We have found more vendors of fresh bread than we could have imagined and enjoyed a pleasant hour buying birthday presents. On the down side, Clare's attempts at making coleslaw have provided us with more amusement than edible product, and I have missed my favourite yoghurt in the mornings.

The most noticeable change has been psychological. As soon as something is denied to us, human nature dictates that we crave that very thing.

Shops that would not normally interest me suddenly seem unbearably enticing, especially with their promises of post-Christmas bargains.

To some extent, it has been a time of clearing out, decluttering the kitchen as we work our way through the accumulated tins and packets.

This situation is largely due to our past reliance on supermarkets.

When entering one of these institutions, determined to stock up for the week in one fell swoop, the tendency is to buy more than one needs, often forgetting about what lies dormant in the cupboards, fridge and freezer. And it's hard to resist those special offers; we do love to get things on the cheap.

This is actually a serious issue that extends far beyond our kitchens.

According to a recent Government report, a third of the food British householders buy is thrown away. Aside from the shocking waste of it, this food then rots in landfill producing methane, the most harmful of greenhouse gases.

Shopping at individual merchants is a different experience; somehow you note what you actually need and are less likely to be tempted by superfluous goodies.

Clare reports very favourably of her various missions taking her into many shops for the first time.

She has been genuinely impressed with the range of products available and enjoyed the satisfaction of finding most of the items she has sought.

We have been touched by the positive feedback we have had from merchants, people in the street and readers of our blog since last week's article in the Free Press.

It seems there is a lot of goodwill out there for the small shops and traders of our area.