"We're Downgrading, Actually"

I am installed in my new home, and my mobile broadband is working, so I thought I would take a little pause in my unpacking efforts to blog about my trip to London.

Of course, this was one of the most important weekends of my life, so I thought it would only be appropriate to shoehorn in a visit to the Covent Garden Branch of Coco De Mer along with all the other things I was doing. As you do.

My partner in crime on this little jaunt was the inimitable Emma Jane, and we decided to visit Coco De Mer prior to afternoon tea at the Berkeley hotel. (Another experience which is thoroughly recommended!) Once we'd found the shop, we wandered around looking at the various things for sale, and trying fairly hard not to faint at the prices. The stuff is amazing, but the vast majority of it is not for young ladies who have just had a substantial increase in their mortgage repayments!

There were however, a couple of things which caught my eye, and made their way into my hands. Unfortunately, they are both wooden... I think I was suffering from "pretty disease" again. This is where I buy something (especially knickers and implements) because they are pretty.

I'm having trouble uploading the photos, but the links to the two paddles here. First, a beautiful spatula spanker, and second, the thing I had gone for in the first place, the utterly gorgeous rubberwood paddle. I actually picked up two of the paddle, one for me and one as a present, and Emma Jane had a spatula spanker as well. As we were walking to the till, one of the assistants came up to us and enquired whether we were experienced in spanking and flogging, as the implements we were holding were quite severe.

I blushed, stammered and decided that I'd quite like to sink into the nearest hole and hide there for a while. Emma Jane, on the other hand, with great presence of mind, replied.
"Yes, we are experienced. We're downgrading, actually, with these implements."

Of course, it remains to be seen whether they can actually be classed as "downgrading". I'm sure they could be used sensually and gently, but I'm equally sure that most tops of my acquaintance will not be able to resist using them rather more than "gently"... That being said, when I've had chance to test them out properly, I'll report back!