I have correspondence up to my armpits - snail and 'e', three articles with deadlines to finish (like yesterday!), a ton of research for a two-year project, little things like friends and family to keep in touch with and all the normal chores of day to day. None of this is creating the panic (well not much) the voice in my ear is telling me I haven't started my August tasks for the series I am writing about Chocolat. I am writing eight pieces in real time and have a schedule of jobs to complete each month to ensure it is finished before I decamp to the US for winter. August is all about making and displaying the sweeties, cakes and chocolates in the shop. Underpinning that I have to actually make some of the display furniture as well. Truth is I haven't lifted a single chocolate as yet and it is now the 21st.........ah well, it is a 31 day month, that gives me another day. See how I think!
Meanwhile we sailed off for a week away last week culminating in a visit to the Petwood show in Woodhall Spa. Cracking little place in Lincolnshire and worth a trip in itself. Strangely enough we were there last year on a short break and missed the fair by a couple of days.
This year - thanks to my travel agent (aka PK [Poor Ken]) I made it.
The fair is held at a great hotel called Petwood - the home of the dam buster squadron in the war.
It is a lovely setting and often all sorts of other things going on at the same time. On our Sunday there was a beer festival! Sadly no use to PK as we were driving home that day - bit of bad planning on his part - he needs to have a word with himself.
Open 10am - 4 pm, £2.50 to get in and drinks for a pound - what's not to like. There are about 35 stands to go at. I saw a handful of ones I knew which is normal now I do 1+ shows a month but I also found half a dozen or more that were new to me. I have written about the quarter scale chap in my QS blog (http://inquarterscale.blogspot.com) so I won't go over it again here, but here's a sample of his work to make you go and have a look.
There will also be my usual review in DH&MS magazine in a month or so but, as not everyone gets that, here's some stuff I saw at the show. The rest of the photos are on the web album site as Minis - Petwood.
Again go to the web album for more.
Again she did a load of other stuff including the radio I bought.
I think my favourite of the day was Little Pieces. I am dotty about Mackintosh and Arts and Crafts style; these so rang my bell.
Those who know me know I do a project each Summer and 2014 and 2015 are lined up - I hope they around and still in my price bracket by 2016 because I want to do an arts and crafts house full of this stuff.
My own purchases were modest
I also bought a wind-break for Starfish Cottage but realised it was 1/24th when I got home. Some people just get giddy at shows!
Hello Em! What a great job you have! I know that deadlines abound within it, but you seem to be able to handle it all like a Pro! I love the little radio and you have made a good choice for your Chocolat. LIke you Em, I am also a great hoarder of hardware and I think of it as the Jewelry for all the drawers, doors and bath fixtures. They give the finishing touch to the pieces. ( And you can never have enough! ) Love your purchases and your presentations of your posts as well as your sense of humor!
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Hi Elizabeth. This 'job' isn't a really one - I am actually retired. I do seem to do a 9 - 6 day on minis most days (if people let me). The break for lunch would be brief if I didn't have to cook it first. I really do seem to be chasing my tail most days and I am super-organised, so I don't understand it. Hey ho I will just dig myself out from under. Maybe if I didn't write umpteen blogs I'd have more time to actually DO something!
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