Birmingham, Tuesday, 4th March, 2014.

With Vicky on a week of annual leave we have an opportunity to come into Birmingham (via Aston Cemetery and lunch in The Jewellery Quarter) for the second time in a few days. Our first trip was a cultural/culinary one; whilst this one is of a 'doing our bit for the economy' nature.

Here, two Feds keep an eagle eye on Vicky as she decides whether to support a demonstration against the closing of a local swimming baths. We contribute a few 'grrrr's' and shout 'Down With The Coalition' a couple of times (as you do) and then continue our quest to boost the economy.

This boosting the economy malarky is a tiring and frustrating affair. We've been to two shops so far and bought absolutely nothing. Debenhams didn't have a suitable breadbin that went with our kitchen decor whilst Next had trousers that fitted me (David) but didn't have them in the right style. 

Thank goodness for Char Wallah: a haven of quiet tranquility if ever there was one. We linger as long as we can and then reluctantly continue on our forlorn quest to spend some money.

Having then trudged to Gap, only to find that it is now a branch of Poundland (ye Gods), then gone across Corporation Street into House of Fraser to find that there are more shop assistants than customers and that all of them, to a man and woman, only want to point out that there's a better selection of products on-line, we manage to persuade them to let us buy two pillow cases. 

Thoroughly demoralised we plod back to the car park, via the grounds of St Phillips Cathedral, with just two bags (and one of those is of food from Marks and Sparks).

We conclude that as we can have a thoroughly demoralising shopping experience in Worcester any time we wish there's no need to come back in to Birmingham unless it's for a cultural/culinary experience which, we have to say, Birmingham does very well.

Then, just to cap things off nicely, the drive home takes over an hour and a half (normal time, 40 mins tops) thanks to roadworks on the Hagley Road and on the M5.

Not one of our better days then.