Sunday 28th August and Danielle, Lesley and I did the Montcuq Vide Grenier selling, as usual, second hand clothes. Once again it was a huge success and worth all the very hard work entailed. I had spent many days beforehand sorting through all the donated clothes and am happy to say that I only had to chuck very, very few items. The clothes were put into labelled boxes and dresses, skirts and tunics hung ready on the rails. Ernst did his usual sterling job of turning his trailer into a mobile wardrobe and boxes were stacked high into the little van. We had to be on site at 6am (!!) so set off at 5.45 on Sunday morning. Luckily we were one of the first so able to get to our usual pitch quickly. We then had to unload at the speed of light so as not to block others behind us. Ernst went off to park up then came back and set about putting the table together even drilling into the table special supports for the parasols. Dresses, skirts and tunics already being on rails were quickly in place and I started to hang up coats on another rail. It was just 6.15 when I heard someone behind me ask “how much is this coat ?” !! There were some Australian ladies already going through everything (perhaps they were still on Aussie time and hadn’t been to bed). One lady just picked up everything ‘furry’ ! It was still dark at this time !! It gradually got lighter and disaster, it started to rain ! I couldn’t believe it, weeks of not a drop and it had to rain then. But, thank you St. Cadbury, it only lasted five minutes and from there on in it was perfect ‘Vide weather’, not too hot and very pleasant for strolling around. It was a long, happy, tiring day and when we had packed up at 6 pm we staggered down to the Cafe du Centre for an early supper. Set off for home but Lesley, Ernst and I decided a final drink at La Gariotte was well deserved ! Total raised ? 595 euros ! A bit less than last year but we started off selling even cheaper than last year to make sure we didn’t have loads to take back. We didn’t and what was left Ernst took to Emmaus on Monday. One thing we have decided that next year we are going to do what shops do and that is make a tiny charge for bags; they are quite difficult to come by now and we only just about had enough. So, a HUGE thank you to all of you who donated and an even HUGER thank you to Lesley and Danielle.
Had a good long weekend in the UK despite a stonking cold. Believe it or not, it started on the way to Bergerac so to all those on the afternoon flight to Stansted Friday 19th August, I’m sorry if I infected you. Friend Jan said we should get the bus to the long term car park, get off at the last stop and she would meet us there. Well, at least that’s what I thought she said, but having waited in the blustery, rainy cold for 20 minutes I began to doubt myself. No ‘phone, the dogs having eaten mine a few days earlier, we decided to get the bus back to the airport ( we spent more time on airport buses than we had in the aeroplane) where I rang the only friend whose telephone number I know by heart, so that she could give me Jan’s mobile number. Jan was waiting in the mid term car park ! Went out for a nice supper where I felt so much for the poor waitress (having done that b-awful job for ten years) who slipped and sent a tray full of prepared dishes through the open staircase to the restaurant room below ! On the Sunday we went to one of my brother’s 40th wedding anniversary lunch which was great fun. I’m not good at keeping in touch with my brothers and their families but it is always lovely to see them all and to find that my brothers have produced such great offspring – all around the 40 year mark now – with wonderful wicked senses of humour and I have told the ‘youngsters’ that it is up to them to do the same. Photos of the actual wedding were circulated and it was amusing to see my two nieces, now mothers themselves, at the age of around two, in their bridesmaids dresses, one looking stern and the other bawling her eyes out. My brother said it was probably because of the colour dresses they had to wear !
Keeping the best to last, GAVAROCHE IS ADOPTED !!! I can hardly believe it after all this time. I always thought he was a large dog until I saw one of his new pals, a much bigger Portuguese Water hound who looks similar to Gav but much bigger. First reports are very positive with Gav getting on well with the large Tinkerbell and smaller Ezra. Fingers crossed and your prayers please to St. Cadbury. Judy the lovely Lab has also been adopted and a puppy or two have gone to happy homes. Still a couple of those left and they will be on the website this afternoon, as will a very pretty kitten.
Oh, and just in case he or she is reading this, or you know him or her, an ENORMOUS thank you to the person who found my passport at Bergerac airport and handed it in. I did ask if any note had been taken of the person so I could thank them very profusely but sadly not, so whoever you are, I owe you a serious drink. (Hmm, am I now going to receive a deluge of people claiming to be the person ??!!)
Love,
Sue x