Wednesday 20 July 2011

Freecycle fun and games....

Its been a busy Wednesday today...


Over the weekend I signed up for the Yeovil branch of Freecycle and while I was scanning through the reams of wanted and up for grabs listings I came across a request for a peddle tractor ... so I emailed her and asked if she was still looking... she was ... and she popped over from Sherborne this morning to pick up Daniel's tractor and trailer for her little granddaughter... Daniel is too big for it and to be honest it would have to be a tank with guns for Daniel to want it! lol

She was very pleased and very grateful....

I had enquired about a whicker hamper that someone in Yeovil had and a wooden standard lamp in Stalbridge... and although the hamper basket had gone she had another basket that she was getting rid of... and the wooden lamp was still available... so after the tractor had been collected we headed into Yeovil and picked up the basket...



Ideal for yarn storage... I think I will make a fabric liner and lid for it to keep the yarn dust free...

and off to Stalbridge we went ... I had directions and Daniel in the back as co pilot
and Jamie as map reader... what could possibly go wrong! ?

We made it there pretty easily.. the road was at times narrow and bumpy with the usual tailgating sports car firmly attached to the rear of my car... oohhh they make me mad! anyway we found the house... eventually and there was no body home! :(

No problem I thought and a car park was hunted down and we had a stroll around Stalbridge... and I love it .... I want to live there! lol

We popped to a charity shop and bought a couple of DVD's (£4) a TY spider called Spinner for Daniel (30p) ...


an original oil painting of dolphins... which are a little weird looking but I love the brushwork of the light on their backs... plus I love underwater images (50p)...



and a fairly large embroidered linen table cloth (£2.50) ...



which will look lovely on a table in the garden this summer... I am of course being very optimistic that the sunshine will return for more than an afternoon... ;D


It was nearing 12:30 and we had a choice of fish and chip shop or cafe... so we opted for the cafe which turned out to be at an independent supermarket called Dike and Sons... (which was a Nisa!) we use to have a wonderful little Nisa just down the road from us when we lived in Hazlemere (High Wycombe) and I do miss that shop... this one was amazing.. so clean and tidy and neat... a real mix of things and the cafe was superb... like a little chic cafe...


Daniel enjoyed a strawberry milkshake while I drank a black coffee and Jamie sipped a J20... then our food arrived... there was a little bit of swap se's that occurred ...


I had Jamie's side salad... with my cheese omlette (which was scrumptious)


Jamie had my chips with her Chicken Mayo baguette.... (which she thoroughly enjoyed)


and Daniel pinched some of his new found favorite... cucumber! lol
all in all it cost £17 and a few pence... I was very happy with the service and the quality of the food and it was such a lovely place to eat... no stupid little sachets of sauce each table had condiments and a holder with heinz tomato ketchup, brown sauce and mayonnaise...

For someone that hates the big supermarket chains this was wonderful... an independent shop that has been going since the days of the horse and cart that has managed to keep up with modern times...


THe staff were so friendly and its been open for 4 years and I didn't have a clue...


It even has a horse tether area should you need some shopping while out on a hack...


Les has been recently asking me what area would you like to live in (he wants to move to a bigger house!) and until now I didn't have a clue... now I have more than a clue... this is a proper village that is still thriving due to being able to change with the times without loosing its soul and its character...

While we were there Daniel chose the mugs for his main teacher and 2 classroom assistants


and a gift bag for the teacher that they have on a Friday... and the teacher that teaches them Spanish...

Just have to wrap up the mugs and he can take them in tomorrow... I wonder how many mugs they'll get!? lol

well I had better get on... kids to feed, washing up to do and tidy the lounge ready for an evening of crochet ... oohh nearly forgot... I finished a crocheted sausage dog!


I think the yarn is a little to busy... some self striping yarn would have been better... but I quite like the pattern... and I need to use up this patchy yarn...

Les is out this evening beating a squash ball around a small room... lol ... obviously followed by a visit to the pub...! ;D

I shall catch up with you all very soon.. now I have this Ipad sorted I am back on top form! xx

take care
Alex
x


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

6 comments:

MrsL said...

Nice to find someone else using Dikes! We've shopped there for years, using the old store before this posh new one was built. Lots of local stuff, which is what it's all about, and I'd much rather my money went to them than some faceless giant corporate enterprise.
We live only about 4miles from Stalbridge, know it well - two very good charity shops that I love, and an excellent wee library.
Nice to visit your blog from just over the border into Dorset
x

Pink Feather Paradise said...

it might seem daft... but I was so pleased to have found it I almost cried.... its a bit of a drive but I think id prefer to shop there than any of the big faceless supermarkets... I really loved it... and I told as many staff as I could at how impressed I was... xx

Rose H (UK) said...

Great basket, and someone's going to be more than happy with the tractor!
Do you also have a local Freegle? Same type of thing as freecycle..you'd find it on Google.
Good to find a lovely 'local' shop.
Sounds like you had a really nice day too :o)

Jim said...

Thanks for dropping by today, it was good to hear from you!
Yes, you had a busy day. As far as 'tail-gaters' go I always tap on my brake to give them a scare and a notice to back off!
I think we'd have a blast thrifting! I love to find old original paintings too. You just never know what you may find.
And the cafe sounds terrific! Yes, you all should move there! lol

carole johnston said...

I enjoyed this post so much ,i love it when you girls take us on a little drive to places we have never heard of or perhaps never get to see.Love your goodies too.

menopausalmusing said...

We have a Nisa in our village - it's a lovely little store, just had a refurbishment too. You can get just about anything in it. Lovely to see it surviving and thriving. Freecycle is a wonderful concept - less stuff going to the tip!