Car Boot Sale Virgin

This week we sorted out a load of stuff for the car boot sale today. We went along not quite sure what to expect. I found it surprising what sold and what didn't! In theory setting-up time was from 11 am to 12 noon, but even before the car wheels had stopped rolling, there was a gentleman peering through the windows at the stuff in the back. He spotted an ancient cabin trunk and recognised it as being German (my father brought it home with him from Berlin in World War II). It was in terrible condition, having been stored in the greenhouse for a while and then the garage, yet he quickly agreed to pay £15 for it! Trade was brisker in that first hour before the sale officially opened than in the following three hours. What was also surprising was the stuff that was left over unsold at the end of the sale - the things that I thought would sell quickly (including, for example, a Spode muffin plate). Anyway, we came home with a lot less stuff than we went, so it was a successful day. The weather was ideal.

Out & About - Civic Pride and all that

I recently attended a meeting at the Council Offices of the neighbouring borough, and was delighted by this artistic topiary in a pretty garden decorating the entrance to the offices. It needs no explanation, an attractive standalone piece symbolising harmonious relationships.

Compare it to this weird sculpture (below) that has pride of place in front of the entrance to my local borough council offices ... what is THAT about? What is it trying to say? It begs the question of who exactly got to choose the sculpture and how. I've yet to meet a local who likes it.