SHOP SALE

Did a few chores this morning then walked down to the village for shopping and to pick up a parcel and my repeat prescription.  The weather was really mild.

On my way to the village through the allotments I had spotted two pumpkins and some old plant pots.  Allotment holders often put surplus stuff in the lane for anyone to take.  I didn't want to take one straight away and have to take it to the shops - and I thought that by the time I walked home from the shops the pumpkins might be gone  so I grabbed one of the pumpkins and hid it in the bushes and covered it with leaves.  It was there when I came back.  Result.

The Mono Monday theme is 'Memory'.  I found the scrap of paper in my blip when I was looking through my box of old photos and bits and bobs connected to family history.  It refers to the sale of my Grandma and Grandad's shop in 1962. 

Before I was born my Grandad worked in the locomotive works in Gateshead.  Unfortunately he became deaf due to working in the noisy environment.  He had to stop working there and was awarded compensation and benefits.  With the compensation he bought a corner shop in Gateshead. This would be in about 1950.

I have happy memories of going to the shop when I was little.  We went quite regularly as my Dad and his two sisters were expected to help out there  My Grandad didn't do much in the shop but he did go to suppliers to order/pick up things to sell in the shop. My Dad had to go with him of course so Grandad bought my Dad a car.   This did mean my Dad was often called on to ferry Grandad here and there -- but we wouldn't have been able to afford a car otherwise. I remember going with them when they went to the Walls Ice Cream factory to put in the ice cream order.

The shop was Grandmas domain.  I loved going there and " helping". I would tidy up the shelves and play pretend shops by weighing out potatoes and other veg.  And there was a shop cat to play with. Grandma would boil large pieces of ham on the big range fireplace and slice them by hand and she would bake cakes for the shop too.  She was a " soft touch " though.  After the shop had closed for the night folk would often knock on the door and Grandma would answer it and find someone who wanted to do some shopping.  And she would serve them.  Of course all the locals knew she wouldn't turn them away so they would just come whenever the felt like it and ignore opening hours.  The rest of the family said she should ignore them and they would learn to come in opening hours but she was worried in case they " had no food for the bairns " or they had run out of milk or tea. She was very kind natured.

By 1962 the shop was becoming too much for Grandma ( she was showing the first signs of Alzheimer's /Dementia) so it was sold.  £ 400 doesn't seem a lot for a shop and fittings.  Grandma and Grandad never had their own home after that... they shared their time between living with their two daughters - one lived locally in the North East and one lived in Middlesex. 

Thanks to sk for hosting the challenge.  And giving me an excuse to go down Memory Lane.

Steps today - 6,961