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Happy St David's Day!

As you can see from this image, we now have a shop selling Welsh jewellery. It looks lovely, but I can't bring myself to go in, because this shop was for 13 years the home of the Children's Bookshop, whose sister shop I worked in. Times are hard for independent booksellers, and all the stock is back in one shop now, on the high street.

Beautiful sunshine today! I was volunteering in the Farmers' Market giving out info about courses offered by the WEA (Workers' Educational Association). I thought perhaps I could show 'the youthful face' in order to attract some more people under pensionable age. 'Spring' and 'chicken' don't come to mind when I look at myself in the mirror (it s more like "oh my God, where's the Polyfilla?"). I do think I might just be the only member of my group under 60! I believe some young blood is needed on the committee to try and raise the profile of the WEA/make some changes that would result in the classes being more accessible to, say Workers!

I stood opposite the man selling Scottish Butter Tablet for all of three hours and only bought one packet! I call that restrained. After we packed up at 2 pm, a minor miracle occured. A 'friend' who has not spoken to me for over 4 years, not even when I was in isolation in hospital with pneumonia and suspected Swine Flu, decided that today was the day to talk to me. This could have been a bit gobsmacking, but she said she'd agreed to meet two other mutual friends, so we ended up going for lunch together. Just like old times, except that I am wary now, not about to let myself get cut off without due caution again. I don't think we can ever be the sort of friends we once were, where we spoke to each other on a daily basis about nothing in particular, as one does...

Afterwards I went shopping and managed to find a sweater in a charity shop, and while in there bumped into another friend trying on a cloche hat. The last time but one I saw her she was an evangelical Christian; then she became a Yoga teacher and more inclined towards eastern religions. Today she told me she needs hats because she goes to lots of Buddhist retreats in very cold old houses. Stroud is that kind of place: Daffodils and Double Gloucester , Rugby and Religion.