Thursday, October 22, 2009
Dorking and Tankerton
Today I have been in the shop the whole time - but I could see that the weather outside was not too bad - far from the torrential rains reported from Wiltshire.
This week a pattern seems to have emerged in Pilgrims of there being poor business in the morning and then the afternoons flying by with lots to do.
I spent quite a lot of time in my own area - pottering and re - pricing, whilst Bill and Jill dealt with things at the desk.
Jill is like a mother hen caring for her favourite chick - that chick being Pilgrims Antiques.
She contributes quite a lot financially - providing carrier bags and bubble wrap.
She can't quite understand that others seem to have less commitment and less thought about how to keep the shop successful.
But she obviously thinks now that Bill and I can be trusted to have the shop's best interests at heart.
Roger mentioned the postal strike in his email - we have been talking about it too. Jill's husband was a Royal Mail employee and can remember being on strike for 6 weeks in the early 1980s. Clearly, for him, management is very much at fault.
A postman's comments I heard yesterday were of frustration - but of not actually thinking a strike was the best policy.
I fear that this strike and the union members have who voted for it are being somewhat orchestrated by a combination of union leadership, management and the government/ Peter Mandelson.
There was a cartoon in the paper...... 2 workers chatting.
There was a cartoon in the paper...... 2 workers chatting.
"I don't really think of it as a national strike, but rather as assisted suicide"
And later we have that BNP man on mainstream TV Question Time.
He is already boasting that the publicity has done his party some good.
I fear that if demonstrators get out of hand this will play further to the BNP advantage.
Supporters who vote for the BNP do not look very far past a few ideas that they think they agree with - just as I guess voters in Germany did in 1933.
Enough of politics - hope I haven't raised any hackles anywhere.
Lets go to Tankerton.
This is a small and gentle sea side resort between Whitstable and Herne Bay.
It is noted for its beach huts and its street.
We British do love our beach huts.
Rows of them stand on the grassy slopes above the beach.
119 - our own number - was one of the very few to look a little shabby.
Number 67 was very well looked after.
This is a view over the beach hut roofs to the street.
The tide was already well in and much of the street was already covered when we were there.
It is a long spit of raised land that sticks out into the sea at right angles to the shore, with waves rolling in on either side.
This post card shows just how far out the street stretches.
This post card shows just how far out the street stretches.
The street when we were there was not as long as in the postcard above - but you can see that I walked a goodly distance from Bill who was taking the photo.
I would love to go back and walk out a really long way at low tide.
Looking back from the street to Tankerton slopes with all the beach huts and the buildings above.
Tankerton beach with brightly coloured lifeguards' hut.
Just look at the wonderful blue sky.
We climbed back up Tankerton slopes.
I liked seeing the chimneys just showing on the brow of the hill.
Tomorrow I will take you to Botany Bay.
A bit far, you might think.
But no - not Australia of course, but the east coast of Kent.
