Thursday 16 September 2021

The sun has got his hat on

 The sun has got his hat on.

Hip hip hooray

The sun has got his hat on and

He's coming out today.


An oldie - my Dad used to sing this to me when I was a very small child and I so often think of it on sunny days (and him too).

It was hair day so taxi at nine twenty as usual, straight into the chair and out again by ten.   I needed a picture hook to hang my Great grand daughter's photograph so I walked gently with Priscilla into town - only a few hundred yards - to buy one at our very good hardware shop.   It is only the third time I have been right into town this year.  And I really didn't like what I saw, although I suppose in these days business needs to be good.  Several shops have closed and H S B C (which then became Costa Coffee and since the advent of Covid has been closed down) is a disgrace to the town being filthy dirty - you can't see into the windows and there is rubbish everywhere round it.

In addition, several of the shops in the Market Square now have lots of goods on display outside their shops in trolleys and baskets and shelves.   It doesn't help and certainly offends my sensibilities and sense of tidiness.   But in such a small town (under four thousand) I suppose they have to do anything to attract trade.

The town was very busy on this sunny day - groups of cyclists had stopped at the Post Horn cafe for a morning coffee.  Motor cyclists were roaring through on their way up Dale.   One or two coaches were in town and their occupants wandering round looking at the shops and sitting outside various cafes drinking coffee at the outside chairs and tables.

I bought my picture hooks, rang my taxi and sat on Priscilla's comfy chair - and then I had a thought.   I was sitting right outside Andy's the Bakers!   Andy makes lovely Cornish Pasties, Pork Pies, Sausage Rolls and many more goodies savoury and sweet.  I just had time before Mike rolled up.   "A Cornish Pasty please!"   "Cold."   Just in time (after lots of fumbling for change) as Mike drew up alongside me.

Home it was warm the pasty (delicious even though it was mid morning) eat it and then put up the photo.   I measured and marked gently in pencil and the photo is lovely - just right.   Now I can't find my India Rubber to rub out the pencil marks on the wallpaper.   They stick out like sore thumbs.  I shall not be going into town anytime soon to buy another rubber so it will have to stay as it is.   I am totally worn out by my expedition - and to think once upon a time I used to think how exciting it would be to go to Everest Base Camp.   I suppose I have just done the equivalent for almost 90!

See you tomorrow.

28 comments:

Derek Faulkner said...

Welcome to the sight that greets most of us in our town centres post Lockdowns - lots of closed down shops! A lot of those shops were forced to close as per the Covid precautions, only to see large supermarkets staying open and often selling the same products the small shops would of.
It's a very warm and sunny day here and most enjoyable.

the veg artist said...

Nowhere is as it used to be, Weave. Those were the days, eh? We've been having some lovely weather in West Wales too.

CharlotteP said...

If most of the shops in your little town are still open, it's doing very well. Goods outside can look quite appealing, but if they are using trolleys, it doesn't sound as though they are making much of an effort.
My mouth is watering at the description of your fresh pasty. Well worth your effort, I should think!

Debbie said...

Try a piece of soft bread for removing the pencil marks. Weird but effective!

Mary, Windy Meadows Farm said...

I discovered your blog through another blogger...you had me at "Welcome to life in the Yorkshire Dales". I'm in the USA, but it's always been a dream to be right where you are...from what I've seen, it looks beautiful. I've often said, if I ever get to visit, I know I'd never want to come home! Looking forward to reading your older posts, Mary

Debby said...

That is interesting, Debbie! A slice of bread!!!

The Weaver of Grass said...

Debbie I have just found my India rubber. If it is no good out will come the bread. Thank you for the suggestion.

Welcome to my blog Mary - hope you enjoy reading ordinary everyday events.

Bonnie said...

Many shops have closed here as well. I keep hoping things will improve once the pandemic is under better control. It sounds like you had a beautiful sunny day to go out. I imagine it felt good to get your hair done, get your shopping done and still have time to buy a special treat! Enjoy your evening my friend!

Heather said...

It's been a lovely day here too. Glad you made it into town and back safely and put the photo up - well done.
There are plenty of empty premises here too, and far too many estate agents, coffee shops and charity shops. About 30 years ago there was a very good market, independent greengrocer, butcher, post office and police station. The police station is now a block of flats, the post office is banished to the back of a small supermarket and the market is long gone. Thank goodness we don't have an Andy here! My mouth is watering at the thought of excellent pasties, pork pies and sausage rolls.

Anonymous said...

There is nothing quite like a pasty when you are feeling hungry. I have low blood sugar occasionally and get famished. I "demolished' a pasty once sitting outside a cafe,' got stuck in' as my mother would say, and wiping the crumbs from my face thought "Hope no-one saw me eat in that less than polite state. When I arrived home the phone rang. "Was that you eating that pasty outside the shop?" asked my sister in law. The shop was a long way from where we both live, and I thought I was safe being an anonymous piggie hidden in the depths of suburbia. Customers in that state are probably a sight your Andy is used to - his bakery sounds lovely!- Pam.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Pam - at the school I went to if we were spotted eating in the street we got detention.

I have done little for the rest of the day - it tired me out eating that pasty!!

Debby said...

Weaver, I sure would like to hear more school rules.

Joanne Noragon said...

The sun had his hat on here, today, too.

Rachel Phillips said...

Eating in the street for those of us of a certain age is still etched on our brains as something we just do not do. It was a big no no when I was growing up both instilled in me at home and at school.

Derek Faulkner said...

Well I don't recall there being anything available for us to eat in the street in those days anyway, except perhaps, a bag of chips and surely you must of done that occasionally.

Jules said...

It makes me sad to see shops standing empty like that. Though I'm surprised a coffee shop closed down. They seem to be increasing in numbers around here. X

Librarian said...

Most of the shops in my town have re-opened; there was a lot of money poured into the struggling economy by our government and so very few have shut down for good (and more often than not, they were struggling already before the pandemic).
Good to know you found your rubber - it would have surprised me if you hadn't, since you are always so neat and tidy.
What a nice treat for yourself, to buy that pasty on a whim!

CharlotteP said...

When you said you got a detention for eating in the street, it made me smile, and remember an incident from my schooldays. We also got detentions for eating in the street. One hot afternoon, I couldn't resist buying a ice cream, as it was really hot, I took off my horrible hat, too (another detention). Coming out of the shop, I bumped into the most fearsome teacher in the school, (by a long way). I grovellingly apologised; she just looked at me. I was a very meek and goody-goody child, and spent the next week a gibbering wreck. It was more punishment for me, allowing me to imagine what might happen, than just getting a detention!

Rachel Phillips said...

No Derek, it was forbidden and seen as very bad to eat in the street. I still don't do it. I don't recall ever eating chips in the street either. Sitting in the car yes, but walking in the street no.

As for shops, the high streets here were dying before Covid. Many smaller, local shops are in fact doing better than the big department stores and we were on the verge of losing Debenhams etc. before Covid. On-line shopping in preference to visiting the large stores has taken over big time in the UK.

Derek Faulkner said...

Not even an ice cream Rachel?

Rachel Phillips said...

Yes an exception could be made for an icecream cornet on a hot summer's day.

Rachel Phillips said...

There was also a lot of money poured into our struggling economy by our Government during Covid, Librarian. But it does not follow here that our already dying high streets would naturally reopen.

Yellow Shoes said...

Since moving to this part of Sheffield 20+ years ago the bank on the corner has morphed into a very busy gin bar.
I think the trend for change of use has been coming for years.
It was the bank's decision to close in 2010 or so in spite of dismay from local people who used it.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Anne - our HSBC had a refurbish - must have cost at least ten thousand - it was beautiful and we joked with the staff that at least they weren't destined to close. Less than a year later they did just that.

Never to fish and chips Derek - we didn't have shops that sold them during the day anyway.


Thanks everyone for popping by.

Christine said...

Beautiful sunny days here too and yum yum that pasty, I thought I could smell the delicious aroma as I read your post.

Jean Winnipeg said...

St. Albans where I lived until I emigrated has a wonderful Cornish pasty shop with excellent coffee near the Clock Tower. Its always one of my stops when I visit St. Albans. I remember making Cornish pasties at school once in cookery class.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Thanks everyone for your contribnution.

Bovey Belle said...

A ball of bread gently dabbed onto the offending mark, should get rid of it grubby marks - may work on pencil too . . .

Our town centre (it's a very small town) has largely survived by new shops opening in the place of old ones who shut. It probably has a different feel to it now (reminds me of Llandeilo once it started going upmarket) but we only ever drove through in the past, rather than stopping.