I do not like my credit crunchy

Old Batman cartoons had "Whammo!" and "Biff!" and "Chop, Smack, Pow!!" in bold, coloured text to indicate a particularly violent triumph of good over evil. Unless it was Batman and Robin getting Biffed and Powed, in which case it was evil triumphing over good - temporarily of course.

Over the last two weeks The VegHead's local source of fairtrade, organic, and fresh ground coffee has closed down. The local Whittards has been one of the 47 stores shutting down due to the company hitting hard times. An extra package of Guatemalan Elephant lies in the freezer to tide me through.

On the High Street of the village The VegHead and SheWhoMustBeFed call home, there's a little independent butcher. Been there forever, and the old man who ran it looked like he was born in the back room. As they were independent, and as they also sold fruit and veg', they also got a slice of The VegHead's wallet. Alas...the butcher closed up shop six days ago. Weakened by years of supermarkets sucking out every pence from the consumer's pockets, they succumbed at last to a slow death.

Then on Friday, the mobile bleeped with a text from Ballsy Dave suggesting a beer in the bar of the local seafood restaurant. Now neither Ballsy Dave or The VegHead eat seafood, but this little local restaurant happens to welcome Ballsy Dave, The VegHead and The Spinner in for a pint or two before the dinner rush. It has been our habit for the last five years or so to have a quiet beer as we reflect on the week's highs and lows, and perhaps a bowl of fresh hot chips along with it. Indeed, this little seafood restaurant had earned itself the moniker of "The Chippy". Ballsy and the The VegHead arrived at The Chippy at the same time, only to find the lights off and the sign on the door reading...

"We regret to inform you that Mulligans is closed until further notice"


My Whittards has been Whammo'd!
My local supply of fruit and veg'; the High Street butcher has been Biffed!!
And now The Chippy has been Chop, Smack, Powed!!!

I do not like this Credit Crunch.

Not one little bit.