Monday 9 February 2015

Monday.




Been a mildly eventful day today (and it's only half past two in the afternoon now). This morning a friend came to see me and picked up three clocks, etc. for entry into a new auction he's going  to  start  in Stowmarket. We've known him since he was a porter at Bonhams, in Knight'sbridge. After we'd loaded the goodies onto his van, he had a coffee with us, and eventually got round to what I suspect was the real business of the day. In the course of conversation he told us what he considered was going up and down in the antique business. One of the things he considered was going up steadily is arms and armour. He then went on to tell me of the difficulty he's having in finding 'experts' as cataloguers and valuers. I told him that I am (I think) still registered as 'an expert witness' as far as guns (and their age) is concerned.  "Do you want the job ?" he asked, "it'll be a while until it's properly set up". Well, it was one of those "it's been a while since........." situations, but came as a pleasant surprise. Soon after that we set out along the lanes to Hollow Trees Farm for lunch. It was on the drive there that I took the above three photos (all within half a mile of each other).

At Hollow Trees we both ordered ham, eggs, and chips for lunch, and the second 'it's been a while since......' situation occurred. Ann had asked for a bottle of H.P. sauce to go with our lunch, and whilst pouring the sauce, managed to drop the bottle, which, in turn,  managed to shed a large splosh of the stuff on the floor. Ann went off to find our waitress, asked for a cloth, and apologised for the mishap. The waitress came and wiped up the mess, and said to Ann's stream of apologies, "Please don't worry about it, Mrs. Horner. Not everyone would have come and told me about it."  "No", says I "The sensible ones would have sat around the sauce splosh, dipping their chips in it."    "Oh you !", said the waitress, and burst into a fit of giggles at the very idea; and that was the second time today an 'it's been a while since' moment occurred - I mean it's been a while since a waitress said "Oh you !" to me and burst into a fit of giggles.
Makes me wonder what the rest of the day will have to offer. If it's anything near the standard of those two, I'll reopen this blog and insert it.

6 comments:

Crowbard said...

There is a very scientific theory doing the rounds that implies something like a bunch of trainee angels sits around after they've done their maths homework and threads beads for relaxation and entertainment ~ only the beads happen to be 'events' in the physical worlds. Some angles like to put a few of these events of similar 'size' or 'colour' together to make them stand out a bit more on the threads of 'real-life'. It's the Theory of Serendipitous Co-incidence.

Crowbard said...

On the other hand, it is no surprise that in a county of classically beautiful landscape and cared for historic buildings, you should be able to produce such endless charming photos. Nor with your life-long passion, work and study in the field of antique arms and metal-ware coupled with the brick-wall of your integrity is it at all surprising that other renowned soul in the specialism should seek your views.

Nea said...

I like the fact that the landscape has probably looked like this for hundreds of years. It's comforting.

Rog said...

I don't know about a consultancy job in Stowmarket - a TV series would be my choice. "Horner's Corners" on BBC2.

Unknown said...

Thank you Crowbard.
Nea, it is indeed reassuring.
Rog. I have been self-employed since 1977, so it came as a pleasant surprise to be offered paid employ. As it looks as if it might be very part time, I think I might accept it. Lots of detail to be hammered out yet. What should I do about such an offer, do my readers think, bearing in mind that I am well past the three score years and ten mark?

Crowbard said...

Do it gently for as long as it's enjoyable, applies to the chronologically experienced in every area of their lives, including the area of employment. Perhaps Elizabeth, your accountant, might have some apposite advice?
"Horner's Corners" is an interesting tautology Rog, The original Viking name “Hœrnir” is semantically linked to our word, “corner” and meant much the same as the biblical phrase “chief corner stone”, a great stubbornly immovable foundation. The name of Hœrnir Vili, the earliest Horner I can trace, born 217 AD, means something like “the wilful corner-stone” or in modern parlance “stubborn as a rock”. Whether or not we share his genes there is little doubt that we share his temperament.