Z looks at the Bure

It was the village fete yesterday.  I slipped up and found myself having agreed to run a stall.  It was the book stall and I removed several hundred books that I can do without from my shelves, loaded up the car and headed off. I hadn’t quite thought through the fact that a fair foo, as we say in Norfolk, would be unsold and I’d have to bring them back – some of them aren’t even mine.  There’s a second hand bookshop in Yagnub, I’ll see if they will take them.

I was in bed when I got an email from Weeza.  Her friend M is a painter and decorator and general DIY queen and the people she’s currently working for will probably be selling up sometime next year.  The location ticks my boxes and Weeza wonders whether M should ask about us getting in touch?  I said a cautious yes.  Today, still feeling cautious but determined, I headed off that way to check the place out.

I couldn’t get right to the house, but saw where it is, and its location is certainly great.  It’s widened my potential area a bit, actually – I’m a bit hazy about the geography of mid Norfolk, but it’s a lovely part of the River Bure and this house has river frontage – not sure if it has a mooring.  Food for thought anyway and it should keep me focussed.  Weeza is very keen for me to leave here, she feels I need a new start and she is probably right.

Afterwards, I started to drive home and then changed my mind and went to Wroxhamam Baarns, to practise doing the retired old lady thing.  Indeed, I shopped.  There are various little shops there of the more-or-less craft sort, and I went into the little jeweller.  I had a few things in mind: I’m on the lookout for a ring (but I think I’ll get that at the Goldsmiths’ Fair in London in the autumn), I want something to go with my emerald ring (I know, darlings) and I have a fake pearl necklace that is so heavy it keeps dropping off, it having a magnetic catch.  I also have a real pearl necklace that has needed restringing for so long that I doubt I’ll ever get it done.  So today, I bought a freshwater pearl necklace – is wearing pearls a sign of age?  Does it matter?  Do I care?  Did I buy it because it was less than £40, it cheered a nice woman who mostly has people go in, look around and go out again, and I liked it?  Add yes and no at your leisure, darlings.

Afterwards, I bought an ice cream – sitting with a solitary pot of tea and cake was just a bit grown up for purposeful Z – and then browsed the little plant centre.  I bought two thymes and a French tarragon plant.  I’d bought some plants at the festival yesterday and I’ve put them all to soak, ready to plant out tomorrow.

I’m not at all ready to have time on my hands, but I need to work on this.  I had a nice time but have felt unsettled ever since.  It’s not a matter of guilt – I certainly don’t believe I should always be working – but maybe letting go has something to do with it.

When I got home and had watered the greenhouse and the new plants, I shut the bantams up and fed the cat.  I’d had an early lunch – brunch, you could say, bacon and eggs at about 11.30 and just the ice cream since, so I cooked the last duck breast with a red pepper and a bunch of spring onions, the duck slashed and spread with wholegrain mustard and Blue Witch’s honey (her bees’, technically).  Eating early makes for a long evening, but it’s supposed to be good for the digestion.  I dunno.  Nothing wrong with my digestion anyway.

Time for some coffee now, I think.  8 o’clock and I should stay awake for a while.

14 comments on “Z looks at the Bure

  1. 63mago

    I fear the day I’ll have to have a stark look at the book shelves.
    Living by a river may be nice – I never did this, except in my childhood – as long as the river does not come to visit. I admit that this is a small fear I have.
    Nice to see that the cat is already part of the routine !

    Reply
    1. Z Post author

      Look at the opposite bank – or, indeed, the other side of the road – and live on the higher side. This isn’t an infallible rule if there is a massive flood (if a house has ever been flooded, it will be again sooner or later, is, all else being equal) but it’s a good yardstick.
      If she didn’t keep having kittens…..

      Reply
  2. kipper

    If only we lived close by! I know how to string pearls, with knots between each pearl and could fix that strand. Your afternoon excursion sounds delightful.

    Reply
    1. Z Post author

      I’m afraid a jeweller will charge me a tidy sum for doing just that, sooner or later. They were a wedding present from my mother in law.

      Reply
  3. Scarlet

    I often come back with a carrier bag of handmade soaps due to wanting to cheer up shopkeepers!! The advantage is that I always have some ‘posh’ soap to put out if I have guests 🙂
    Sx

    Reply
    1. Z Post author

      There was a little gift shop and I might have bought some soap or something, but fortunately other people were, so I didn’t have to!

      Reply
  4. Rog

    If you’re not ready to have thyme on your hands I really can’t understand why you bought two thymes at Wroxham Barns.
    Do they still have the old penny slot machines? Their craft shops are very good

    Reply
    1. Z Post author

      They’ve got a mini funfair now, and crazy golf, but otherwise it’s much the same as it was. you’re right, of course. I feel so terribly, terribly stupid now.

      Reply
  5. Dinahmow

    What Tim said.
    I’m no help as I only know little patches of Norfolk, like Swaffham and Fakenham. And The Broads.
    And I’m rubbish at clearing out bookshelves.
    I don’t have any pearls.

    Reply
    1. Z Post author

      I love The Broads, but I don’t want to be too far from Norwich, and some of them are. I have had to be so decisive that I can finally rid myself of books that I will never read again, as long as I didn’t love them too much. I’ve a feeling that spaces on the shelves will give me permission to buy more books, though.

      Reply
  6. Sharifa

    seems to be that you’re taking your time (i am so not going to make a joke) about changing home and that’s a good thing to my mind, and slowly making changes in your daily routines. all this to say, pearls are a sign of a discerning eye and classic style! ok, to fair and totally truthful, i’m wearing pearl studs right now! 😉 xoxoxoxo

    Reply
    1. Z Post author

      I bought a fake pearl necklace for Ronan and Rouk’s wedding, but it’s so heavy that the magnetic clasp keeps giving way – there are several strands. So this is really to wear with that outfit, though I don’t have earrings. I will look for them next. Pearl studs would be lovely.

      Reply

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