WHAT with various commitments and a flurry of work, we have barely had time to sneeze lately (except the little ones, who have sneezed enough for us all). Consequently, we haven't contributed very much to our blog.

But what is striking is that we have not found it difficult to fit in all our shopping. Clare's weekly trip to Sudbury market provides most of our staple fare in less than half an hour. Milk and butter are delivered to our door.

Other than that, we've got used to shopping on the hoof, picking up bits and pieces in passing.

That's the beauty of small shops: they are conveniently dotted about along the way. And unlike supermarkets, one may just pop in. There's no negotiating a trolley through a cast of thousands, around kilometres of shelving and no queuing behind over-spilling conveyor-belts. It's so much less rigmarole to pop into somewhere local from time to time.

Thus Long Melford Pharmacy has provided us with various supplies without us making a special journey. Another time we were passing Spencer's farm shop, in Wickham St Paul, and stopped for a pleasant few minutes that saw us driving off with longed-for convenience items like frozen peas and pitta bread. Plus the bonus of some splendid hand-made pasties for an impromptu lunch on the go.

A couple of minutes here, a minor detour there and we're fully stocked, without a time-consuming dedicated shopping trip. And there are other ways in which independent shops are proving to be convenient. Their specialist nature cuts out superfluous choice, making shopping more focused and less overwhelming.

When James and I were wondering what to buy Clare for her birthday, we happened to pass The China Shop, in Gainsborough Street. Although this is not the sort of shop we manly types normally frequent, it took us no time at all to find just the thing. Clare is very pleased with her floral jug.

But there is a down side to our shop-as-you-go habits. It is the ease with which we find ourselves slipping into Sweet Times, the confectioner's in Gainsborough Street. We are supposed to be losing weight. Some local shops are just a bit too convenient!

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