Time for another wander round . . .

 

It poured today, torrentially at times - with pausing into drizzle at others.  It REALLY affected the footfall and I had plenty of time to go for a wander around.  Several of my dealer friends who had been doing this Fair for many years were absent - although one was having a knee op.  The two "posh" buildings were half empty.  As the Fair has been bought out by another company, they are clearly a new broom sweeping clean. This would appear to be the same for the catering pitches - NONE of the ones which had been there for decades were there, but two or three brave individuals had filled spaces, but who wants to pay £13 for a Greek snack lunch?  Or £7.50 for a burger in a bun?  However, the date did clash with important Fairs in the South - Ardingly and Detling, and dealers who are permanently on the road, moving from Fair to Fair, would stay down south and not bother to come up to Wales only to go back again a day or two later.  The back sheds (where I am) seem to still be well supported with dealers, but there were noticably less outside stalls and NONE at the far end which has always been full to bursting with spread-out stands and vendors sleeping in their vans by them.  Disappointing for folk visiting. . .  I sold 3 things all day . . .

A really unusual European painted bed head.

A beautifully hand-made christening gown.  Every stitch and pin-tuck sewn with love.

Above and below, good displays of Ceramics - Clarice Cliff below.

Several photos from a friend's interesting stall.  Unusual patchwork quilt below.

Lovely wholecloth quilt with good hand quilting.

Finally a fabulous smock.  I always fancied making one of these and have a book about it, but it's one of those pipe dreams we all have occasionally.  

Whilst I was browsing their stall, and nattering, my eye fell on a lovely old hand-written recipe book, many from the 1940s/50s.  I asked the price, and it is now mine.  I will write about it tomorrow, when I have done a bit more research on the lady who it belonged to.  

Meanwhile, I have my asthma check and my 2nd Shingles jab tomorrow morning.  Hope I don't get any side effects.

Back into a routine again - oh and update: Elephant hawkmoth caterpillars (at end).

 Wonderful sunshine here again today and not as oppressive as it's been the past couple of days as there is a good breeze blowing.  I stripped the beds first thing, and intend to do four lots of washing to get it out and dried before we are back to rain again.  I have a loaf in the breadmaker, have put the rubbish out, emptied the compost bin and been down to town for the paper.  I also got a walk in early, down on the Groe and fell into conversation with a lovely Irishmen who bred Section A ponies.  Now I must make the beds before I forget and it's bedtime and I'm staring at a bare mattress, which has happened before!

    On the Sunday at the Fair, I met some really lovely people, and had great conversations and of course, saw old friends.  THAT is what keeps me going - meeting like-minded people.  One lady bought both the Gwili bowls from me (her husband treated her to the 2nd) and told me she was SO happy to have them, and I was delighted for her. It also boosts my ego to be told by customers and especially by fellow dealers, that I have some lovely stock. I will see where we are in the spring, as Tam and Jon will happily come and help out, but it depends on the state of play with Keith's health.  Buying a few bits here and there keeps us both going, even though Keith finds it hard to get to the Fairs now, but we are hopeful he will be a bit perkier for Carmarthen Flea in a couple of weeks' time.

    A few photos from Builth Fair for you now.  Enjoy.

This chap had come all the way down from Scotland!

I had a lovely chat with the chap who had this gorgeous quilt for sale (£365 or so).  His stock in trade was beautiful old Persian rugs.  This was double-sided - imagine the work!

Neighbours, stand-wise, who bought a few pieces off me. We had similar tastes.

This stand always has hundreds of bits of china and glass. Oh my goodness, the setting up and putting away - it would drive me MAD! I filmed it through a net curtain they had up, hence the blurring.

As you can see, people have all sorts.

Right, I'd best go and make the beds now.  Keith is manouvering with a walking stick today but by 6 ish is really tired and it's still hard work getting him to bed a few hours later.

Here is Elephant Hawk Moth caterpillar - one which I found beside the front path the other day and rescued to the Rosebay Willowherb plantation.  This afternoon, as I was reading my book, Pippi bought another one in and laid it on the carpet!  I promptly rescued that, and as I was coming back down to the yard, she had found another.  Well, all rescued and hopefully as she seems to have a soft mouth like a Retriever, they are none the worse for their experience.  Shows that the Elephant Hawk Moths have been busy in our garden anyway.  The first year we had much less wildlife as the last owners used chemical sprays everywhere.  I only remember bees on the Lavender.

I survived - just!

 

Top table.

No lyrical words or poetry tonight - I am too tired.  It's amazing that I survived yesterday at all as I had just 3 hours' sleep and by mid afternoon I could cheerfully have laid down on the bare concrete floor for a nap, I was so tired.   But it's surprising what the human body can stand.  However, I saw old friends and made new ones, including a lovely lady (waving to you Beryl Read) and Tam and Jon came and helped, which made a big difference.  I was next to the lovely Neil again, and he's great company.  Everyone in our shed in the immediate vicinity are friendly.  

There were very few people through the gate, especially today, but that said the folk that did come were there to buy and I had a good fair.  Not everyone did, and there were more low value type stalls than there had been in the past. Fortunately I sold some BIG things - difficult to pack, heavy, odd shapes etc.  I was VERY relieved to get rid of the  lovely old Lancashire bobbin back chair as it had come with us from Ynyswen where we had double the room than we have here.  I also got new homes for two lovely Gwili Pottery bowls, the French yellow bowl on the left of this photo,  and lots of interest in a platter that I have had ages and no-one took any interest in before. That said, I still have it!  Thank heavens I sold the big carved eagle I regretted buying as it and its box took up a chunk of room in the Utility.

Keith's side of things and I am delighted to say he made it along to the Fair today, courtesy of Tam and Jon, who managed to get the mobility scooter into the back of his vehicle.  Keith didn't see the entire Fair - his neck had seized up and was very painful, and so we just went and chatted to a couple of his mates who were selling there, and looked around a couple of the sheds, and he bought something from my next-door neighbour, so was pleased to have a bit of a deal.  He was glad to get back home though.  He's been watching a series about terrorists in the Middle East on tv.  Not very restful viewing of an evening, but if it keeps him happy, who I am to complain.  T&J are here overnight again, and Tam will be working from home tomorrow, so they didn't have to rush around tonight.

I bought absolutely nothing - tbh, there were very few things that attracted me.  I didn't manage to get into the best stalls in A1 building I think it is.  That's where some really nice antiques are, the sort of furniture we like especially.

Back tomorrow with some more photos from the Fair.  Hoping you all had a good weekend.

Running on empty

 The Fair is all done and dusted (bar the unpacking).  It was a busy weekend although Sunday was quieter - perhaps because it was raining some people were put off.  Bargain Hunt were there too - Kate Bliss and the Blue Team shopping opposite us in the Back Sheds.

We set up at the Fair on the Friday, arriving around lunchtime and having a look round before setting out our wares.  Early-entry buyers come in and of course other dealers come round, hoping for a bargain, but we made no sales.  Keith had a good wander round, both in the bargain-basement wheelchair we had bought from the 2nd hand shop in town from sheer desperation as I wanted him to be able to go to the Fair too, but also a little bit on foot.  He overdid it, but managed, just about.  It was so good to see friends again and generally have a nosey about to see what other folk were selling, and the prices they had on things! This was a 26,000 steps day.

The top table on my stand.  Some big chunks of this attracted buyers.

Saturday was a killer.  No doubt about that, as it was a 12 1/2 hour day and we had to be there, ready to stand with our stock when the doors were unlocked at 7 a.m.  and until they shut at 6.30 p.m.  In the evening, never had the idea of a take-away Indian Meal been so appealing!  22,000 steps clocked up.

    Keith came along again but really overdid things trying to force himself to walk further - this did not work well and he has learned a lesson!  The fitness scheme that worked when he was 40 does not have the same outcome now . . .  He enjoyed himself though - bucked him up no end.

More "stuff" from pre-Covid times when I had my little business and  we did fairs regularly. There are a few bits less now, but I still have boxes and boxes here! 

We had plenty of floor space too.

Chairs used to be our stock in trade.  There are 3 fewer now.

I was intrigued by this ?Mongolian? saddle base on a rocking horse. At first I thought it was a McLellan (American) saddle but no, on closer inspection it wasn't.

Our nearest neighbours, where the Bargain Hunt team were filmed.  Really friendly folk.

A beautifully hand-quilted Welsh quilt.  Probably Carmarthenshire but I'm too tired to even go and get a quilt book (upstairs) to check the patterns.

These have a good look - brand new too.

Sorry, the flash didn't go off.  Gorgeous carved pieces here on a stall belonging to a friend of ours who bought the wonderful Charles I carvings from us.  He will put proper spikes in to take candles.

A good selection of paintings on another stall.

It was a very worthwhile weekend.  Another 22,000 steps clocked up yesterday.  I shan't be doing much today after the un packing is done.

So, Monday morning now and I am tired out before I even start!  I have to unpack the van now, on my own, as Tam is moving into her lovely flat with a sea view in Aberystwyth.  We hope she will be very happy there.

Enjoy the Bank Holiday folks.