Friday PM

It's been raining all day - so I've just been at work with my head down. Popped out at lunch and bought The Unexpurgated Cecil Beaton Diaries ( unread ) for 50p and x3 Autograph shirts for another couple of quid - all unworn.

In the Oxfam Bookshop ( we have a dedicated Oxfam bookshop here - and also one for clothes ) there was an old woman so frail she looked in need of medical attention, gamely trying to cope with about 20 large bags of donated books, and struggling and panting as she went. There was an over groomed middle aged man who probably spent a lot of time in the mirror at one side, adding 'gift aid' tickets to selected books - he had the air of a man who had been 'brought in' to do something 'important' - he also had the look and air of a man who had spent his entire life modelling himself on Ken Barlow - and he too was in a trough, after many years of almost success, I imagine he had a novel published once or wrote an article that got syndicated to Readers Digest. He saw that I was waiting to be served, but rather than serve me, or relieve to poor old dear who was, by now, crushed under the weight of 300 donated copies of '50 Shades of Grey' - she simply looked at her over his horn rimmed spectacles and tutted really loudly.

Over in the 'proper' Oxfam - the scary woman who was 'moved' over to clothes from books was in charge - there was a man working with her, middle aged and middle class, dysting off the nick-nacks - she was obviously smitten, they were talking loudly about opera and literature, giggling like school children. Neither of them had a clue what they were talking about but sounded convincing. 'Brain Of Britain' has a lot to answer for.

In the hospice shop, an old man was clocked by the staff trying to shoplift. I didn't get involved.

If you are bored, in Hastings and a size 46 chest - there is a brand new black Hugo Boss suit in the British Heart Foundation shop for a tenner - and a 42 chest Aquascutum jacket in the Hospice shop, neither fit me. Essentially - 99% of Hastings 2nd hand is either M&S, F&F or BHS - everything else is cheaper, including decent designer labels ( Paul Smith is usually half the price of St Michael )

Done well today - waiting for the rain to die down so I can go home - but it's not looking good, I'll have to get wet instead - have a cagoul ( the shame!)