12/12/12/12/12

12/12/12/12/12

Long days. Up at Five, bed at One.

Were refurbishing our little shop, opening a second floor and there is much to do. The new stairs have been hand built and installed. The ceiling has been tented with white canvas and the walls have been painted white. The wooden floor is jet black. Four blood red chandeliers to be hung and blood red rugs to be laid and we'll be open for the press and public on the most auspicious date we could have hoped for.

When pressed for an official opening time, there was of course one waiting.

So, we're opening at 12.12 on the twelfth or the twelfth of the twelfth.

The candle burning is mainly because we're doing all of this work on a shoestring budget and the shop has to be manned and open while it's all going on.

Plus, with the festive season upon us, we're now open seven days a week.

So, the shop is full of lovely customers. We have supplied a Christmas gift for one of The Cotswolds most successful writers (think sex and horses...) and the milliner to the stars was in yesterday too. And Mrs Hodges dropped by for a brooch. A young guy from the fish stall from the market was looking for a cloth cap. He's shaving his head for charity. (a friend has leukaemia and he's raising money to help him...) And a couple of our customers brought us gifts of wine and chocolate. It doesn't get better than that!

Think of us on the twelfth  It is the dawn of a new era. A time of bright hope for the little person. That would be nice. It's about bloody time!

If you want to have a peek - check the website after the big day. www.stroudvintage.com

We have a short break booked for the end of the year - the cottage in Pembrokeshire. There will be time to sleep then. But knowing us,, we'll be up and off and doing from morn till night. You're a long time dead!

And on that cheery note, adieu!

Image by Carl Hewlett courtesy of the SNJ