Radio 4 & Waitrose

I have just discovered Radio 4 Podcasts. This is what has been missing from my life. I ave spent this week off work basing my days around the Radio 4 schedule and tv programmes featuring Julia Bradbury. Interesting facts or countryside of Britain, yes please. I love the geeky ones like Material World and Moneybox Live. I like how much fun they have on Midweek, clever and fun, it can happen! I think my ideal programme would be some science/art feature presented by Dr Mark Lythgoe on the Caledonian Express, and it would also be a TV tie in. Imagine! Maybe Jenny Murray would board the train at some point and Nigel would make her corned beef hash, that was such an amazing programme. It's pretty hefty that they keep all those Women's Hour features from nearly 10 years back.

I wanted to see a celebrity in Waitrose. I thought I saw Ben Fogle at the newspapers but I also thought he came into the shop the other day, and this was a different person, so perhaps Ben Fogle is a common look. I keep checking people's names when they pay by credit card, really slyly using my sideways eyes, and one time one of them will be a radio personality or writer, for sure. I don't know what I'll do when I spot one, will I be able to hide my excitement, will it be appropriate to tell them 'this is you', and they'll be like 'yeah, it is me'.

Waitrose in Islington! Oh my! So many things to look at, such a different experience. It cost me 72p for one leek. Pink Ladys were £2.55/kg and I know for a fact they are £1.32/kg on Newington Green. That's extortion. But then unsulphured organic apricots were only one pence more than the orange ones, which were more than Sainsbury's but the brown ones are nicer and there's no chemicals. And Lindt 85% chocolate is only £1.16. I think it's over £1.50 in Sains. It pays to be a good consumer and have your eye on these markers. I'm happy I know how much stuff is, how much it changes, which shops have got their pricepoint slightly wrong, or more likely very wrong. Good news for eagle eyes. 400g of 75% milk-free chocolate for £2.60 is excellent value. That makes my 8" chocolate cake well worth it. I am such a bloody geek on this stuff.

Waitrose are taking over ex-Woolworth's stores, slipping in and upgrading. I accused the checkout boy that I bet there's no ex-Woolies staff in here, but was pleasantly corrected. He gave me a charity token. The company is also planning an overtake of 13 Co-op Food Stores, which rather saddened me, but then John Lewis Partnership are just a more corporate version of the Co-op. I am glad to be a member, and might join John Lewis Card scheme, just for the free Waitrose Food Illustrated. The Co-op swallowed Somerfield recently, which I'm sure swallowed Kwik Save a few years back. John Lewis and the Co-op will definitely merge. I hope it's a merge rather than a displacement. I feel a feature coming on...