Oh how I had looked forward to this day, not just your usual fleamarket or antiques fair or even carboot where you usually have to have your wits about you and eyes in the back of your head, no yesterday it was like walking into a sweetie shop (though much better)!
My chap Michael (George Clooney look alike !?) who has only recently been introduced to the delights of vintage, having led his previous life engrossed in work (electrics) and sport (mainly football), is happy to travel with me to the local carboot, or to Totnes market or Malvern Flea or Bridport (first visit for both of us), he doesn't argue mainly because he knows that I navigate firstly to where I can find interesting things, and secondly where I know that you can buy good tasty food.
Yesterday in Chipping Sodbury we were an hour early so found a cafe oppostite the hall where the full English was consumed with gusto! There were two great butchers shops, we came away with sausages, faggots & oxtail, which my mum is as I write this roasting to make one of her lovely stews (we will tell the teen angel that it is beef). The farmers market provided us with strong cheddar, an almond & raspberry tart, and some veg. At this point we joined the queue at the town hall......
Considering Michael is not the most observant of people he whispered, "I can see the girl fromTotnes" and sure enough there she was, I can recognise the Shabby chick stand in Totnes or Shepton or where ever and never fail to buy..... we got chatting with Amanda's mum (?), who is far more helpful than the tourist info as she could give me the dates of the Christmas Totnes, (we will see you there, as we are having English seaside hols this year), as usual I couldn't walk past without buying, A small chest of drawers (I collect) and some St. George bunting. I located the cakestand which Henhouse had so cleverly shown on her blog, (I REALLY needed it for my tea time china) but it then turned out tricky to choose between the three that she had! Next my "piece of resistance" was the union flag! (Most people call it a union jack, which is technically wrong as the jack is what the union flag is hoisted on, not to split hairs though!) I was so disappointed as I had been searching for ages for one that was reasonably priced, and another customer was haggling with Sue (Vintage to Victorian). When I came back later the first lady had not bought the flag and so I could, over the moon! Sue was lovely to talk to and I bought a lovely big m.o.p. button for mum, for a cardi. All of the stalls had lovely things, I couldn't get near Niki (Nostalgia at the Stonehouse) or Lizzie (The washerwoman) and only managed to say hello to Jane & Michele, everyone seemed to be busy.
Last stop was the tea room, 2 cups (vintage china) and slices of chocolate & pecan traybake & orange & almond cake (delicious) sorted us out before the drive home.
I hope that everyone had a good day, I certainly did!!! Michael kindly donated the last sausage for Flo, as we had left her behind and she had missed her usual carboot burger that they usually share on a Saturday morning (uurgh)! (some footballers habits never change !!)
