I went into the post office with a cheque from my sister to pay for Joe's TV licence for the next year.

The post office doesn't do TV licences any more. I had to go to the Spar shop.

At the Spar shop the man behind the counter had to call another assistant. She couldn't find the right form. When I tried to hand over the cheques she told me that they aren't allowed to take cheques. (I had already paid Joe's electricity bill by the same method at the post office.) To keep Joe legal I have now bought the licence on line and made out the cheque to myself.

So much for trying to keep local businesses going!

PS The "permanent" hair colour which I bought on offer at Tesco has mostly washed out at the first wash.