Bargain Basement

We picnicked all of Britain,
From Loch Ness to the South,
With Thermos flask and sandwiches
Whilst dodging foot and mouth.

No Roman Bath or Aqueduct
Escaped our thirsty gaze,
And shopping trips at Sainsburys
Filled up the rainy days.

But holidays come to an end
And we ran out of dosh,
Looking for a rental
In a suburb that’s quite posh.

In the nicest part of Bristol,
We laid our welcome mat,
But you can’t really see it much
Outside the basement flat.

The house above is grandiose,
With buxus hedging too,
We glimpse it through our iron rails,
Like otters in a zoo.

Pining for dear Wellington,
Amidst the mildew mopping
I strangely miss the forty steps,
Up which we lugged our shopping.