13 January - Harrods & Sheets

I suggest to W. going to Harrods to check shoes as one of my friends bought some Loubutins cheap as last days blah blah. No luck with shoes but W. needs sheets for her spare room, tired of white, wants to jazz up. Pale grey. Calvin Klein home range has some nice stuff. Though we get confused by sizes of doubles, kings, super kings and so on. And of course sale stuff as some stuff mixed in that's non sale. Half an hour later and she's happy with a set. The till says £300 We look at each other. One on sale duvet cover, one fitted sheet, two pillowcases. Ah there's the clue, one pillowcase is £21 down from £40 something. I look at it and it's a plain pale grey pillowcase. You know, nothing special about it.

This shop is mad. Whilst she was debating I had noticed some brands were much more expensive than CK, I mean who does Ralph Lauren think he is? I tell W. to leave the stuff and march her out. She agrees, but says she'll ask her decorator who gets trade discounts to get something. Trade discounts my arse. That woman will always manage to fleece her somehow.

However, as I was also tempted by linen, a classic weakners, I resolve though to go round with a mantra written on a piece of paper. These items I will never buy new ones of till current ones fall apart, it's time to stop this housewife sort of madness:

towels
bed linen
hats
scarves (wool or silk or pashminas or other)
gloves
belts
cellulite creams