I needed more Pearl Barley than I had (somewhat less than half-a-pound; look don't ask me, it's all Tig's fault!!). So I did the 10 minute walk to Sainsbury's. Up that aisle, down that one, up that o...

Really, the last aisle I got to (& I don't mean last as in "last place, cos then I stopped looking"; I mean "last place cos there was nowhere left to bloody well look") - beans ("Aha!", I thought), beans, beans, lentils, *gap*, lentils, beans, beans... {From the bottom shelf up...} Beans, beans, lentils, *gap*, lentils, beans, beans, beans....

*Gap*

Label...

"Pearl Barley"

{Find trainee muppett shelf-stacker} "Got any Pearl Barley out the back?"

"Eh? Wassat? Pull burly?"

"Pearl Barley"

"Pull what, mate?"

"Pearl, as in oyster, baaaar-ley..."

"Oh right, 'Ang on.."

Five minutes later he tells me "No." {Surprise, surprise...}

Walks home, walks to Safeway's (15 minutes, opposite direction). Finds right aisle first time (note: Safeway's aisle signs much better than Sainsbury's)...

Beans, beans, beans, lentils {You just know what's coming, don't you?}, *gap*, lentils, beans, beans... {From the bottom shelf up...} Beans, beans, lentils, *gap* (You're not surprised?}, lentils, beans, beans, beans....

*Gap*

Label... {I wonder why you're not surprised...)

"Pearl Barley"

{Don't bother finding trainee muppett shelf-stacker, walks home, 15 minutes; 1 wasted fruitless (& grainless) hour later... Grrrrrr...}

Next day, stops off at Tesco's & finds a shelf *full* of Pearl Barley! So...

{Rant}Stuff bloody Sainsbury's, & stuff bloody Safeway's; just don't bother tryin' to stuff 'em with pearl barley cos they're out of stock!!!"{/rant}

And it's all Tig's fault (although my neck definitely does feel a bit better now...)