Back Oop North

This morning I was running a Charity Shop, seriously no word of a lie, me running a charity shop in an old cold half refurbished mill… and I loved it. I was helping my Gran’s friend Mezza who is a volunteer at Cromford Mills in their charity card shop. They actually had some really nice bits and pieces in there including some brilliant ‘Traffic Jam’ cranberry, then lemon and orange, then lime, just like a traffic light. A few of you may be getting it this Christmas.

My Gran was supposed to be helping out however she was more standing gossiping to acquaintances and then moaning about how she is a widow to all in sundry. I am not being mean when I say that, she is grieving I understand however there are levels, my aunty is a psychologist and she is unsure of some of the ‘crying’ that takes place when a certain someone is not getting all the attention that she deserves. We will move swiftly on.

It was definitely weird going back for the first weekend and having no Bong there but we were kept so busy it wasn’t a sad weekend. Matlock is full of people I know so every time I went out I would get way laid with and old family friend or three. I came up Friday night with my Uncle who is now freelance, so we caught up on his business plans and put the world to rights.

Saturday my Gran had the doctors so we whizzed down to Matlock, she went off and I took in all the second hand shops (brilliant), Birds (one of the best cake shops ever), a walk along the river, a quick shop for Gran and then we met up again to go for a lovely coffee and tea cake at The Strand (Matlock’s most expensive, by London terms cheap, restaurant). I looked after my cousins for a few hours in the afternoon. Onto Chatsworth for their ‘seasonal kaleidoscope of festivity’, also known as their Christmas decorations, which were… interesting. Had a walk through the gardens, it rained, we went down in the coal tunnels, Gran got scared. Back to my aunt’s for dinner, X Factor, home, book, bed, sleep.

So this morning found me as I said dealing with customers and the most ancient till I have come across. Gran tried to charge someone £400 for a pack of Cancer Relief cards; I made a comment about it all being for charity but that may appear a bit like extreme money making. I really enjoyed the banter of all the old ladies who came in, see I truly should be a pensioner… I can see it now! Had lunch on the canal in the rain, popped into Scarthin Books which is one of the best independent book stores I have been too. Drove to the station in the snow, really, and now back in London, feeling almost rested.