Today is Sunday. It is raining ....

AGAIN!!

Who remembers the 'weather board'at infant school? The start of day ritual was to establish the day, sometimes the date too and .... the weather!

How did we find out about the weather? Well, we either looked out of the window (very scientific) or even stood outside.

Well, what I'm leading up to is to ask why the Met Office (only 'down the road' at Exeter) can't do the same? So often lately we are told that it will be raining for much of the day, consequently Totnes is a bit quieter than it might otherwise be ... but ..... the sun shines! Conversely, especially at weekends it rains when we had been told perhaps early showers and a fine afternoon.

However, I suppose that I can't blame them for today, they forecast rain and rain it did .... in what my Gran would have referred to as stair rods!!

Should you wish to do the 'Blue Peter' thing and make your own weather board ... perhaps not using the ever popular Fairy Liquid bottle... a Google search for weather symbols was most productive :)

Great days out for August 13th & 14th!!

Every year the Suttons seed trial grounds situated behind Fermoy's Garden Centre on the Newton Abbot - Totnes road are open for just two days.
I have tracked down a report and can recommend that all keen gardeners go along. The posted photos are from our visit last year.
Info below from a web page:


Which seeds make it through to the shelves? And why? Find out at Suttons Seeds Trials Grounds open days on August 13 and 14, 10am - 4pm. Experts will be on hand to answer questions. Trials Ground Open Weekend at Suttons Trials Ground, behind Fermoys Garden Centre, Totnes Road, Ipplepen, Newton Abbot TQ12 5TN. Free entry. Contact: Francijn Suermondt on 01803 696364 or email francijn.suermondt@suttons.co.uk.

Town with Nicholas Crane

Hi, Just a quick message to fans of Totnes.
A new, four part series starts this Thursday, 28th on BBC 2 and will feature four towns over four episodes. This week it's lovely Ludlow and then Totnes has it's own episode later in the series along with Perth and Scarborough.
I remember them filming in the early spring outside This'n'That so I'm hoping for another 3 seconds of fame (last 3 seconds were on Countryfile!!)
I will try to find more pics etc to add to the blog later on.

Nostalgic Mix September 24th 2011

I'm starting to sort bookings this week. The sad side of the fair's success is that I now have many more people interested in selling than I have tables to allocate.
At the time of posting this blog I have contacted a number of previous sellers from NM1 &2 to check whether or not they are coming along and then I will check interest with others before allocating what space is left.
The whole event will be managed online. I have tried to do some bookings by taking papers to folk but to be practical I am too short of time to do that properly. So, it's emailed messages back and forth. Then application forms and cheques posted to me after which all communications are by emails.
You will find an email me link in the right column of the blog.
If anyone wants to cut and paste the above picture for their blog that's a great help or, if you would like me to send publicity material by post for you to pass to others I can sort that.
Thanks XX Watch this space for regular (yes, regular, I have reformed) updates. :)

Long time no blog ... so sorry :(

It's been a hectic time for us at home and at the shop over the past few months and I'm afraid that time sitting at the PC has been minimal or non existant since Easter.

Mum has visited several times which is lovely and has made us make the effort to go off to some of the lovely spots in our part of Devon.

We have now got a holiday place (they call it a lodge but really it's a big caravan!) in Cornwall and have been trying to get used to leaving a little space on the calendar to fit in the odd visit. I'd never realised how hard that would be but, as the teacher says, "There is room for improvement".
This is the little bit of Cornish coast which we can gaze out upon whatever the weather. In fact, storm watching ihas been great!

Our favourite beach is Trebarwith Strand which has a great pub to sit outside and watch the sun set.
By day it's an interesting beach with some busy spots but quiet stretches of sand too. We're looking forward to exploring a bit more of the Cornish coast.

The shop has been pretty busy as has Totnes most days of the week. I think that we are lucky to be trading in a town which has regular shoppers, market day shoppers and tourists.

Last week was my "holiday at home week" with a trip to the Ways With Words festival at Dartington. I had a rover pass for the week which was a great treat although I seemed to spend more time queueing than in talks some days and ended up limping by the end of the week. (Sad old bat I know but it's something to do with my hip and needs an X ray so fingers and hips crossed for that!

I still managed to spend some time enjoying the grounds at Dartington and wondering why I don't make time to do that more often!




Our garden is looking better than it deserves to considering the neglect. Maybe I should declare it a Site of Special Scientific Interest and get a grant for it!!

I've been waiting for the roses around our arch to bloom for two years and at last, presumably having sensibly put down roots first, here they are!

So, there you have a very abbreviated version of life at This'n'That and home and away. More soon :)

Also, I have the long promised giveaway ready to photograph. Hope to post that on Sunday.

Proud to be in Totnes!!

As shown (for a second!) on this week's episode of BBC Countryfile. They were comparing Totnes with Yeovil and said that we were fortunate that our supermarkets (Morrisons and Co-op) were within the town and not on an out of town site drawing business away from the High Street.
Not sure that I would ever have put fortunate and supermarket in the same feature myself but I can see what they mean.
Have a look for yourself by clicking for the link to BBC i Player

NM2 pics at last!

(Thanks to Liz for this view of the hall.)

Many thanks to Sal for saving the day and sending her flicker pics of the second Nostalgic Mix Fair! My camera had a nasty encounter on the day with some water .. say no more!

We'll be there!

THIS'N'THAT WILL BE SELLING AT THIS WEEKEND'S VINTAGE AND HANDMADE FAIR IN CHIPPING SODBURY. IT'S THE ORIGINAL V & H ... AN INSPIRATION TO ALL!! ...AND WELL WORTH THE TRIP ... GO ON HAVE A DAY OUT!!