At Last ... in triplicate

... AT LAST I think I can say I'm better. I only coughed once today, and even managed to carry a Victorian 2-seater buttonback sofa down 2 flights of stairs at Dairy House today ... not on my own I hasten to add ... but with the (female) purchaser. But I was the one going backwards and at one point I thought she and the sofa were going to push me down. I felt as if I was leaning backwards and I couldn't move my feet down to the next stair. Bit scary for a moment! My word, didn't they make furniture out of heavy wood in the 19th century!! Sales generally are quite good at DH despite all the talk of doom and gloom that abounds. I'm delighted for our dealers as it's quite a responsibility selling for other people and I hate it if I have to say 'sorry, nothing of yours sold this week'.

AT LAST I've managed to update my website with a number of goodies. I'm trying to add half a dozen or so each evening and so far have managed to add something 3 days running. It was the turn of the Vintage Variety page this evening; yesterday was more Kitchenalia and on Sunday I added some China and Glass. If I keep this up over the next fortnight I might manage to list most of the items I've photographed over the last couple of weeks ... maybe.

These embroidered Russian doll motifs were originally attached to a cloth. They'll be on the website soon - with better photos!

AT LAST my book has arrived from Blurb. I'm so pleased with it and the photos look even better in the book than they do on my computer screen. Mum has already decided she will need several to give as presents, and I keep looking through it and grinning. It's a great thrill to see something bound as a book and to know it's all your own work. Admittedly it's only photographs with no wording, other than on the fly sheet, but they're my photos and I decided what should go where. I really wasn't sure how well it would turn out, but what do you think? I've scanned these 3 photos from the book and although they look a bit odd because of the light from the scanner on the glossy paper and the fact that the book wouldn't lie flat (there are 84 pages), it gives you an idea.

This last group of photos were taken over a period of about 10 minutes of THE most amazing sunset a few years ago around this time of year. I stood in the garden and kept taking photos until it was all over. And now I shall be able to re-live it any time I like! I can't believe that it will be the longest day at the end of the week. (Dare I say ... I heard a customer in DH today mention Christmas presents. Aaaaargh!!!!)

Picnic Anyone? ...

... At last I've managed to spend some time in the garden! Not gardening, I hasten to add, but taking photos of stock for the website. All I have to do now is the write-ups and with a bit of luck I might manage to get a few items listed next week!

Was it a lovely sunny afternoon in your neck of the woods?

Shades of Green ...

A day at Dairy House, starting with a slight detour to take a photo of a scene I saw yesterday when I had my camera with me ... but the battery was in the charger on top of the fridge in the ... kitchen! The rest are items on display at DH which will be on the website soon.

The piccies below aren't green, but meet Rupert ... he belongs to another dealer and wasn't too keen on posing in the laundry basket ... but when a dog has to do what a dog has to do ... all in the line of duty of course!

One Day ... Two Posts ...

Just thought you might like to know I've at last added some new stock to my website. It's going to take a while to list everything I've taken photos of, but for the time being you might like to browse the Kitchenalia and Dressing Up Box pages. Plenty more to add but not enough hours left today!!

Sausages Anyone ... ???

Just thought you might like an update on Pip and Squeak. They have a visitor for a few weeks ... Boy Pig!!! He's obviously 'scored' - just look how they're following him around!

Apparently any girls will be sold for breeding purposes and the males will become Sunday lunch. Pip and Squeak, meanwhile, will live happily ever after ...

Here's One I Made Earlier ...

... and finally uploaded it to http://www.blurb.com/ today. After the success of the little nostalgia book I created for my Uncle's 80th birthday I got somewhat carried away and collected up all the sky/cloud/sunset photos I had taken whilst living at Dilton Marsh. A few others sneaked in and I ended up with 86 pages of book. I've only just ordered it myself today, but have offered it for sale on Blurb. Whether anyone ever buys a copy will remain to be seen, and I have to admit to being a bit disappointed with the preview pages. The first 10 or 15 pages are shown, and they aren't particularly interesting. The last one is of a black sky which is the last impression anyone sees and consequently, to my mind, is a big turn-off. It's too late to change it now so time will tell. If you want to see a preview you can find a link on my sidebar. All criticism (gratefully) received!

However, it was fun ... and so simple ... to do! So if nothing else I, at least, will have a coffee table book to browse through reminding me of some of the wonderful skies I had on my Wiltshire doorstep! Perhaps I'll go through all my floral photos next ...

I Can See Clearly Now the Rain has Gone ...

... Let's hope it stays away for a while so we can take time to smell the roses!

Sublime to Ridiculous ...

I may be OK sitting at a computer and taking photos with my digital camera and uploading them, but give me a mobile phone with a camera and I have no hope. For some reason I can (sometimes) take photos but then lose them and any I manage to keep I can't send to anyone which rather defeats the object to my mind.

Especially yesterday evening! Did you see (we were captured by national television) the flooding in and around Shepton Mallet and other parts of the West Country? I was driving from DH to Shepton to see Gillie and drove through flash flooding the likes of which I've only ever seen on television. Then I had to drive past the Bath & West Showground (where the antiques fairs are held) at about 7.30 last evening only to find that visitors to the Bath & West Agricultural Show were struggling to get out of the site, and the road was flooded. Veritable rivers of water were flowing through the bottoms of hedges, down the verge and straight across the road, or rather across the muddy pond that I and a hundred or more other cars were trying to drive through. At one point it was flowing so fast it looked as if the cars facing me were going backwards. Quite scary, but I live to tell the tale. Unfortunately I can't show you pictures (although I took two with my mobile). It wasn't until I got home that I remembered I had my camera with me and I could have got some superb muddy water shots to prove I was there!!!

Those desperate to see it, you can look here: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1022936/Householders-evacuate-homes-flash-flooding-hits-Britain-torrential-rain.html and on several other news sites - although of course none of them makes it look as bad as it was when you were actually there!!!!

A Ray of Sunshine ...

... caught in the nick of time ...

Happy ... with a tinge of sadness ... (with photos at last)

On Tuesday Mum had an operation to remove a cataract from her 'good' eye. Whilst waiting for her Pauley and I spent a few hours in and around Taunton but nothing went right for us. You know those days ... Mum thought her op was specified at 12.30 but it turned out she wasn't due to be 'done' until 5pm so no way were we going to be able to take her home at 6.30 as anticipated. We didn't find out until I'd been sitting with her from 12.00 until 1.30 (while Pauley was sitting waiting in the car). This made her quite jittery so we didn't want to go too far away from the hospital in case she decided to do a runner! So we mooched round Taunton briefly and went to get something to eat. The plan had been to spend the afternoon in Watchet and Dunster or maybe just wander over Exmoor but that didn't work! The place we chose to eat (in desperation) was offering smoothies and paninis. Mmmm we thought, a nice cool smoothie would be lovely on such a hot afternoon. Ordered our food and were then told the smoothie machine wasn't working, so we had banana milkshakes - but I defy anyone to prove there was any banana flavouring in the insipid white liquid we were given. Pauley stood outside WH Smiths waiting for me to pay for a belated anniversary card for Han (what an awful mother, but being poorly was my excuse), and when he tried to move he was stuck to the pavement having been standing on a dollop of chewing gum! Aaaaaargh - we hate towns!!

We then set off for a brief jolly for an hour or so, and on the way back to Taunton came across a layby with a couple of picnic benches. So we sat and read for a while. This was the view from the bench.

Mum's op was a great success though, and the next morning everything was bright and clear. She's thrilled to bits (and so are we!!), and is now thoroughly enjoying all the wonderful colours in her garden.

A couple of days later I had to collect some shelves which Liz had stored for me after the last fateful Shepton Antiques Fair. I love cows and although they're not easy to see, there are some under the tree. This is the lane leading away from Liz's home.

And then Friday arrived and I set off for my final Shepton 3-day Fair (the tinge of sadness referred to) and believe it or not the weather was warm and sunny. Amazing. I think that's the first fine 3-day Fair in a year!! Someone said there were apparently a few spots of rain though. A friend came to help me unload my car as I knew it would be too much for me as I'm still coughing well. And cough I did - for the first 2 hours! However, once I was set up and able to slow down the coughing eased off. I'd printed off plenty of Dairy House flyers to hand to all my regular customers and had some wonderful comments about how I'll be missed at the Fair. They really made by day! Mind you, so did my takings! I had a brilliant trade day (Friday is trade only).

Gillie came with me for the day on Saturday and said what a sociable occasion it was. I shall miss that. I love talking to everyone who comes to my stand and many of them seem like friends now rather than just acquaintances. At least that's how it feels. I had another brilliant selling day and by the time I'd got home and checked totals I realised that I was nearing my best sales ever at this particular Fair. Another good day on Sunday would certainly clinch it.

Not to be, though. Sunday was a very slow affair, with reasonable but not good sales. However, this Fair ended up as either 2nd or 3rd best, so I certainly won't be complaining. May has always been a good Fair for me. A number of Japanese buyers come in May and they love to buy white linen and Christening gowns. No colour. Just white - and perfect. One of my 'regulars' (I have always sent complimentary tickets to she and her husband) came on Sunday and they already knew it was to be my last Fair. They were so kind a brought me a Streptocarpus as a gift (a pot plant with beautiful soft blue flowers for the non-gardeners among you). It was a day of hugs and good wishes and I really felt quite sad to think I wouldn't be part of that little community any more. Admittedly I shall be there in September buying like mad (if I sell well enough between now and then!) but it won't be quite the same. The sense of belonging will have gone. Still, there'll be no excuse now - I shall be able to concentrate on photographing and getting stock onto Vintage to Victorian. Some of the items shown are still available and will be added soon.

This amazing cloth is silk and measures approximately 6ft x 6ft. It's in perfect condition.

And talking of buying ... I finally found these Dewhurst's Sylko drawers. I've been looking for ages, and this just leapt out in front of me on Sunday morning. I shall keep it for a while, but it may eventually make it's way to the website. We'll see ...

And look at this amazing pair of Deco firescreens. They are wooden, covered in mottled paper, the ladies are painted and the central pleated section is fabric. I saw the blue one first thing yesterday morning before the dealer was at his pitch. When I went back later he showed me the pink one as well. I'd missed it before. These will probably go on the website although I may just take them to Dairy House. For the time being I'm going to enjoy them at home!

I also bought 3 blue and white striped deckchairs (with arm rests) in excellent safely usable condition, an Edwardian bathroom cabinet with 2 lockable cupboards, original bevelled edge mirrors and locks with keys. And I found a lovely shabby round French garden table and 2 chairs. These will be going to Dairy House on Tuesday. So, not only was it a good selling weekend, but it was also a perfect buying one, too!

Driving home through the lanes I came across this field full of buttercups. A lovely end to the weekend. (I've wished I'd been able to stop several times over the few weeks to photograph the amazing bank of cowslips on the A303 but there was nowhere to pull off the road. I did manage one attempt but it was rather scary as the cars were zooming past at break-neck speed. It was the largest mass of cowslips I've seen since I was a child - awesome as some would say!)

Thankfully I'm feeling much better, although I'm tired after the weekend. I'm still coughing in phases, and it seems to have turned into a cold/bunged up doze type thing. Energy levels aren't what they were, but are building up slowly each day. Lucozade and Guinness (not together) are helping, along with Manuka honey (and the odd swig of Covonia for the cough)!

I hope the photos have made up for all those posts I've written with nothing to look at. Have a lovely sunny week and lots of fun!

On the mend at last ...

Thank you all for you good wishes and to those of you who thought I was working so hard because I haven't been blogging ... I'm just rounding the corner of 5 weeks of coughing and feeling exhausted. I can't believe it's taken all this time to begin to feel even slightly better. I've been a pathetic wimp of the extreme order and all I can say is thank goodness for Gillie.

As you know, she came to live with us whilst house-hunting, and without her I think I would have starved! She seemed to know exactly what sort of comfort food an intermittently bedridden pathetic heap needed. And Pauley, bless him, has learned how to use the washing machine and tumble drier. All I've done since 23 March is intersperse my days at Dairy House with days in bed conserving energy for the next day at DH. But things are changing ... (not least because Gillie completed the purchase of her new house last Wednesday, and will be moving out later this week ... so I have to get better!)

Yesterday I did the Giant Flea Market at Shepton (the first one I've managed to get to this year because of family events. I took far less than usual and decided that whatever I sold would be a bonus because I certainly wasn't in slick selling mode. I covered costs and caught up with several regular customers so that was good, and although I had a couple of coughing fits when I unloaded and packed up again at the end, I managed to get through the day without collapsing (which when I set off at 7.00am I wasn't sure wouldn't happen!).

I was determined to go yesterday, especially as it was a chance to meet the wonderful Lucy Bloom, who was planning a visit to the Flea. She was one of the first people to come to my stand and it was super to meet the lady whose prize draw I've won, and who has sent me some lovely little extras from time to time. We chatted for a while, she rummaged through my stocks of ribbons and fabrics and then went off to view the rest, returning for another chat before going home. Thank you, Lucy, for your purchases. I hope we'll see the results of your inspiration on your blog in due course ... no pressure of course! It was good to see Niki of course, and Frances, who has just created a website and who I think I've persuaded to start a blog. Frances lives just a few miles from me, and I've bought some super items from her in the past. Have a look at her new site and keep a lookout for her blog.

Anyway, I was delighted to find that by the time I got home last evening I wasn't in a state of collapse. I managed to stay up until gone 9 o'clock (well past my recent bedtime) and this morning I've been pottering about, very aware of the dreadful state of the house which I haven't noticed all this time. So I must be getting better. Just as well because Friday, Saturday and Sunday brings the next DMG 3-day Antiques Fair at Shepton Mallet and I need to do it. Need, as in really NEED to, because I've made the rather sad decision that it will be my last one (other than maybe an odd one from time-to-time). Now I have the responsibility of Dairy House I really can't risk overdoing it again, and putting the onus on the other dealers to run the place while I languish in bed. Not good business practice. So, I need to be at Shepton to see all my regular customers and tell them the party's over and hand out as many flyers for Dairy House as I can.

Talking of which ... the first month has been brilliant. Whilst I've done my allotted days each week I haven't actually achieved very much while I've been there, but I have at least managed to get some good advertising in place, and found a painter and decorator who has painted the staircase (no mean feat as it's a 3-storey building) in readiness for a picture dealer joining our happy band at the end of next week. His pictures will be displayed up the staircases and on the landing and I'm hoping DH will work well for him. Sales have been amazing which has meant I have 16 happy dealers, so hopefully none of them will be moving out just yet! There's lots of tidying up still to do, but there's plenty of time. The atmosphere is generally quite jolly, old customers are still coming to buy, and we have experienced a few days with so many people wandering around that those on duty have been quite stunned by the buzz. I imagine there can't be many cottages left to buy in Dorset judging by the number of people who have come in saying they've just moved into a cottage and need to furnish it!

Now I'm on the mend (please no relapse!) I really must get the Vintage to Victorian website restocked. I'm amazed that people are still looking (and buying) as I have been so remiss in updating the site. I do appreciate everyone's visits and can only apologise for not giving you more to choose from. Let's get next weekend over and then I really should have no excuse ...

And finally ...

Do you remember ... a year ago yesterday Mum fell and broke her arm in 2 places ... and a year ago today this happened

Happy 1st Wedding Anniversary Hannah and Rob! xxx

Dorchester Talent for Textiles

Just to remind you that tomorrow sees the first Talent for Textiles Sale in Dorchester - you may remember I wrote about it here. Sadly I won't manage to get there as I'm on yet another course of antibiotics and cough medicine and any days not spent at Dairy House still seem to be spent in bed.

I shall enjoy hearing from anyone who does go ...

Dairy House Update ...

Thank you for all the emails wondering how the 'takeover' of Dairy House Antiques went. I'm sorry not to have kept you posted, but there were no balloons and fanfares and I've struggled to stay awake long enough to think of what to write for the last fortnight!

Well ... it came and went while I languished in bed. Pauley and I went over for an hour on the Monday (my first foray into the outside world for a week after the return of the virus) and I then spent 'D-Day' in bed. Liz took me to a local Centre which was closing down on the Wednesday to buy some cabinets, and I stood by while others loaded Liz's van, coughing and spluttering every couple of minutes (not pleasant!). We took them to Dairy House and once again I stood around looking and feeling pathetic, thinking 'this is now my business and I haven't got the energy to lift a finger'. I managed to do my turn on the Thursday, but Pauley came with me in case I flagged half-way through the day (which I did for about an hour). Friday saw Liz and me transporting another cabinet which, once in situ, I proceeded to wipe over with a damp cloth, expending all remaining energy. Then to make matters worse, just as we were leaving to come home my tummy started churning and it took us an hour and a half to get home as I had to leap/stagger/fall out of Liz's van every few miles. What happened there I just don't know, but suffice to say Liz deserves a medal - and this is probably too much information!!! So my first Saturday was covered by Liz and Andrew (previous owner) and I stayed in bed again. I managed Sunday afternoon, and since then have been 'on duty' on Tuesday, Thursday and today.

My space is beginning to look a bit better, but I still have loads to sort and shift. I'm taking it gently though, because I really can't afford to be poorly again. As it is I do a bit and then sit for a while. I'll be so glad when I have energy again although I'm not sure there's enough Lucozade in the land to make that happen just at the moment.

However ... the good news is that all the new dealers are in, bar a picture dealer who isn't coming until I've had the hall and staircase decorated, 3 cabinets are filled with china, glass and other collectables, all of which are looking good, and the long-standing dealers have switched around their rooms/spaces and there is a good feel all round. Everyone is cheerful and calling me Boss or Guv or Ma'am (hee hee) and suitably bowing and scraping and doffing caps.

We've also had quite a few new customers in the last week or so. We are a little off the beaten track and so don't get passing trade as such. I think over the last 2 weekends we've had at least 10 couples who had never visited us before. Ten may not seem a lot, but believe me the knock-on effect is fantastic. On Thursday a regular customer came in with her sister. The sister had flown down from Scotland that morning and they were with us by lunchtime. Apparently she brings all visiting friends, and her sister always insists on a visit when she comes down to Dorset. We have a lot of customers like that, which is wonderful. They spent about 2 hours wandering around, collecting bits and pieces as they wandered. Absolutely charming, and due for a return visit next month.

Liz is doing Saturdays with me now instead of Thursdays, but the routine is much the same. Liz's hens lay eggs for us to have egg sandwiches and I bring whatever goodies my fridge or Waitrose has to offer. Today my contribution was the remainder of yesterday's homemade butternut squash soup. I used one of the enamel saucepans in my kitchenalia collection (well washed first of course), and set it on top of the woodburner. Within minutes the soup was bubbling over (we had a good fire going today) and splashing onto the stove, and a well-cooked smell wafted through the shop. Memo to me - use a saucepan with a lid next time! I might try jacket potatoes another time. Pre-cooked at home in the microwave, wrapped in tinfoil and placed on the top of the stove they will probably be cooked to perfection by lunchtime!

So, I'm off to bed now to regain my strength for tomorrow. It's now 9.30 pm and this is the latest I've been up for about 3 weeks. But tomorrow's another day, and hopefully a manageably busy one. I had hoped to take some photos to show you today but we were so busy that I didn't think of it until late in the day. Maybe I'll remember tomorrow. They've been a wee bit thin on the ground lately, but I promise to try harder!!

Enjoy the rest of the weekend ...

Definitely Not According to Plan ...

... so, 2 days to go before I take over Dairy House Antiques and I might, just might, get dressed for the 2nd time in 7 days!

Shepton was as bitterly cold as anticipated - nay, more so - and on the Saturday, despite being indoors, I got chilled to the marrow as they say. On Saturday night I was in bed by 6.15 with 2 hot water bottles, a wheat heat thingy and 2 eiderdowns on top of the normal bedding. I staggered off on Sunday, wearing Pauley's longjohns and plenty of other warm clothing and got through the day. I had something to eat when I got home on Sunday evening and that was that. As I told the doc on Wednesday, I had got up especially to see him and would quite like to go back to bed now please, but would he mind giving me a miracle cure as I was taking over an antiques centre in less than a week and needed to be fit. So I got antibiotics (which he didn't think would work) and extra strong cough medicine (which he hoped would help), and was told to keep taking Paracetomol.

So here I am, 7 days on from 'taking to my bed', contemplating whether I have enough energy to shower and dress, and whether I'll then be so exhausted I need to go back to bed. This is far worse than the 4 weeks of 'flu' that knocked me for six for most of February. Speak and I cough. Breathe and I cough. Move and I cough. Not a lot else to do, really, so I've slept a lot and read 3 books ... and tried not to think of all the things I was going to do last week. Such as ... take 2 display cabinets from home to Dairy House; buy and fit locks for said cabinets; paint one of the areas at DH that is going to become the new main entrance and my new space; empty everything from my old space into piles of re-display, box up to bring out later, box up to go to auction, box up for the charity shop (been there too long to ever sell); make new 'entrance' sign; purchase invoice books and daybook; create various dealer forms on the computer; write a letter to all dealers confirming terms, payment, coding on labels, etc. And I've done absolutely nothing except cough my way through a few phone calls, squeakily pacifying the odd dealer, and agreeing rent for a new one - all conversations taking about 20 minutes instead of 5 while they waited for me to take in enough breath to expel a few words, cough/breathe/speak/cough/breathe/speak and so on. What it did for their eardrums I dread to think.

I don't mean to sound pathetic, although I probably do, and this virus has once again addled my brain!

I reminded Pauley on Wednesday that it was our WA the next day so he dutifully hot-footed it to the gift shop/stationers to get a card, bless him. There is was waiting for me the next morning when I went downstairs to sit upright for half an hour before deciding that bed was better. I didn't open it immediately and apologised for not having written his. I asked him to pay my Shepton money in to the bank and filled out the paying-in book. Fine ... until I got to the date ... and realised that it couldn't be our anniversary because that is on 31st March and I would be taking over DH the following day and I definitely wasn't taking it over last Friday. Doh! So the card disappeared, and I now need to make sure I write Pauley's today in readiness for a re-run tomorrow!!! I won't repeat the conversation we had but I'm sure you can imagine the general theme! Gillie just laughed!!!!

So, as time and tide waits for no man, and April Fool's Day will arrive the day after tomorrow regardless of whether I'm fighting fit or flat on my back, Dairy House Antiques will get a new owner on Tuesday. She may be pathetic, and only working on 2 cylinders, but somehow she'll be in charge, probably reciting the mantra "It's good to delegate!"

Not a particularly good photo, but this was part of our pitch at Shepton.

Liz's weekend was so disastrous that she's not doing it again. Several other dealers had a bad weekend, although I believe some were quite pleased with their takings. Mine were OK, but certainly not sufficient to call it a good Fair. I did sell the child's dresser though, and one or two other rather nice bits and pieces. But I've decided I shall do the May 3-day as it's always been the best one for me, and will then probably admit that I can't keep all the balls juggling in the air the whole time and stop doing the 3-day Fairs, so that I can concentrate on making a success of running Dairy House. I'll keep doing the Giant Flea because that's quite painless in comparison, and doesn't run the similar risk of my ending up prostrate and poorly.

I think I'll go back to bed for an hour, and then hopefully feel like re-entering the world. Have a jolly Sunday. It's a lovely to think we have now altered the clocks and that by the law of averages we should soon have some lovely sunny weather.

Moving on ...

Not one to let the grass grow under her feet, Gillie has found, made an acceptable offer, and signed on the dotted line for a brand new house 2 weeks and one day after beginning her search in Somerset. Not bad, eh! And the developers want completion by the end of April. So, she won't be here with us for much longer - the shortest length of time we've had any of our 'lodgers'! She'll just be 20 minutes up the road (and very handy for the antiques fairs) at Shepton Mallet. VERY handy!!!!

Moving on even further I realise it's my birthday tomorrow. I haven't had a chance to think about it over the last couple of weeks, what with trying to get everything sorted for Dairy House - only 12 days before I take over - and Gillie coming to stay, and going to Cheltenham, and packing up for Shepton 3-day Fair this weekend. We were going to share the cost of the Cheltenham overnight stay, but Pauley has decided I needn't put in my share which will be my birthday prezzie. How romantic is that!!!!! Mind you, what do I need? I'm happy to say I don't actually need anything (other than a sylph-like figure which sadly money can't buy - well, I expect it could, but no thanks), so not having to fork out for those exorbitant costs last week is fine by me. Besides, it's our 31st wedding anniversary at the end of the month and I have plans for a meal out at the new 'Bistro' which has opened in Somerton - walking distance so I won't say no to a glass of champers thanks! The scary thing is though that my next-but-one birthday has a nought on the end and I just wish the first number was a 5 but it isn't! I'm not old enough to be grown up or of pensionable age, but apparently I will be in 2010. Oh well, there's plenty of life in the old girl yet and I have things to do, people to see, and some more life to live, so I'll just carry on as if I was still 18-ish!

No photos I'm afraid ... nothing to show as it's all packed ready for Shepton, although I suppose I could show you a clear, uncluttered, empty, unsullied, sitting room floor ... but I won't!!!!

Have a super Easter weekend. Apparently in Shepton Mallet the weather is going to be dire, so we'll see whether anyone turns out for the Fair or whether they all stay home and eat chocolate. I'm not saying which I'd rather do ...

Cheltenham Festival ... and a Textiles Auction

Well, this week is THE week of Cheltenham's year with the Cheltenham Festival taking place from Tuesday to Friday. Everyone remotely interested in horse racing has their eye on the sporting pages of the newspapers, and the really serious punters flock to Cheltenham on Monday, booking all the rooms in all the hotels and B&Bs until Saturday ... and all the prices are doubled.

Me? Well I decided I needed to attend a Textiles Auction in Cheltenham and tried to book overnight accommodation for Pauley and me so that I could take my time looking through all the Lots yesterday, we could have an evening away from home and treat it as a holiday, and then I could spend several happy hours in the saleroom today. Unbelievably there was a cancellation at one B&B and it was at that point (doh!) that I realised it was Cheltenham Festival Week. We were offered a room which was going to cost us 3 figures. But bless him ... Pauley said 'book it'. So I did. We rarely have holidays, so we decided we'd work on favourite uncle's maxim of one night away is equal to one week's holiday, 2 nights away equals a fortnight and so on ... So, we had a week's holiday yesterday and today, and had a great time!

Our B&B was taken over by the racing fraternity - 2 from Yorkshire, one from Blackpool, one from Darlington, one from Somerset and a few others who we didn't get to speak to. Last evening we sat in the sitting room/(honesty) bar with an amazing group of men gearing themselves up for a great week's racing. They couldn't believe we had gone to Cheltenham for anything other than the racing, but at least I was able to tell them that I once worked for the Clerk of the Course of Nottingham Racecourse. And we were able to throw in the odd comment about Arkle, Desert Orchid, and some jockeys' and trainers' names. Despite being quite inebriated after an evening 'on the town', they were charming ... and hilarious ... and we stayed up listening to their views on the going, racing form and the likely winners until nearly 1.00 am. We certainly crammed a week into last night, visiting all the above places through listening to their dialects. I became 'bonny lass' which made me smile, and Pauley was even 'bonny lad' once or twice. One of them was referred to as 'big man' and occasionally a Christian name was thrown in. I have to say that last evening was the best part of the 'holiday'.

I was successful on half a dozen Lots today, but missed out on several that I was keen on because prices went too high. There was a lot of vintage costume for sale and I saw a couple of dealers I knew. The early part of the sale consisted of the most amazing collection of WMF silver and glass art nouveau candlesticks, table centres, pin trays, inkwells, vases, coffee sets, claret jugs and so on. I have never seen so many pieces together and they were superb. I just wish I had a bottomless money pit to buy, buy, buy. Sadly, I don't, and so I just watched with envy as bids rolled in and items sold.

So, after a very blowy journey down the M5 this afternoon, we're back home and the sitting room floor is once again littered with doylies, lace, napkins and all things vintage. I'll hopefully take some photos of the sweetheart pincushion and the pincushion shell box tomorrow once I've had a good night's sleep and my energy is restored!!

Meet Pauley's New Best Friend ...

Now you know we're not cat people ... but guess who's ruling the roost here after only 7 days!!!

The Godfather ...

... This weekend I wasn't able to be at the Giant Flea at Shepton Mallet. Important family occasions, a wedding in January and a special one this weekend, have meant that I have missed the first two of the year.

This weekend was an exceptionally important family 'do'. Mum's youngest brother, my favourite uncle who is also my Godfather, turned 80 and my cousins organised a super party for 50+ family and friends. His youngest daughter, who happens to be my God-daughter will be celebrating her 40th birthday this week, too, so it was certainly a party not to be missed. The age range was from just about 2 years old up to Mum at 87, with a fair few of us placed well into the upper half of the range! This is my farmer uncle, who taught me to drive, showed me how to milk a cow, feed lambs, pluck turkeys, collect eggs, stack hay and straw bales and, not least, introduced me to antiques and vintage from an early age. I used to attend farm sales with him and my aunt back in the 1960s and it is probably thanks to them that I finally became the person I am today.

The cake was made by a 'girl' from the village (well, she is a few months younger than me!) who I have known since the mid 1950s! She makes superb cakes and we always look forward to one of Velia's masterpieces. This one depicts a farming journey from the early days of an Ayrshire milking herd, to his becoming a hay & straw merchant, to a grower of turkeys from day-olds to the Christmas table, their first bull mastiff, my cousin's Freedom Foods free range hens, my God-daughter's new Farm Shop and the homes they have lived in (the first one being the farmhouse where Mum and all her siblings grew up, and which only left the family in recent years).

Just to make sure there was plenty of emotion throughout the weekend, I created a book of photographs using http://www.blurb.com/ which meandered through his life where it intertwined with ours - photographs taken by my father and latterly by me. Some of them had never been seen by my cousins, and definitely not by their children. It was great fun to do and I have nothing but praise for this company. I downloaded the free software to create the book. I designed and laid out the photos and then uploaded it all to Blurb (an American company). I uploaded the photos on 16th February and was told it would be sent out to me on 26th February. I admit I paid for superfast 2-day shipping to ensure it arrived in time, but imagine my surprise when a 7" x 7" hardcover book of about 40 pages with dustjacket actually arrived in the post on 22nd February - only 6 days after ordering it, and in plenty of time for the birthday party. I'm delighted, he was delighted and I shall certainly use them again. I've already created an 80 page book (which needs condensing!) of skies and sunsets. I haven't ordered it yet, but it's there to be published at some point!

So it's back to earth with a bump now. The sitting room is once again filled with stock, although I am trying to get it packed into Shepton Antiques Fair boxes ready for 21 March, and Gillie has finally come to live with us. Amazingly her house sold within a few weeks, and completion was last Friday. She is now another one to have left Northampton to relocate to Somerset (sensible girl!). We've been out today to do a recce and for her to decide where to cross off the list. She hopes to find somewhere soon - there's only so long that anyone can cope with living with us! Paul and I are no 'cat people' - you either are, or you aren't! However, Jasper has come, too, and guess what ... Pauley is his new best friend (and vice versa!!)! He is actually quite sweet, and very well behaved!!! If he ever comes out from under our bed (Jasper that is, not Pauley) I'll take a photo so that all you cat-lovers can join his fan club.

It's so annoying when you publish a post and find that all the paragraphs have joined up into one. What's the betting that now I've edited this post and added this extra paragraph I shall be proved wrong and the whole thing will be beautifully laid out with space between all the paras!

Have a good week, one and all.