Yesterdays forecast is.

The forecast was unequivocal. It was going to rain, and heavily. There was no room for doubt.

Rain and furniture do not mix. So I got up even earlier than usual for a Thursday and got to the market in plenty of time to set-up. I had a plan. And it involved a completely new way of constructing the stall.

Here's the old way of doing it:

For yesterday I swept away the whole of the table top and laid a sheet of plastic under the tented canopy. The idea was that any water would pass through under the plastic so keeping my expensive wares dry.
It took a lot of work and trial and error, but in the end I got it about right I think.


A reduced stock, but the layout felt really good. I might adopt it as standard. Need to sort out the back drop a bit, but none of the furniture got even damp. Not a spot on anything.

Nothing to do with me of course. It didn't bloody rain.

Trade is pretty flat at the moment. March and April were excellent. I bought a large Tranny in Feb. A long wheelbase Tranny, not a cross dresser, so I could start on furniture in earnest, and it paid for itself in matter of weeks. Then we hit May. And then June. Last week I sold just £60 worth of stock. With stall costs, parking and cost of sales that left little more than £10 - not enough to cover the diesel. Yesterday was a marked improvement on that, but still earning me way below the minimum wage. But we all keep plugging away: it's the people. I've met so many lovely people , and really look forward to Thurdays. I've even met some bloggers: Mig and Fran. I do hope Mig keeps coming to the market: her stuff will do well with tourists I am convinced.

There you go: how to make a lovely day on the market sound really really dull, by the beep.