Monday, March 16, 2009
Busy Pilgrims
Have I got the energy to tell you about today?
Not sure!
It has been a long and hard day.
My day began very early so that I could deal with the EBay payments that had cone in. I even had to wrap the books (with protective card) which I normally have done before the auction finishes.
I also was chatting with Jamie on Skype.
Is he telepathic? Sceptics would claim it was just another of life's coincidences.
A thought crossed my mind to ask if the silly things we sent for his birthday had arrived. It was just a thought.
The next words Jamie typed in for me were "Thank you".
Surely it couldn't be the answer to my unasked question? But it was.
We opened up the shop at 10 o'clock and a customer was in straight away. He was the new chef at The Plough at Blackbrook. He likes to browse shops such as ours because he prefers that diners at his pub are served food on all manner of pretty and interesting old plates.
When Monika arrived a gloom settled in the shop - understandably so really. News had come through of the death of Monika's daughter's friend - her best friend's boyfriend. The daughter and her boyfriend did a great deal with the other couple.
Monika knew no more than that, but was wanting to protect her baby (the 18 year old daughter) from the trauma and bewilderment of such an event.
Bill and I later discussed the possibility that there had been a suicide and this has been talked of by Monika who has spent much of the day on the phone to family and friends.
I don't know what has happened.
We left Monika to her phone conversations. Julie and I sat and chatted as usual.
We were not really busy for much of the day.
I went out to the Post Office and later Bill went out with his camera.
It always amazes me how quickly we find things out about the people who come through the door.
One conversation led me to discover that the man I was talking to had been to the same village school as me.
He was a little older than me (71) and we didn't share time there.
But we had memories of the same teachers and I knew also of the place where he lived - for he was Dr Barnardo's boy - boys brought up in an institution. Some were quite wild and interesting - just a little scary to a little girl who resorted to tears too often in school.
I don't think Tom Atkins (for that was his name) would have been at all scary!
We were beginning to prepare to go home at about ten minutes to five when a customer walked in.
She started to pick up pieces of glass.
She told us about what she was doing, and we were filled with wonder and amazement at her audacity.
She is planning for a sale that she is doing at the beginning of April at her own home.
She knew nothing about glass, but this was going to be the bulk of her stock.
She was constantly asking questions - and our own knowledge is a bit sketchy and I wouldn't want to give information with much confidence.
We suggested she come back on a Thursday when Jill is in the shop.
She spent about £60.
We didn't get away from Dorking until quarter to six. I have never been one to chivvy out a customer who is intent on buying, just because it is closing time.
It has been another good week for me - and again, poor Bill, has not sold so well. His turn will come again. But a bad spell hurts!
I am really tired this evening.
I intend to be in bed by half past nine.
Goodnight.
Not sure!
It has been a long and hard day.
My day began very early so that I could deal with the EBay payments that had cone in. I even had to wrap the books (with protective card) which I normally have done before the auction finishes.
I also was chatting with Jamie on Skype.
Is he telepathic? Sceptics would claim it was just another of life's coincidences.
A thought crossed my mind to ask if the silly things we sent for his birthday had arrived. It was just a thought.
The next words Jamie typed in for me were "Thank you".
Surely it couldn't be the answer to my unasked question? But it was.
We opened up the shop at 10 o'clock and a customer was in straight away. He was the new chef at The Plough at Blackbrook. He likes to browse shops such as ours because he prefers that diners at his pub are served food on all manner of pretty and interesting old plates.
When Monika arrived a gloom settled in the shop - understandably so really. News had come through of the death of Monika's daughter's friend - her best friend's boyfriend. The daughter and her boyfriend did a great deal with the other couple.
Monika knew no more than that, but was wanting to protect her baby (the 18 year old daughter) from the trauma and bewilderment of such an event.
Bill and I later discussed the possibility that there had been a suicide and this has been talked of by Monika who has spent much of the day on the phone to family and friends.
I don't know what has happened.
We left Monika to her phone conversations. Julie and I sat and chatted as usual.
We were not really busy for much of the day.
I went out to the Post Office and later Bill went out with his camera.
It always amazes me how quickly we find things out about the people who come through the door.
One conversation led me to discover that the man I was talking to had been to the same village school as me.
He was a little older than me (71) and we didn't share time there.
But we had memories of the same teachers and I knew also of the place where he lived - for he was Dr Barnardo's boy - boys brought up in an institution. Some were quite wild and interesting - just a little scary to a little girl who resorted to tears too often in school.
I don't think Tom Atkins (for that was his name) would have been at all scary!
We were beginning to prepare to go home at about ten minutes to five when a customer walked in.
She started to pick up pieces of glass.
She told us about what she was doing, and we were filled with wonder and amazement at her audacity.
She is planning for a sale that she is doing at the beginning of April at her own home.
She knew nothing about glass, but this was going to be the bulk of her stock.
She was constantly asking questions - and our own knowledge is a bit sketchy and I wouldn't want to give information with much confidence.
We suggested she come back on a Thursday when Jill is in the shop.
She spent about £60.
We didn't get away from Dorking until quarter to six. I have never been one to chivvy out a customer who is intent on buying, just because it is closing time.
It has been another good week for me - and again, poor Bill, has not sold so well. His turn will come again. But a bad spell hurts!
I am really tired this evening.
I intend to be in bed by half past nine.
Goodnight.
