Up at Bat O'Clock

 I woke at 3.  Tried to nod off again for an hour as my alarm was set for 4, but gave up at 3.40 and got up.  There was a lovely sunrise from my (dirty!) bathroom window.  The bats were just heading home to bed.

I did all my chores (watering plants included) and set off at 4.50 for Carmarthen, getting there at 6.10.  Gates opened at 7, so I was early in the queue.  Not that I need have worried about not getting close to the unloading door I needed, as there were not the melee of cars jostling for parking places that I remembered pre-Covid, which is when Keith and I used to sell here regularly.  The stalls were quite spread out too.  Whilst there were old friends, there were new faces too. Virtually no-one had an outside stall - perhaps 7 or 8 people.  Only two were left when I went home.

Kitchenalia etc.

I bought the chair home, as no interest in it, and Laurie the Chair Man had a much better selection on his stand.

Laura Ashley quilt, unfinished mid-1970's quilt and two single patchwork bedthrows.

The last few items from Keith's personal collection - a 1793 Tower Stamped Musket, a Borneo head-hunter's sword, and a Khyber Pass sword.  The Nepalese drinking horn is something I bought him from Malvern when he couldn't get there himself.  

The footfall was pretty poor.  I have covered my costs, but not made a huge amount on top.  Respectable I would say.  Yet back in the day, sometimes Keith and I would barely break even, but I was selling totally different things then.  One chap opposite me had a double table of the cheaper crappier childrens' sweets and I think only sold one thing all day!  WHY, when it is called an Antiques Weekend, did he think he would do well?  Scarcely any children to be seen so totally the wrong demographic.

The chap next to him had nothing but modern reproduction Chinese china and don't think he sold much/anything either, and packed up to leave instead of staying a 2nd day.  Another friend of mine with jewellery wasn't bothering with tomorrow either.  The problem is, it isn't advertised.   The showground folk just want the traders' money and don't want to do anything for it.  

 This lady specialized in Poole pottery.  We had a little chat as I said I used to live close to Poole.

Right, I am going to sit down with my latest copy of Country Living which was waiting for me when I got home today.  Thank you so much D, for the subscription.

The washing up can wait until Monday . . .