Sunday, December 07, 2008
Happy days - in the shop and at the marina.
Today has felt like a good day.
We didn't get up early and go to car boot sales - pointless, we thought to go early to Dorking and then return home - only to be back there for 11 o'clock.
Jo might have agreed with us - but she did just that and went on to 2 more car boot sales before having breakfast and driving back to the shop.
It was busy from the start - even before I had turned the lights on somebody was through the door.
I like it when lots of people come to browse and feel contented to be in our environment. Of course I like it even more when they buy something!
But I feel we should aim simply at making sure people who spend time in the shop feel happy, for they will always return.
But people were also buying and the total at the end of the day was very reasonable.
And all 3 of us - Bill, Jo and I had sold something.
I spent some time talking with an old gentleman, obviously not too steady on his feet. He sat himself down on one of our chairs whilst the other 3 in his group browsed and brought him things to look at.
He loved to talk. I gathered that he has had some role in the film industry. He talked of directing and later, presenting.
I wonder who he is.
It felt good for us 3 friends to be working together; none of us feeling we needed to be a careful about making comments.
There can be frictions between some of the dealers and one doesn't wish to be seen siding with the wrong person!
And all 3 of us thought the long awaited Christmas window was exceedingly dull - but wouldn't be able to say so to anybody but each other.
The journey home at quarter past four was lovely. When Roger asked for 50 things that made me happy I included silhouettes of winter trees. And this afternoon just after sunset the trees were stunning against a clear sky with pale orange behind them. It was already getting cold - there will be a thick frost again tonight.
Now back to another clear day - Friday at Brighton Marina.
This was taken from one end looking back passed the swish apartments to the business end - shops and cafes.
Fishing boats and smaller pleasure craft. It is always a favourite game to look at the motor launches for sale to find the most expensive!
Fishing boats and smaller pleasure craft. It is always a favourite game to look at the motor launches for sale to find the most expensive!
This does not match the giant Buddha on the hill on Phuket (featured again on Jamie's weather blog fairly recently). This Marina Buddha sits on a floating restaurant.
Looking over the Marina wall to the white cliffs and Rottingdean windmill on the hill.
Bill poses with Pete and Jean.
As we drove along the sea front at Brighton we had to stop the car to admire the sunset.
Now that matches a Phuket sunset maybe!
Tomorrow we are off to Dorking again for our normal duty day.
The Sundays are extras - and just for December.
