Helpers came from as far afield as Southampton to help out and during the morning my kitchen was a breakfast café as I fed a full English to the gang as they arrived. Once fed they were set to work clearing all the furniture, nick nacs and anything that would be in the way to the upper floors while I continued to feed new arrivals.
Breakfast over we cleared the kitchen and set up two stalls for the food leaving room in the middle for people to move around. Our stall was called Greg’s after the young man would manned it throughout the afternoon and a white board announcing his name and the bill of fair ave it all a professional air.
Two other members brought scones and cakes, cordials and cookies , they also made pots of tea to order and heated up our savouries in the microwave which was in their half of the kitchen. It all worked wonderfully well. People began to arrive with Bric-a -Brac, more toys for our amazing toy stall and prizes for the raffle. Pa;s desk ,and it as a large one was cleared and then fitted out as our book, DVD and CD stall and we had some wonderful books in excellent condition. Towards the end of the afternoon a dealer bought a large box full which helped pt swell the coffers
One thirty arrived and we opened the fête in the middle of a gale and in torrential rain yet even so there were a number of stalwarts waiting to come in. Once in the house raffle tickets were for sale and the lovely prizes displayed on the stairs, I had my eye on a small stone plaque on which was depicted an angel feeding small birds from her hands and the legend “Love Life inscribed at the top, I wanted it so much that I brought five strips of tickets.
After an hour or so the rain stopped and my son,one of his dungeoneer friends who incidentally was a terrific barker went out with one of the girls from ISCAG to round up some punters with the offer of a free raffle ticket and oh my it did work well. Suddenly we had a full house and the queue for food stretched through two rooms. Cups of tees, orange squash, rhubarb cordial as well as cakes and savouries began to disappear and the treasurers till jingled merrily.
Through out the afternoon the camaraderie was wonderful and a sense of achievement spread through the house, laughter, jokes, singing at times and the quacking of duck calls (for sale at fifty pence each) made it seem like a party. Tiny pots of minuscule magic bubbles which once blown lasted up to half an hour sold like hot cakes along with swanee whistles, bird warblers and strange beetles which stick to glass and then slowly walk down. Children were in luck as on of my sons friends, a natural with the young began to teach magic tricks, the children were entranced and some even cried when it was time to leave.
Four forty five saw the raffle draw and the third ticket called was my own and my prize was the angel,I almost cried as I was given my prize. Bottles of Champagne and vintage port, silk rugs and beautiful glass wear were collected by their happy new owners and every one went away delighted.
Once the left over bits and pieces had been taken away my sons friends along with our neighbours formed a chain down the stairs and in no time at all all the furniture and every ornament ,pot and pan was back in place and the downstairs floors cleaned (we had the foresight to lay down cardboard) and within an hour there was no sign of our fête.
Leaving the boys to set the table I went out in to the calm pleasant evening to buy a fish and chip supper for my helpers,they had certainly earned a treat and at super I proposed a vote of thanks for their sterling efforts. Without their help I would have still been cleaning up a midnight instead of which I was by ten thirty tuck up in my cosy bed tired but so very happy.
Pa too had a wonderful time selling tickets and larking about with a duck call, it was lovely to see him so light of heart. Morning, complete with bright sunshine found a very stiff and sore trio and no one got up before nine. News from the treasurer was good and in spite if the rain and gales our fighting fund now stands at three hundred pounds plus which will buy a good many more bird boxes, bee houses and bat boxes etc.
Today were are all so happy in spite of the aches and pains, telephone calls from committee members all equally pleased have livened up the day, Add to that the fact that we now know what has been wrong with the internet and all seems well again and we have lots to be happy about.
Tonight my son returns to work but in a better frame of mind than I have seem for a long time, Pa is very cheerful still and as for me Rock and Roll!
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