The Aardvark Blog

Christmas Fair Hurrah, Podcast you may like, purchasing experiences, EXTRA SHOPPING DAY
15/12/2024

I can't believe that we are now two weeks past the Christmas Fair and this is  the first chance I have had to write about it and in particular to thank all the brilliant stallholders ( including those intrepid enough to go outside), and also our amazing Aardvark team who kept the enterprise on the road when there was an incredible amount of demand. Special thanks to Dawn who we drafted in for the occasion and who brought a professionalism to our operation.

As usual I didn't get out to see the artists and craftspeople in the village whose studios were open, but I thought about them this morning when Ethel was discussing purchasing a Masterclass as a present for one of our relatives. Both Alice and Isa offer briliant classes in art and pottery for different levels, as does Melissa for jewellery making. These courses are fantastic presents - particularly for more mature folks who already have more stuff than they need and are probably in the decluttering business. Other artists and arty chaps and chapesses offer classes in other skills and Broad Sheep is as ever a good place to find out about them. Giving these classes is also a useful additional income stream, particularly in quiet times of the year, so buy booking one for yourself or a loved one you are also helping to support the delicate artistic infrastructure of the central Marches.

Finally whilst I often rail against the digital world and in particular its constant wish to introduce you to things in which you have no interest whatsoever, once in a while the App monkeys do hit upon a winner. This morning they led me to a brilliant podcast of which I was entirely unaware - the 'Economics of Everyday Life' on the Freakonomics channel. The particular episode that I got to listen to was on second-hand bookstores, and for once much of the content and comments rang true. If you would like to explore the world of bookselling without actually doing any bookselling yourself, then check out the pod on Economics of Second-hand bookstores .

Finally finally Ethel asked me to mention that for once we are open on a Monday that is not a Bank Holiday - Monday the 23rd of December. I am sure that you have already made all your seasonal purchases, but if not, and if there is that one missing present that is gnawing at your vitals, then come to Aardvark. We have over 50,000 different book titles, thousands of CDs, DVD's and much more. If you cannot find a present for even the most difficult to buy for relative, I will be very surprised. And our team by that point - the online orders being all found and dispatched - will be delighted to see you and will beam with goodwill and possibly offer you a chocolate. What more could you ask for.