Life after Malvern

An October photograph of the Malvern Hills.

Morning all.  Fairly shattered today after 20,000+ steps walked around Malvern Fleamarket yesterday, and all that driving.  Despite sleeping very deeply last night, I woke at . . . 3.30 a.m. again, and heard the tick of the (turned off) alarm as it hit 3.40, which is when we got up yesterday.  We were at Malvern a couple of minutes after 7, as it was a good run through, and we hardly saw any other traffic.  We noticed that the car park was a lot less full than usual - perhaps it is because folk are on their holidays, or else the dealers are having a hard time of things and were there selling instead of buying!

We were lucky with the weather, and it didn't rain a drop all the time we were there, despite a weather forecast suggesting thunderstorms every couple of hours.  As we were driving back, going towards Hereford, it did rain.  We pulled into a layby, since we have been having a problem with the driver's side wiper, which keeps falling off (NOT good in the rain!) and so we are going to see if a full replacement arm will do the trick.  The wipers have been a problem in the past with the Doblo (only piece of poor design on it) and we had two episodes of wiper failure in torrential rain on the motorway (NOT recommended) and had to replace the mechanism a few years back.

We had some good buys yesterday, and saw lots of dealer friends, either buying or selling there.  My purchases are carefully sidelined for the next 2 day Antiques Fair at the Botanic Gardens in September.  I've never seen one of these before - it's meant to be a Woodpecker (but looks more like a Pterodactyl!) and he grabs a toothpick when you tip him forward - or rather, he would have done in his past.  He is a little the worse for wear now!  A tick in the "different" category.

Now it is back to the list of jobs to carry on with here.  Rain stopped us cutting back the overgrowth by the chicken shed to get at the roof sheets, so I may go out and start clearing a way through after breakfast.

As we were relatively early leaving Malvern, we decided to check out the car boot sale in Ledbury, and I got a good (brand new) book on Beetles for £1, as the Collins Gem guide I have isn't at all detailed.  Then I came across an early and unusual (rare as hen's teeth I think) Torquay Pottery bowl.  I just had to have it and it came home with me.  He wanted £20, I offered £10, and got it.

Update on this:  I've checked it with the Torquay Pottery Collectors' Club and they say it is an Exeter piece (goody, have just a few of those and cherish them).