"I didn't expect you today," said Mr G.
"Then why did you leave the door unlocked for me?" I asked.
"I was expecting someone else. I didn't know you were coming," Mr G replied.

Yet here I was at Mr G's in South Acton, coming straight from work. After teaming up with Mission Control earlier in the day to make this shopping mission happen this week, I arrived to find Mr G a little confused and quite worn out. We didn't have much of a chat today, and I got straight into the task.

Mr G had requested plenty of greens — three types, in fact: cavolo nero, Savoy cabbage and tenderstem broccoli. For protein, I picked up breaded chicken breast and two variations of cod — one breaded and oven-ready, the other fresh and uncooked. For healthy snacking, I bought Mr G a big bag of walnut halves. Mr G changed his choice of yoghurt yet again after watching a documentary about supermarket-branded yoghurts, which apparently are not really yoghurts. Who am I to argue with documentary evidence?

Despite it being Wednesday evening rather than my usual Friday after-work visit, I was equally tempted, perhaps even more so, by products carrying my favourite label: the yellow reduced sticker.

My beneficiary was very grateful for the help and wished me a lovely weekend, despite it only being Wednesday. I guess it was out of habit, as I usually shop for him at the end of the week.

It was a beautiful late spring evening: still bright, not too hot, not too breezy. Perfect for a three-and-a-half-kilometre walk. So I took the opportunity to stroll from Acton to Ealing and voice-record this story as I went, saving myself the time of typing up the report later — which felt like a double win!