I was on a parchment search today,firstly in Brigantia,then on my home turf of Dingley Dell. I found eleven suitable for my business,so was well pleased. My last port of call was the Ladies of Mercy Charity Shop where I frequently find good bargains. I found two good examples of ancient texts there and headed to the counter to pay. The shop was so busy with folk bringing in stuff to sell,and folk queueing to buy purchases, so I took my place at the end of the line. The Ladies of Mercy seem to be getting older by the minute. Two of the oldest elven ladies on the team were in charge today,so things were moving but slowly. When Dilly Lightbell wrapped something up and went to the till,in the meantime, Old Polly Chink peered in the bag and took it out again. And vice versa. Two steps forward and fifteen back,you could say. Customers were stepping in and sorting them out,with a smile. When my turn came, I smiled a lot ,encouraging one or both to shape up and do it right. They are a merry twosome , Dilly and Polly,and no matter what their shenanigans,their industry is to be applauded. Dilly,in her pink lacy sweater and blue tweed skirt looks the picture of efficiency and management aplomb. Looks being the figurative word there. She manages till she has to do something,and then she seems to forget what it was she came to do.Old Polly likes to believe she is keeping Dilly right, but goes off at a tangent,invariably in a completely different direction. They are fun,the two of them, and so delicate you almost fear a puff of wind will catch them and blow them clean away. Paper thin fingers, plaster coloured skin, tightly coiled salt and pepper curls,and spindle shaped legs - these are the tools of the average Lady of Mercy.

I had to finish the afternoon with a cup of frothy coffee,so i headed for the Buttercup Bistro.It is the cafe I frequent the most in Dingley Dell,as their soup concoctions surpass all others.
The braised lettuce and chard combo today looked especially inviting. The boggart boy served me.He always rushes to serve me.Today his haste almost caused a clash between the washing up elf and the sandwich spreading gnome. He apologised to them,to me and flushed to the roots of his already red hair.
I smiled benevolently and ordered a big bowl and a pot of tea. I wandered over to find a seat where I could read my magazine ,and enjoy my lunch. But it was difficult with a pair of sharp black eyes peering down at the back of my neck. I did not look up or over. I knew who it was. The boggart boy seemed to be carrying quite a torch which I was finding it hard to put out. I had noticed him looking before,but put it down to my having a speck of gardening dirt somewhere on my person. Today he was not holding back. I looked up just to check. His big toothy grin smiled in my direction. I stifled any attempt to grin back and replaced it with my most stern countenance. I looked down again and kept my glance glued to the paper. When he appeared at my side to bring my lunch I still did not look up,but mumbled a quick and abrupt thank you. Clipped. Short. Terse in every way. He lingered longer than he needed to,arranging my plates on the table . I still did not look up. Eventually he gave up trying to attract my attention and lumbered off. He had gone but now I could not settle. He might come back. He might start more smiling. He might start throwing things to attract my attention. My overactive imagination was forcing me to shovel spoonfuls of soup in as fast as I could swallow,slurp down my tea and make a hasty exit,so much did his teenage boggart hormones upset my equilibrium. I wanted just to tell him to STOP,but instead ,keeping my head down, I paid for my lunch and head forward,no looking round, I left the building. Outside, I was really annoyed with myself. Why did I leave ? It was my most favourite place apart from the Jolly Woodman. He was just a silly boggart boy,and I was a grown-up sophisticated elven lady. My responses should have been more mature and laid back. Oh,stuff that, I'd just have to find somewhere else to guzzle down my soup.
Back home ,I set to furiously tidying up our toadstool home. So many things seem to be in the wrong place. A mountain of pressed vestments lies in the kitchen; boxes of parchments lie in wait on the stairway to trip you up; our oaken coffee table is sinking under the weight of booklets and magazines; and vegetables lie mouldering on the worktop next to the back door. I need to clean up !!

Pendragon is working in Metropolis tonight . Hopefully he will return tomorrow to find his toadstool haven restored to the sleek palace he likes to remember.
Tomorrow Pendragon and I are visiting friends in Metropolis for dinner. Neapolitan fare ,I think, and lots of it. On Sunday,I spend another afternoon with my Theatrical chums. Happy Days !
Next week I meet with Portamus Cumberpatch to discuss my new job as entertainments/gossip columnist. Some serious work beckons. One of my first jobs will be to cover events in the Metropolis International Festival. I believe Portamus has already set up some meaningful interviews for me.

Eat your fill this weekend,my ravenous friends,before the credit crunch has you fumbling for the value packs on the bottom shelf. A little of what you fancy may become very thin on the ground indeed.
Much good fortune to you all, from Amarantha Willow, teenage temptress, the Rainbow Faery.