck again, we were going to go to Brighton tomorrow to order our sofas, but ringing the shop to confirm they were open the recorded messages said, 'closed all last week, closed all of this week', bearing in mind they have to be made to order, there is not much chance we will have them for Christmas, still all was not lost, 'always have a plan 'B' Dave', as Phonce would say, plan 'B' was to travel up to Dunstable to look at two sets of tables and chairs and make our minds up as to which one to buy, the result after a telephone call? 'sorry sir we sold both last week' I ask if it was possible to order a set to arrive before Christmas, 'sorry sir, delivery 3 - 4 months!', so that was it, no dinning table and chairs and no sofas for Christmas, and at IKEA, can we take that television cabinet please? 'sorry sir out of stock!', Steve kindly dropped me off back home, after saying many thanks and and goodbye, I went up to our flat, we watched some television, too many channels was the problem, and then we were off to bed.