Dear Columbus Direct

Thank you for sending me a kind email to say that you will automatically renew our annual travel insurance policy. Apparently, I need do absolutely nothing; I can sit back, relax and plan my next trip overseas and you will simply take the money from my account.

Well, that all sounds absolutely perfect. And you almost had me there. The only reason I wondered whether or not to take you up on the generous offer is because there's a (tiny) bit of a time difference between the new policy starting and when we next go on holiday - only a week, but still, why pay for a week's worth of insurance that you don't need? And so I thought I'd call up and cancel the insurance and then re-buy it when we need it.

But just before I called up to cancel it, because truth be told I am actually rather lazy and really ummed and ahhed over whether it was worth the call or whether to just let the new policy follow straight on from the old one, I had a little look on your website to see how much a new policy would cost, just to compare it to the price you were quoting me for a renewal.

Yes, that's right, the price you were quoting little old me, a loyal customer who has been using your travel insurance services for at least ten years and has only ever made one claim (and that was for DC when he got a bit of an infection in a rather sensitive area [say no more, spare his blushes] while we were in New York in 2009.)

The 'let's be lazy and let dear old Columbus do all the hard work' renewal price: £128.99.

The 'let's not be lazy, let's cancel the policy [5 minute phone call] and buy a new one [another 5 minutes on the internet]' price: £64.19.

Yes, that's right. The lazy approach would have cost me more than TWICE the '10 minutes extra work' price. That's what being a loyal customer gets you!

So, let that be a lesson to us all - don't let those 'kind and helpful' insurance companies save you a few minutes work, because it could be turn out to be very expensive!

Shepton Mallet Flea Bounty

This past weekend my darling boys were away visiting Grandma and Grandad, so I had three lovely days all to myself. I started off Friday afternoon with a little trip to our village tearoom for a hot chocolate and a read of a magazine, all the while pondering how on earth I was going to fill all this free time...

Saturday morning dawned drizzly and overcast but, luckily, by the time Mum and I headed off to a nearby village for their annual May Fair the sun had got his hat on (but so had the wind.)

My tombola ticket-picking hand was clearly, erm, *blessed* and I came away with a mini can of Tonic Water (perfect for hubby as he does like a G&T) and a Fruit Shoot (which I'm sure DC will take one swig of and then leave.) The cake stall yielded a lemon drizzle and from the 'all sorts of everything' stall I purchased an Emma Bridgewater 'hearts and flowers' tin (in the dishwasher when I took this photo) and a new place mat for DC, except he doesn't like it because the birds are "silly". Le sigh. Perhaps if I tell him they are actually Power Rangers disguised as birds he'll have a rethink.

 Mum and I then popped in to Ilminster for a bit of a wander and a coffee/cake break. While we were in the cafe a couple of local Town Criers popped in, as you do; left me wondering if there's a collective noun for Town Criers - a ding-dong? A yell?

On Sunday morning I took myself off to the Bath and West Showground for the Shepton Mallet Giant Flea and Collectors Market. This is held seven or eight times a year, but it seems to be an annual event in this house, as I notice the last time we went was this time last year.

I got there nice and early (c.9.45am - it opens at 9.30am), only to be confronted by this huuuuge queue; the ticket office is in the white building that you can juuuuust about see at the far end of the road. Actually, it wasn't too bad since it moved fairly quickly and as I had a magazine handy I was well-prepared for such an eventuality.

This was the first stall I came to, and there were plenty of lovely things I wanted almost immediately.

Inlcuding this first aid box which I really ummed and ahhed over. However, being a great believer in fate I decided to wait to see if it was still there once I'd had a bit more of a look round.

Same went for this lamp.

Luckily we already have a sledge or I'd have been very tempted by this one. DC would look quite the dashing vintage boy sledding down the hills surrounding our village on his Flexible Flyer III.

I contemplated this for our new chimney breast (about which I will tell you, one day). But the £100+ price tag was a little higher than I wanted to pay, considering we had seen a mirror we liked at a car boot sale for just £15 (but which we didn't buy as it would have been too heavy to mount on plasterboard.)

Lovely botttles, jars and wooden crates.

Mirror, mirror on the floor.

The vintage 'Christmas Dressing' was tempting.

And if you ever need a bucket/barrel, this is the place for you.

It was lucky that DC wasn't with me or there may have been tears when I refused to let him buy a real sword to go with his ever-growing pretend sword collection.

Anyone want a pet? Very easy to look after, doesn't eat much.

So, what did I end up buying?

Well, as luck would have it, when I went back after nearly four hours the first aid box was still there (the lamp had just sold.) I did wonder if that meant it wasn't any good, since no-one else had snatched it up.

But a little bit of TLC should see it right as rain and hanging in the bathroom.

I also acquired this little pot, just because I like the shape.

Contents not included. Luckily.

Although I'm sure they would have done DC the world of good.

An old chemistry lab bottle.

Again, a little bit of a clean-up and I thought this would make a nice little vase.

And last but not least, a very patriotic purchase.

Please be upstanding for the Union Jack.

And I believe in this instance I can call it a Union Jack rather than a Union Flag as it came from a boat; although having just Googled it I've come across this:

"in 1902 an Admiralty Circular announced that Their Lordships had decided that either name could be used officially. Such use was given Parliamentary approval in 1908 when it was stated that "the Union Jack should be regarded as the National flag". Source.

The plan is to hang it in DC's bedroom. One day. When I get round to it. In the meantime it can be added to the list of jobs to do.

Oh, and just out of interest, the meat safe that we bought at the Flea Market last year that just needed "a rub over with a bit of wire wool or a wire brush and then a lick of paint"; yes, well, it's still sitting in the garage in the same state as when we bought it...

It's That [Lazy] Time of Year Again

Yes, it's summer. Well, it isn't really summer, but the summer 'season' has commenced and so on a Monday you can fnd me in lovely Abbotsbury (on the Jurassic Coast, just along from West Bay, etc, where Broadchurch was partly filmed - not that I watched it, truth be told, but if there's a bandwagon to be jumped on...)

If you have been reading my blog for a while, you may have seen previous references to my dear friends R&G who own this lovely gallery - Lazyhill. If you don't have the time/energy/resources to make a trip to Abbotsbury, you can follow the gallery on Facebook and they also have a website (www.lazyhillgallery.co.uk) where you can find out lots more useful information and even buy the lovely things they stock via the power of the t'interweb.

so, without further ado, may I present some of the delights that the gallery contains. For some reason, I started taking the photos at the back of the gallery and worked my way forward; hope that's not too confusing.


The rear section of the gallery



Lovely wrapping paper, new for 2013!



Lots and lots and LOTS of wonderful cards for all occasions





Ceramics and artwork



Tiles, buttons and more by Caroline Barker





Lamps by Hannah Nunn



Ceramics and bronzes





Mugs, bowls, soap dishes and more by Fiona Kelly



The front section of the gallery





Glass tiles, bowls, hanging decorations



Driftwood, metal and paper creations by Sarah Jane Brown



More cards!



More ceramics!



Very popular bags from Dr Bean.



Art work by Sam Cannon



Felt brooches by Jackie Cardy



I could go on, but that would risk sending you all into a 'lovely stuff'-induced coma. So, if you happen to be in Dorset, do pop by and say hello and have a look round the lovely, lovely Lazyhill!

Sunny Morning (With Friend)

This morning, after taking DC to nursery and myself to the village hall to vote in the local elections, I came home and decided that work could wait a few minutes while I sat in the sun with a coffee and a magazine. When the weather is this good at this time of the morning (c.9.30am) in this country, you really do have to make the most of it, if the opportunity presents itself.

I had a very pleasant ten (ok, maybe it was more like twenty, or possibly even thirty...) minutes soaking up the rays. I was even joined by a little friend who had escaped from her run (yet again.)

This is Fizz, the Great Escaper.

During late autumn and winter our three chooks are allowed to free range around the entire garden. However, once spring arrives and hubby starts planting out his veggies, the chooks are confined to barracks (a large run in one corner of the garden.) There's still lots of room for them to scratch around, plenty of shade if the sun is shining and, as the plants start growing, plenty of greenery for them to nibble at if they stick their heads through the netting. However, this little lady keeps escaping. She was escaping along with her pal Betty until a couple of weekends ago when we clipped their wings. Gail (the third chook) is too big/lazy to bother trying to fly out of the run, but those two were constantly up and over. The wing-clipping has grounded Betty, but Fizz still keeps getting out somehow - we're not sure if she's flying out or wriggling out as we've never seen the escape in action. But we tend to reward her veracity by letting her stay out most of the day. Although things may change if she starts eating hubby's seedlings...

And here's another shot of the dear girl from Tuesday, when I found her lying on the step sunbathing.

I hope you're all getting a chance to enjoy the sun as much as Fizz.