Welcome Bertie Gal

Today should see the inaugural post by our latest team member, Bert. She was added as a blog 'team member' this morning. Welcome Bertie! I have a feeling the tone and content may well change from this day forth.........which can only be good.

Uh-huh, uh-huh.

'It was very quiet although I think the Cafe was busy.

Brian sold a card and I sold a necklace (funny how it works like that sometimes).'

That's Maura's summing up of yesterday. We've been open for a couple of weeks now and visitors have been steadily lowish, sales have been less than brisk, and none of us will be settling back to an easy life of sun, sea and elysian peace in the near future. However, life is not all about selling and profit is it. I did my first shift on Saturday with the charming Linda. We had time to put the World to rights and reflect on our respective paths which had led us to the converted stable block which is 'the shop'. What a sensible pair we were. Later that evening I was less than sensible. Uh-huh Uh-huh.

Maura's ladies have been laying with gusto. Thirty-four eggs last week! That was the really good news of the day and the merits and demerits of keeping chickens were discussed for at least an hour. I don't think I could keep chickens.

Sheila was back on duty at the 'House' and she popped in and made a purchase. Sheila is one of my best customers and favourite women. I think she may feel sorry for me.

Another customer, 'clocked me', knew my name, and remembered me from somewhere else. Always a dangerous scenario but this one turned out casualty free.

Working with Linda and Maura is good fun and Janet's coffee, soup and cakes were just as I remembered them. Bless 'em all!

Today I'm catching up and waiting for the phone to ring.

Opening Soon

A fresh smell of paint and shampooed carpet will welcome the first visitors to 'Crafts of Angus Showcase and Shop' at the House of Dun this week. Our shop opens for the season on Wednesday 1 April. Crafters are busily setting out their stock as I write. It's always exciting, and like the time of year, offers hope and promise. All the usual ACA Irregulars will be displaying and we've two newcomers in the shape of Michael Kay (silversmith) and Geoff Riley (artist). Cafe Dun is also opening and I can't wait to once again sample Janet's soups and mouthwatering desserts. Cafe and shop are closed Mondays and Tuesdays for the moment. I'll give you times and dates later.

Said hello to a customer on the High Street this morning. She asked if I was the chap she went hillwalking with? I replied, 'No, that wasn't me. He's much older than I am.'

SUPER MO!

Unfortunately I missed the game yesterday Maura but I had a press job a Links Park Stadium, home of the victorious Montrose FC while they were west whupping Farfar 3-0 at the picturesque Station Park. I did not realise that you were a follower of the aforementioned Farfar FC! However, we should not allow our respective allgiancies to muddy our friendship. Super Mo! SUPER MO! SUPER MO!

'If it's to be, it has to be me.'

That can't be right. Janet said it was twelve little words and that only has eight. When I was chanting Janet's mantra this morning, well when she turned round and looked at me I was chanting, I thought it was 'If it's to be big.....' but that couldn't be right, could it? Hearing impairment has it's moments you know. Anyway, the chanting of the affirmation certainly got the old fervour up. Today was to be the day. I was to sell so much stuff that I could afford the plushest of weddings for my daughter's forthcoming matrimonial shindig but as you know dear reader, God laughs at those who make plans. Especially crafters who make plans. Especially my plans.

However, it's not all about profit. It's about.................................................?

There is always a challenge in embracing a whole positive experience rather than focussing on a small negative comment. The negative comment of which I speak came from a young couple who left the hall this afternoon with the words, 'They're all a load of 'fuddy-duddies'. Now I'm not taking exception to this youthful observance, nor am I making much of it, but to those more senior members of our Association, I implore you to take no heed either. To the unenlightened you may well appear to be 'fuddy duddy' but I know that you just look it. Scratch beneath that 'fuddy-duddy' veneer and there's a vibrancy and vivacity which borders on the reckless. I know what 'rascals' you can be.

All in all, I had a good time and I thank my crafterchums for making it so. I may be financially poorer because of it, my young assistant demanded wages, but spiritually, mentally and socially I've benefited from the extravaganza that is the ACA Letham Craft Fair. Here is my Top Ten Moments from the week-end;

1) Geoff's scarlet shirt and leather waistcoat. Did I miss the line-dancing demo?
2) Janet's cookies - mmmmmmmmm Janet!
3) Avril's hubby - he's 89! Puts his longevity down to malt whisky. I'll drink to that.
4) Tessa's strolling jester impersonation.
5) ' If it's to be big, it has to be me!'
6) Ritchie says - 'Hugs' ( I didn't get as many as he did tho')
7) Joan trying not to get in the photo
8) Being part of something which is good.
9) My crafterchums - thank you
10) My customers - thank you.

And to the unknown person who stole some of my cards, I'm sorry that you'll never know what it is really all about.

Imagine Maura's Kitchen

See blogs, you leave them for a wee while and twenty people sneak on while you open another bottle of Shiraz. AND none of them leave a comment or say who they are. Apart from the tell tale counter number, I'd never know they'd sneaked on. Who are these people? Maybe I should ditch the counter?

So this blog's Irregulars were all at the Letham Craft Fair today hawking their wares. I'm not sure if anyone will be able to retire on today's takings apart from me. I'm retired as it is. Janet P (see photo), organiser of the event, chef, philosopher, cheerleader, Texan and all round good egg, rallied the troops first thing by announcing that there would be 'no damned credit crunch in the hall today!' . Spookily, there was none!

S'funny, one of the attractions of these jamborees is that you meet folks that you haven't seen for years. Today I met ex-work colleagues, ex-pupils, ex-pupils' parents, and some complete strangers. Now, it's hard to recall what we spoke about but it was certainly faintly interesting at the time. You also notice how quickly everyone has become older.

Maura has two dogs, five cats and four chickens. This morning, Keith was en route to buy another two chickens. What the hell is Maura and Keith's kitchen like?

The Irregulars will be back tomorrow with their 'please buy something from my stall' smiles and whole hearted chumminess. I my friend, will be the standard bearer. Mind you, if you're going to hang out at a Craft Fair, you'd be best hangin' out with the ACA Irregulars.

'Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.' Albert Einstein

Lady Augusta's Cross Country Run

We were late going to see the snowdrops this year. Their glory had waned by the time we got there and their usual blanket of white was a dull slushy off-cream.......our fault. The grounds of House of Dun are wonderfully tranquil for a Sunday stroll in winter or early spring when there's no one there but us. That's what we were hoping for on Sunday. Alas, the place was overrun! It was like the Kingston Bridge any evening between 4-6. Both car parks were full, there were cars on all the verges (eeeee Gods John!), a luminous chap was directing traffic (there was a 'jam' on the drive, thankfully it didn't spread), and hundreds of unhealthy looking and unattractive folk in shorts and vests were running 'cross country'. They were all over the place with numbers round their necks....... like plucked chickens. This did not look like a particularly pleasant pastime to me. Most of the runners, especially the older ones who should have known better, looked, well, hellish. I'm sure they must look fine fully clothed and in puff.......but, ach who am I to comment? I only run to seed, old age, and cynicism. We really should have had the shop open and these people should have forced to spend an hour worshipping at Janet's 'Table of Temptation'. I'm off to have a lie down with a custard cream.