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Aug. 29th, 2026 05:20 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
turpsThis morning I found out the first movie channel has changed to a Christmas 24/7 movie channel. Now, I can say it's far too early, and it is, it's still August for goodness sake. But, I'm sure no one is surprised when i say I also had that channel on for background watching.
It's nearly the end of the month so it was time to go pay our bill at the craft shop. The way it works is you pay £40 a month to rent the shelves and any sales come off that amount. James has never made a full 40 yet, but this month he got really close. You do sometimes think is it worth it, but I think it is, it allows him to craft and establish himself and the run up to Christmas may hopefully, bring more sales.
While we were there we restocked and put some older items on sale, so fingers crossed for September.
I found a bag of shallots that had gone black and mushy in the vegetable rack, which explains why we've had a fruit fly infestation. I've just bought some fruit fly traps, so hopefully that helps as the home made ones weren't really cutting it.
I can't believe it's already a week since we saw Burlesque at the theatre. I enjoyed the show, I haven't seen the film it's based on so went in unspoiled, but that didn't matter. It was fun and the cast were visibly ecstatic at the end, for what was the final show in Sunderland. I don't blame them for being so happy after two long sets of cancellations in the three weeks they were supposed to be running, and quite a few of the principal cast having to brought in last minute after the original cast was badly affected by illness.
You may remember I was worried about parking due to a festival that has closed the roads around the theatre, well, the roads were closed but by going early we managed to get the last parking spot. It's not an official spot, but it's in an area used by many drivers about a few minutes walk from the theatre and the restaurant where we had a reservation. Of course, by going so early we were really early for both eating and the show, so ended up wandering the town and just wasting time for a while. Though, that did mean I had time to linger over a Starbucks cloud matcha frappachino, a drink I could easily become addicted to.
The only thing about parking where we did, normally, when we park outside the restaurant I take home my leftover pizza, this time it didn't make sense to do so. I missed driving home in the dark, talking about the show and eating a cold slice. But, we've started a tradition of trying a cocktail when going to a show, and look at the adorable glasses they came in. Now I want some retro pineapple glasses for at home, no idea what I'd drink in them but they're fun.
Other things that happened last week, a trip to Beamish where I got to learn about the differences between suffragettes and suffragists and take part in a votes for women rally. Went to the cinema to see Spa Weekend, which was exactly what I expected, silly fun. And as Rosie is still off, two visits to the big gym.
The Beamish thing was interesting. I've been going there for years now but it's only this year they've had staff and volunteers acting as the characters they're dressed as. For example, in the pit village there have always been people dressed to reflect the time and area, and they'd be doing things like baking using the range or making clippy mats. But they'd always answer questions as themselves. Whereas, last time I was down in the village they had a scene going on where someone dressed as a rent man was trying to get rent money from a pit wife who was protesting she had no money to give.
I do like this new direction and hope they continue to do the scenes every now and then.
It's nearly the end of the month so it was time to go pay our bill at the craft shop. The way it works is you pay £40 a month to rent the shelves and any sales come off that amount. James has never made a full 40 yet, but this month he got really close. You do sometimes think is it worth it, but I think it is, it allows him to craft and establish himself and the run up to Christmas may hopefully, bring more sales.
While we were there we restocked and put some older items on sale, so fingers crossed for September.
I found a bag of shallots that had gone black and mushy in the vegetable rack, which explains why we've had a fruit fly infestation. I've just bought some fruit fly traps, so hopefully that helps as the home made ones weren't really cutting it.
I can't believe it's already a week since we saw Burlesque at the theatre. I enjoyed the show, I haven't seen the film it's based on so went in unspoiled, but that didn't matter. It was fun and the cast were visibly ecstatic at the end, for what was the final show in Sunderland. I don't blame them for being so happy after two long sets of cancellations in the three weeks they were supposed to be running, and quite a few of the principal cast having to brought in last minute after the original cast was badly affected by illness.
You may remember I was worried about parking due to a festival that has closed the roads around the theatre, well, the roads were closed but by going early we managed to get the last parking spot. It's not an official spot, but it's in an area used by many drivers about a few minutes walk from the theatre and the restaurant where we had a reservation. Of course, by going so early we were really early for both eating and the show, so ended up wandering the town and just wasting time for a while. Though, that did mean I had time to linger over a Starbucks cloud matcha frappachino, a drink I could easily become addicted to.
The only thing about parking where we did, normally, when we park outside the restaurant I take home my leftover pizza, this time it didn't make sense to do so. I missed driving home in the dark, talking about the show and eating a cold slice. But, we've started a tradition of trying a cocktail when going to a show, and look at the adorable glasses they came in. Now I want some retro pineapple glasses for at home, no idea what I'd drink in them but they're fun.
Other things that happened last week, a trip to Beamish where I got to learn about the differences between suffragettes and suffragists and take part in a votes for women rally. Went to the cinema to see Spa Weekend, which was exactly what I expected, silly fun. And as Rosie is still off, two visits to the big gym.
The Beamish thing was interesting. I've been going there for years now but it's only this year they've had staff and volunteers acting as the characters they're dressed as. For example, in the pit village there have always been people dressed to reflect the time and area, and they'd be doing things like baking using the range or making clippy mats. But they'd always answer questions as themselves. Whereas, last time I was down in the village they had a scene going on where someone dressed as a rent man was trying to get rent money from a pit wife who was protesting she had no money to give.
I do like this new direction and hope they continue to do the scenes every now and then.
no subject
Date: 2026-08-30 02:15 am (UTC)If it's anything like around here, a lot people say they sell more stuff in the month before Christmas that the rest of the year combined. Hopefully, James gets some good sales around the holidays, enough to make it worth it. Doesn't he do online sales, too? Maybe some of that comes from his presence at the shop?
Oh goodness, I hope Rosie is okay!
no subject
Date: 2026-08-30 07:18 am (UTC)One local radio station makes a point of only playing Christmas songs from the 1st of December, and even then, only a handful an hour, I actually like that.
Yeah, I'm hoping the run up to Christmas will lead to good sales at the shop. The owner did say people had been browsing and making notes for potential gifts, so that seems like a good sign. James does do online sales, and in fact, makes the most money doing that. Really, between the fairs, shop and online he's doing okay. Not that you'd think so by the amount of wood stock in the house! *g*
Rosie has cancelled for the week coming, too. I knew she wouldn't be there tomorrow as it's a bank holiday but I was hoping for Wednesday :(
no subject
Date: 2026-09-01 05:43 pm (UTC)Keeping everything crossed James will continue to do better and better at the craft shop!
So good to hear you enjoyed yourselves at the show and also had a lovely meal and drink beforehand! That glass is so cute! You could always make your own exotic cocktail to serve in them. A little orange juice, some coconut milk, a splash of lime juice would make a lovely drink on a hot summer afternoon!
Your trip to Beamish sounds even more awesome than usual!
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Date: 2026-09-01 10:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2026-09-06 10:09 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2026-09-06 03:04 pm (UTC)