Friday 6 September 2024

Shattered

 


Yesterday reminded me why I dread the loading and setting up for these events.  I think I need to work on my upper body strength as everything was SO heavy!  Gosh, I miss Keith 100 times more at times like this - he was slim but SO strong and got everything loaded efficiently and quickly.  It took me all morning.  Then a couple of hours unloading and setting up in the afternoon.  Tam got a pass and was a help - she has a good eye for layout.  We had a quick walk round the show, and chatted to friends - some of whom hadn't heard about Keith, so that was hard.

When we got back, I had to start all over again, loading the militaria side of things, the big pine trunk I got recently, Welsh blankets, Victorian curtain poles and this morning I will tuck in the lovely little child's chair, and the two Arts & Crafts copper lamps I sat and polished last night (along with the other reproduction military helmet which Keith had on display.  I'm just keeping the two good ones in the kitchen - one is a Victorian repro we got years ago.) I have gone through all the many auction catalogues we bought at Malvern down the years.  They are a great source of knowledge.  Many of them were about Arms and Armour and Keith got great enjoyment from perusing them. Some were marine paintings, oriental things and tribal art. I have kept the ones on Oak and Country furniture, as that is one of my interests.  The last ones I got him were a Drewetts Country House auction and the Attic Sale from Chatsworth.  My gosh, that was a doorstop and he found it too heavy to have on his lap for long.

Rosie was very good but didn't want to sleep during the day.  She finally went down about 7.30 last night so I hope she slept through for Tam.  

I know I slept well.  Tea was fish and chips as we couldn't even organize ourselves sufficiently to order a takeaway curry. Not a scrap was left on our plates,  gosh we had appetites!  Tonight it will be Chilli from the freezer, which I got out yesterday.  Tomorrow's meal will be Beef Goulash, also from the freezer.  At least I got organized on that front, although we are nearly out of bread and milk!  

Tam's Jon is coming across to the Fair today, but a few hours too late for the unloading!

I fell into bed last night and slept like a log.  The best night's sleep I've had in many months, but it was the sleep of physical exhaustion.  It's 6.20 a.m. here now, and I have to be down at my stand for 7 a.m. and can't leave before 6 p.m. tonight so it is a VERY long day.  I have the book D kindly sent me, The Whalebone Theatre, to keep me occupied for when it goes quiet late afternoon.  I just need to do my hair and makeup and put the other bits in the car and then I can be away.  Quite WHERE I am going to fit helmets, blankets and catalogues on the stall is another matter - despite having 7 tables!

20 comments:

  1. I'm exhausted just reading about it! I do hope you get really good prices and people are enthusiastic about your tables. I'll pop back tomorrow to see how you got on. You'll sleep well again tonight, I'll bet!

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    1. I prove to myself I am tougher than I think :) Not that many people through today, regular dealers not present, and not many younger folk. It does cost more to get in on the Saturday though. Weather not good for tomorrow. I made some good sales.

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  2. It must have been in the air, for I slept a solid five hours last night. Unheard of!
    You will find people popping up all the time who haven't heard your sad news, maybe for many months to come, and prepare yourself for Christmas card that will arrive too!
    Good luck for this weekend. I hope you do well, I really do. Is this Fair nearby? It doesn't sound far, maybe at the Showground?

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    1. I'm glad you slept too. I had to get Tam to bring my mascara in as I'd cried it all off talking to one of Keith's good friends earlier on.

      Yes, the Fair is just down on the showground - a 2 mile journey!

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  3. Seven tables!! Goodness no wonder you are shattered loading things for all those tables. I do hope your day goes well and you sell a lot of your stock so there is much less to load up at the end.

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    1. And I could have filled 10! There will be less coming home but I am praying that the pine trunk goes tomorrow as that is hefty and takes up a lot of room in the car. At least both the Victorian wooden curtain poles sold.

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  4. Wow, this sounds very energetic, I hope you sell lots. The good sleep is a bonus, I recall you've not been sleeping well x
    Alison in Wales x

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    1. Indeed - a lot more energetic than I wanted to be for several hours on end! Hope you can get some better quality sleep. I find a Magnesium supplement helps.

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  5. Good luck, hope you sell lots and don't have much left to bring home. Hugs Xx

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    1. Well, some bigger bits have gone, a couple of well priced bits too, but the higher end china buyers weren't out today . . .

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  6. Oh goodness!! Such a lot of work! I hope it went well for you and you didn't have much to bring back with you. ~Melanie xo

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    1. A lot of work, with little respite. Muchly will be coming home with me but that is always the way. When we did things regularly, stock turnover wasn't quick - finding the right person for something takes time as they are just passing by. If I had a Unit the footfall is greater plus stuff gets carried in once by me. So - up early and do it all again tomorrow!

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  7. Today’s another day and hoping you sell lots, especially the big lumps. Will you have help loading the car at the end of play? And I wonder how close to your stand you can bring the car. Another very uninspiring day in the south. It’s been raining since Thursday and already I’m fed up! But amid the thunderstorms forecast for today I will go to church this morning and visit a nearby NGS garden this afternoon. Gotta keep busy. Yesterday I was so desperate I cleaned the fridge and cooker hood and emptied the ironing basket all the while finding interesting things to listen to on my smart speaker - what a brilliant invention that is. Oh look, a glimmer of sunshine. I know I shouldn’t be affected by dull gloomy days but I am. Perhaps I need a SAD light like Monty Don. Good luck for today. The Whalebone Theatre was one of my favourite book group reads last year. Currently reading The Girl With The Louding Voice by Abi Dare which is just brilliant. I just love the sound of her writing and although the subject matter is a hard read I feel there will be redemption. Sarah x

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    1. Big lumps gone, thank heavens. I will be glad when I have a Unit again as my van-shaped-car isn't big enough to take small pieces of furniture too. It means extra trips. The loading was all down to me as Tam had Rosie to tend to, but she helped me load it logically and noticed I had folded my new table and forgotten it!

      Glad you are keeping busy. I find the dull days of winter bring me low too, so any glimmer of sunshine is always welcome. I'm really enjoying The Whalebone Theatre. Your new book sounds an interesting read too.

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  8. It sounds like an exhausting weekend. Good luck!

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  9. Hoping you’ve come home with less in the car and a bit more in the bank! And that you had a good time x Look forward to hearing about it Danette xx

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    1. Tam managed to squeeze 3 storage boxes in her boot, and we somehow managed to shoehorn the rest into my vehicle, so just the one trip home. Now I have to unload it all and stow it away again, after I have put a load of washing on (waiting since Thursday and being added to) and Wash Up from Last Night!

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  10. Oh wow, such a lot of work. Seven tables ... another WOW!! I used to manage with two, but then most of my stuff was much smaller as I was more the antiques and collectibles side of things, usually with only a couple of pieces of small furniture to stand at the end of the tables. You are going to be knackered for weeks ... no other word for it sorry!

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  11. We are given a large space for our money. I have a lot of old Pre-Covid stock still, so am trying to get rid of that. Plus some things I've had on display in the house, both here and at Ynyswen. I am aware I have far too much "stuff" and need to get rid of it so the kids don't have to do it.

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