Today's mission for Ms P had 3 key elements. Weeds, pears and poo. Only 2 of them could be squeezed into the pun though.

GoodGymers had been to help Ms P in the past, including Kash and Sevan a few years ago. Kash remembered that the garden looked simple, just 2 long flowerbeds at the sides and slabs in the middle, but it was deceptively time consuming to tidy up. She had a good memory 🧠.

There were a lot of weeds in the first flowerbed and at least they were easy to pull out. There was also a lingering scent of Eau de Catlogne, even if whatever the cats (or foxes) had done wasn't very visible. As they worked, Kash and Sevan chatted to Ms P, who was feeling a bit lonely as her son wasn't able to visit. Soon enough, they'd cleared the flowerbed and the slabs around it, so it was onto the next area.

It was on the other side of the back garden where the GoodGymers found the source of the eau-dor in the second flowerbed. Kash spent most of the time on this side scooping things out of the giant litter tray. The weeds in this bed were much deeper rooted, so more digging and time was needed to clear the same amount of space. The neighbour's pear tree also hung over the flowerbed, so there were semi-rotten pears to be speared with forks and disposed of with the weeds. Surprisingly, there were 2 undamaged pears that Ms P said that she wouldn't eat herself, so she offered them to Kash and Sevan at the end of the mission. Pearfect 👌.

After few weeks of missing the weekly shopping for Mr G, I faced a change in Sainsbury's layout and realised I'm not such an expert in Mr G's groceries anymore. The majority of his list hasn't changed though, so after learning how to navigate the updated store route, I could walk it with my eyes closed.

The shortage of baby potatoes didn't go unnoticed, but I was able to buy what British call "baking potatoes" - basically, larger potatoes. I also picked up a bigger bottle of milk for Mr G, which should last Mr G for a week, unspoilt.

I headed to checkout, where I dished out 40 pounds in coins. The till didn't choke even once. They must have improved the machines.

Back at Mr G's, the gentleman praised the new volunteer David, who had done a couple of shopping missions in my absence. Before heading back home, I revealed that the shopping visit to Chiswick Sainsbury's is always an opportunity for me to buy cheddar mini muffins, not available to me locally. I bragged about their irresistible flavour so much that I offered to share one with Mr G. He agreed it's a delightful light snack, so you may see it on his list next time!

After a few weeks of a break, it was my turn to visit Ms F's for her weekly shopping mission. It was good to see her in good spirits after catching up with her friends.

Today's list didn't include the usual Orkney oatcakes and Ryvita, but had a special treat: Bonne Maman blueberry yoghurt, apparently beneficial for the eyes. Unfortunately, the sizes and flavours of the yoghurts in the store didn't match the voucher Ms F had hoped to use. She'd still have a week to redeem it.

Another special request was a discounted pinot grigio wine. I didn't have much luck with getting the product Ms F wanted as the promotion on her favourite had finished. I called Ms F and suggested a different, also discounted, brand that matched the budget and, apparently, was organic. It didn't come up as a surprise to me that Ms F decided to give the organic alternative a try.

Back at Ms F's flat, the lady examined the label, discovering that the wine originated from Sicily. Potential involvement of mafia in the vineyards or production was briefly brought up, but Ms F decided to trust the new brand and try the pinot grigio later with dinner.