Louise's bloomers

It's been like summer in the Lakes today and I think my ears are blocked with a little pollen or something as I definitely didn't hear the following conversation correctly.
A lady and her husband brought in a necklace which they'd bought last year and asked if we could replace the chain as it had snapped. I was happy to oblige and then followed a friendly chat about the weather and their journey over by ferry from Ireland. "Are you here for long?" I asked to which the reply was "Yes, for a fortnight, which is great as we only usually manage 3 or 4 days". "That's great" I replied to which they said "blah, blah, blah". Ok, I didn't quite catch what they said but, in the spirit of the lovely conversation we'd had so far I replied "That's brilliant". We then exchanged a few more pleasantries and off they went.
As soon as they'd left the shop Sean doubled up with laughter and then managed to pull himself together to tell me that "blah, blah, blah" had actually been....."Our dog has died, so we've been able to get over for longer this time"!!!! Earth, swallow me up.....lovely couple from Ireland, please forgive me. I'm off to wash out my ears.
Louise
 

Entente Cordiale?

We're still in the middle of the wranglings to get the lease signed for our new store.....it's only four months since we agreed the principles but, hey, I'm a patient sort of person, not!
Now, the end is near, it's time to face.......no...........it's time to sign on the dotted line in the next couple of days. It feels like we're in limboland: ready to push the button on many stock orders, getting the shopfitters to storm in wielding hammers and saws, getting the team in place and, for goodness sake, GETTING OPEN BEFORE THE SEASON ENDS!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anyway, in the midst of frayed nerves, a letter has arrived from the landlords of the Bowness store. Opening it with some trepidation (after all news from landlords is never good), I was shocked, indeed, stunned to see that our lovely landlord has decided to wave his right to apply the forthcoming rent review. Our rent will stay the same for the next 3 years. Yippee......now back to the new store lease, what's happening now?!
Louise

Pride of Cumbria

This weekend we've been to London to see Barrow win the FA Trophy final at Wembley (never in doubt, but helped by our opponents having a player sent off at the end of the first half). We were there the last time Barrow won this cup some 20 years ago and you just can't beat the feeling of pride in our town when our team achieves something against the odds and the exhilaration that an excited crowd of some 10,000 Barrovians creates when the game goes our way.


On the way to London on the train, Connie met up with a couple of older boys from her school and proceeded to beat them in a DS Super Mario challenge. My quiet pride in this dubious achievement was doubled when Sean (who swore he'd never played Super Mario on DS) beat them too! Hopefully this gets Connie and her Dad ubercool points at school.

Yesterday we wandered around the Tate Modern and then meandered into the Globe Theatre where we found, in the gift shop, a range of Hawkshead Relish jellies and chutneys. We do really well in the shop with this very local supplier and it was great to see their products so far from home.

All in all, Cumbria was best place in Britain this weekend!

Louise

The jewel in the crown

Yesterday a lovely lady and gentleman, both sporting healthy tans, spent a lot of time looking at our jewellery before the lady settled on a Firefrost turquoise pendant and matching earrings. "We've just come back from a Caribbean cruise" the lady told me "and I looked all over the Caribbean for turquoise jewellery but I end up buying it here!" Meanwhile, her husband was jovially muttering something to the effect that most people built conservatories but they had to build wardrobe extensions to accommodate his wife's fashion purchases. Whereupon his wife turned round to him and announced " I don't drink, I don't smoke and I don't do drugs. I'm entitled to spend your (???!!!) money on something!" Good line that, I might use it myself if I can ever give up red wine.
Speaking of jewellery, we've got 2 new jewellery stores opening in the village. The first is Silver Moon who also have a shop in Ambleside, the other is a Pandora shop -  Bowness must have proved itself to be a mecca for people with disposable income to be worthy of a Pandora shop but, for a fraction of the price, you can buy one of Jules' Pilula Aura bracelets which really are lovely and leave you with enough change to buy a bottle of Chateauneuf du Pape!
Louise

Consider myself told off

Yesterday a lady on a mobility scooter accompanied by an older lady in a wheelchair stopped outside the shop and asked loudly "Can we get in your shop?". I went outside to explain to her that as the step into the shop is only a few inches tall we didn't have a ramp for wheelchairs. She then informed me that I was breaking the law and that she would have happily spent lots of money in my lovely shop but couldn't get in there. She then proceeded along the street to Jim and Sue's cafe next door and I was a bit miffed to see that she managed to get off the scooter and go inside to order.
Muttering to myself I went to the Post Office to send a few internet orders and asked Malcolm, the Postmaster, if he thought we were breaking the law by not having wheelchair access. He thought not and that the law only applied to banks, Post Offices and other businesses offering a public service. When I got back to the shop I googled the issue and found, to my complete surprise, that indeed wheelchair access to any shop has been the law since 2004. I then looked online for wheelchair ramps and found a portable lightweight aluminium one for £70 which I then ordered (it's just arrived). I then went along to Jim and Sue's to apologise to the lady and she admitted that she was only so vociferous about it because not only so few shops comply with the law but also because she was only registered disabled a couple of years ago and was still coming to terms with the complete frustration she felt with all aspects of her new life.
What astounds me is just how many shops do flout the law, probably unwittingly.
Louise

Where's the sun gone?

We've had a fantastic few days: since last Thursday the sun has shone and all has been well with the world. Heady temperatures of over 19 degrees were recorded at the weekend and folk have been wandering round the village in shorts and t-shirts. We've seen numerous cases of sunburn amongst customers and Jules arrived yesterday with an attractive red glow about her after tackling 3 Wainwrights on Saturday. We've even stocked up on natural Insect Repellent and After Sun Soother in anticipation of demand. However, after a very promising start this morning (beautiful blue sky and gradual climbing temperature) the sun has now disappeared and I'm now sat shivering in my totally inappropriate sandals. I'm going to log on to Metcheck for a quick weather update.........phew, bright sunshine reappearing on Thursday and no rain forecasted....hang on, what's this????? Snow showers forecasted for April the 22nd. Surely not!!!!
Louise
#fb

Summer's coming: the flies are back

What a grotty Easter weekend we had weatherwise. There was only one decent day, Sunday, and I was asked by countless tourists what they could do to keep dry other than visit the World of Beatrix Potter, the answer being not a lot if they didn't have a car (although I find a bit of retail therapy to be the best pastime). Yesterday, the local paper reported that the Wild Animal Park in Dalton had had its worst Easter in 12 years and certainly the weather, once again, proved to be the dampener (literally) on what should have been the kick start to the tourist season. No matter, today the weather is glorious (brave men have been spotted in shorts and sandals) and is forecasted to be good to the end of next weekend. That'll explain why flies have suddenly appeared in the shop  - they've got their eyes on Metcheck and have ventured forth only to discover they should have put on their vests. It's not that warm yet and several have perished without the aid of a swift swipe from any handy magazine. It'll be the wasps next....
Louise