Yesterday, I decided that I need a new duvet cover, as the one due to go on the bed was old and rubbishy (it fastened up the side and was forever coming undone, and it only had one matching pillow slip). So I went to John Lewis to buy one (and a satnav, as last Saturday I was stuck for ages in a jam I would have known about in the old car, which had a trasffic warning system). In a whole department, there was only one design I liked, but it only came in King size or Super King size, and they only had square pillow cases on display. I spoke to one of the staff, who found some standard pillow cases, but no duvet cover, so I bought them, plus two that I thought would go with an older cover which no longer had pillow cases. I meant to buy the divet cover online.

No luck. There were the huge sizes, a waiting list for doubles, and no reference for singles at all. And the pillow cases turned out to be half size ones.

Back I went this morning, to plead for a refund. But while I was looking for an alternative (Nothing I liked in any other store, woould you believe?) I spotted a single of the design I wanted on their display stand. No, I couldn't have that, as it would be needeed, unless the range was withdrawn. The member of staff I spoke to checked the other stores, and there were only a scatter of odd ones in the country - her supervisor confirmed that there was trouble with supplies, and they weren't sure there would be any more. She was going to ring round, but I suggested having the display one, she agreed, AND knocked £10 off for it being the display one. Very satisfactory.

I think I'm going to use the old cover for making a hot bag for cooking in like a haybox. I have some foam backed foil left over from the airing cupboard, which was heating the atmosphere and getting cold and clammy, and I will need some insulation. I'm not sure about using old blanket, or buying some polystyrene pellets, or both. And I'll need a metal pan without a long handle, of a suitable size. I've had a wartime haybox cookery book for ages, but always fell at the first hurdle - making the box. Rather like the reasons I did not take up astronomy - chapter 1, grinding your mirror; or stage magic - chapter 1, practice rolling a coin round between your fingers, so that it cannot be seen from the other side. Too much could go wrong.

Penny