Waitrose was a hotbed of seasonal reminders today. Near the vegetables was a freestanding display of golden syrup, maple syrup, flour, and skillets, reminding me that Pancake Day is next week. The seasonal section was full of chocolate easter eggs in a wide assortment of brands and styles, from Skittles to Green and Black. Up at the front was a motley assortment of pink champagnes and random giftware, with a refridgerator full of forced* strawberries not far behind it. In honor of Valentine's Day, the store seems to have stopped stocking the usual half-size bottles of champagne; it's large, extra-large, a four-pack with straws, or nothing.

The people distribution in the store was striking too: the front was crowded with throngs picking over the floral and giftware selection. The rest of the store had a much more normal density for mid-afternoon weekday grocery shopping.

* I'm feeling pessimistic after a pack of flavorless apricots last week.