I should know better.

Not a lot to report, after the washout that was last weekend, other than the mysterious bites have finally healed. We had a stall at the 3 counties flea fair last Monday and spent most of the day watching gazebos and stalls go flying past the doors as the wind caught them.Good job we didn't plump for an outside stall!!

I have almost finished the van now and have only to install the 4-way speaker system so we can have some cool sounds while we travel to the festies.

Oh..and I almost got myself in big trouble! Whilst clearing up the shop I came across a present that Al gave me. Typically being Al it was something stupid, namely, a disembodied arm. Well, I was on the train when the guard asked me for my ticket. Not realising my bag was part open, I handed him my ticket and he hurried away to the next carriage. After a few minutes he came back and told me that he had been in two minds as to whether I should have the Police waiting for me at Worcester platform. It was only after he thought about it that he realised what, in fact, was in my bag. Good job I'm not Brazilian and wearing black is all I can say!!!

(Give that man a hand)

Something is really bugging me.

Well yes, something is literally bugging me. After our return from Tiddesley Wood I started to get a slight itch on my back. Within a day this had become an intense burning sensation and I started to come up in lumps. Tree counted 11 bites in total. After a week of putting creams on, taking Piriton and using E45 I decided to go to the doctors. The doctor had to call in another doctor for a second opinion as he hadn't seen bites like these before. After a long debate they were none the wiser about what had bitten me but both agreed I should be on Antibiotics, which I hate taking, and an Antihistamine as the bites were now infected. This has left me more than pee'ed off as I am usually the one that bugs and mosquitoes leave alone. Oh well, they're obviously making up for lost time!!! The photo shows a few of the bites AFTER they were cooling down, so you can imagine what they were like at the hottest!!!

Tiddesley Wood and the rain.

Hoorah! I can relax, sort of, now we have done the show. We arrived on Saturday evening and nearly went straight back home. The wood was well boggy and, even with wood chips down, the ground was like a huge sponge oozing mud. We set to putting up the tent and Tree thought it would be easier if the van was nearer to the pitch. At this point I must say that I knew this was a bad idea, but left her to it. Minutes later and the van was stuck in huge ruts of mud. I dug out the wheels but we couldn't get any traction. Lucky for us there was the man, with his Romany caravan, who had a tractor. This made light work of pulling us out and we resumed pitching up, saying no more about it. It was now getting dark and we just finished before the last edge of light sank below the horizon. We were the only people staying in the wood overnight apart from the caravan guy, and his two friends, who were pitched in the field outside. We settled down for the night, listening to music, played by the guys in the field. One was playing the fiddle and the other a mandolin. In the background, a Vixen howled every once in a while. It was quite magical.
I awoke early to hear my first cuckoo of Spring and the call of a rookery sounding out around the woods. By now it was raining and we had doubts about the whole show. As other stallholders arrived the consensus was that we would only take money from each other, as no-one else would show up. 10 a.m came and went with no sign of a rush. 11 a.m and the rain eased a bit but we hadn't taken more than £20. But we had underestimated the wellie brigade and all of a sudden we were busy with people everywhere. By the end of the day we had taken more than last year!!! Result.
In view of this, Tree and I may go back to doing the festies full time instead of the shop, but time will tell.

Beltane blessings !!

Just a quick one to wish everyone a Merry Beltane.

Plant some seeds and jump those fires!!!

The earth is yielding and the sap rises.

Busy, busy, busy

The title says it all, as I am making mirrors, wands and stuff like crazy. I still took time out though for Pip's birthday and we (Me, Tree, Pip and Murali) went out for a meal to celebrate. It was a bit of a double celebration as it was Murali's birthday on the 30th as well. We had a lovely meal with, the now famous, Mango lassie that is the best you will ever taste. Better than in India!! Pip's cake was so thick in chocolate it took a few good goes just to cut through it and you couldn't eat more than one slice.

On another note, Tree and I have been accepted to Beautiful Days festie and are seriously considering doing the full festie circuit next year. It would mean closing the shop but, in the current economic climate, that may make sense. We shall wait and see!