Shopping, shopping and...more shopping...

Last Friday..what a day. James suggested a mother and son shopping day and lunch, in London. What a gem. I love my children! However, it went downhill from there.... he decided I should drive to him, see his new flat, and we would get the bus in from there. I did have reservations....long day, lots of parcels and bags, walking, buses, getting back to my car..still I followed his instructions..

He next came up with the idea that we could end the day with seeing Casino Royale in Hampstead. Lovely. We were all up for that, including Laa, Mec, Amy and Clive. So he booked for all six of us. Except Hampstead was full. So he booked the Barbican instead.... mmmm...

Anyway, I arrived and parked in Highgate and James drove up from his flat, ten mins away and picked me up. Saw his new place in Parliament Hill, very nice. We got the bus to Great Portland Street, and there was the High Spot of the Day....a deli/chacuterie called Villandry..a loviely coffee shop to boot and just gorgeous, all the staff in their proper white aprons and the shop filled with delicious deli food and Christmas goodies..I could have eaten and shopped in there all day. We sat and waited to order breakfast..the young waiter was rather a long time with a couple in the corner..two amazingly young men who were so good looking they had to be gay, and he was obviously taken with them...he eventually got to us, this lovely young French boy - so good looking - and we ordered our coffee and pastries. 'No, he's not gay,' announced James who was blushing slightly from the French boy's attentions. 'Well, you are taking your mother out,' I said, 'he thinks you're nice boy...'

Then the walking started. James walks. And walks. Covers ten miles in a few strides. 6'4" and young and fit. Behind him, running, in high heeled brown boots (wanted to look smart for my day in London..) is 5' 3" not so young not so fit.

We walked to John Lewis. Debenhams. Selfridges. M&S. By then I was aching, feet hurting, knees stiff. We had a lunch stop. Then carried on. More shops, more walking...James says a shop is 'round the corner' and it's six blocks away. I try really really hard..but eventually I am in real trouble...feet blistered and in agony. Can hardly walk. My knees respond by stiffening up completely..I am absolutely crippled and desperate. James keeps walking and I am hobbling behind. Eventually the penny drops. 'You really can't walk can you?' 'No.' He helps me a few yards along to the nearest Prt a Mnger, and sits me down and gets me a cup of tea and a slice of lemon cake. Yum... When he gets back I am rubbing my knees and close to tears..I am trying not to cry because a. it is so girly and b. he will feel bad, but everything f**ing hurts. He runs out and finds a pharmacy, bless him, and feeds me nurofen. It is only half past three and we are due at the Barbican at 6.30pm to eat.....

After a long sit and a talk, the nurofen kicks in and I feel a bit better and say I can make it to whereever he was heading, somewhere he wants to go for Amy's present. It's round the corner...ok.

Three blocks later! we get there, and I walk in open mouthed. Dover Street Market. Concrete floor, brick walls..have they rented a disused warehouse for a week or two? No, it always looks like this..we consider small leather purses and plain black cardigans priced at about £150, and I really do feel out of touch. I resist the old person's statement of 'I'm sure BHS will have something just the same only cheaper,' cos it would only earn me a slap.

Next is H*bit*t on T C Road, miles away, so I insist on paying a tenner for a taxi. I look round, admiring all the furniture with James' name on, and feel very proud. We go into He*als next door, and I collapse onto a sofa while J looks round, and I wonder if I can buy the sofa and sit on it all the way home. My feel are on fire. I may never walk again.

Time to head to the Barbican, we are weighed down with shopping, but managing ok between us. I pay another tenner for another taxi and literally hobble into the Barbican and Mec and Laa just collapse at the sight of me..... but they are very concerned too.

Was that the end of it? No..not at all.....