Trago Mill

In Cornwall, there is a very strange phenomena, Trago Mill. It is a shop, well I think there are three, it is an institution, a source of love and loathing. It sells just about everything, some things at greatly reduced prices, but, beware, not everything is cheaper than elsewhere! The one near Liskeard is situated in a bizarre, castellated but tacky building. There are political notices scattered about, proclaiming the wonders of UKIP (The United Kingdom Independence Party, seeking to leave the EU), and you have to show your receipt when you leave the store, which is then scribbled on without being unravelled or even glanced at.

The image shows a tiny section from the rear of the building, so gives a limited impression of the place.

We went there yesterday. We brave the place about once a year, usually seeking specific things, but then finding a few other 'essentials' we didn't know we needed. It is not as bad as Ikea in that way. Ikea manages to have loads of things I didn't know existed, but then realise are essential. Fortunately I do not go often, I have been only once since moving to Cornwall five years ago. At least Trago only has familiar things!

I think I still fall into the loathe it category, but I did quite enjoy our visit. I think my experience was improved by the friendliness of the staff, which I have never felt they were on previous visits. Perhaps in 2010 I will venture there again.

word for 2009

after looking at Shelagh Folgate's blog just now, I was inspired to think of what my word for this year would be. I have decided it will be - explore. What is yours?

The end of Christmas

This is a knitted nativity set I have had for a few years. I did not knit it! I love it, and I know of at least two others locally. Where has Joseph gone? He is hiding amongst the kings! Behind the scene is a copy of the labyrinth situated at Rocky Valley near here. I suspect the labyrinth is about fertility, so not that out of place really.

The sheep is kissing (or possibly eating) the baby.

Ah, there's Joseph, a bit the worse for wear, blurry, after all that myrrh. I don't think you are meant to drink myrrh Joseph.

I always greet the end of Christmas with mixed feelings. On the one hand, it is good to get the decorations down and clear the space and get on with the new year. On the other, it seems a shame to put away all the pretty things, take down the tree and leave the festive season behind. I try to leave the taking down until the 6th January, 12th night, as this has been how I have done it throughout my life. I am not religious, I do not even properly know the significance of 12th night. I have noticed that the tendency is for Christmas to start earlier and earlier and for it to end sooner as well. When I was a child, we would only put up the tree shortly before Christmas, but it stayed up until 12th night.

Swarms

There was a TV programme tonight, the first of a two parter, about swarms. The bees were extraordinary, covering a man who had used a pheromone spray to mimic the Queen bee, they were even walking in his face, he looked as though he was wearing a bear suit. The starlings were phenomenal, we see them doing their tricks in the sky not far from here, but not on the scale of these, above Rome. They became less welcome after dark, when they found their nighttime roosts. The crabs and ants were fascinating, and the mayflies were beautifully filmed. The flies which were made into fly burgers and the locusts were less appealing, as were the cicadas who burst out of their skins into flying versions. But worst of all for me, were the mice in Australia. Millions and millions of them, literally pouring out of a farm building where pigs lived. Until they focused on just a pair, looking very sweet at the end. I couldn't help drawing a parallel with the human race, individually wonderful, but, en masse, sometimes the power for good gets lost. The programme next week will explore the science of swarming behaviour.

The butterfly in the porch

This is the butterfly in the porch, not nearly so pretty as the picture I stole from the Internet for an earlier post, but he is the real thing!

He is looking quite healthy, his wings do not appear to be damaged. It is forecast to be very cold tonight, hope he will be OK. What I am also noticing, is the rather shabby paintwork he is having to sit on. I have plans for that...

Resolutions proper

OK. Thinking about what I want to achieve in 2009 I have found there are really two areas I want to focus on.

I want to develop my business and take more risks, not just stay in the safe niche i could choose. I plan to offer cheapish evening meals to local people again, e.g. curry evenings, and make Michael House available to groups of people to have meals or arrange meetings or other events, craft weekends etc. i am planning a curry evening at the request of someone locally, probably for the beginning of February. I am also aware of the need to consolidate what I have achieved so far, and need to establish which of my marketing strategies is most effective, by keeping better records of how people found us.

I want to develop my creativity. I don't only mean in making things or painting, but also in tackling the uncertainly of the coming months in financial terms, reducing dependency on new things, using what I have effectively, altering and improving things, be it clothes or decorating parts of the house, which is due a freshen up. I need to get my craft room working properly for me, make it feel inviting and less cluttered, so that I get more of my ideas into reality.

These are things I feel positive about, not just chores I could rewrite each year with no progress.

resolutions

St Michael's Mount, picture taken early last year. Included for no other reason than I like it!

Perhaps reverse psychology is called for here. For example, I usually stay up until midnight, but, on New Year's Eve, because I was trying to stay awake, I wanted to go to bed early. I spoke to several people who felt the same! Let's start with the following New Year's Resolutions:

Procrastinate. Never do today what I can put off until tomorrow.

Be less creative.

Spend more time on Facebook.

Eat more, exercise less, go to bed later.

As soon as I set myself a target I seem to need to rebel against it and do the opposite. Trouble is, I know I am only kidding myself with the above! I will leave the sensible plans to another post.