The Aardvark Blog

Grey Sunday morning, but ice free
27/11/2016

Went to bed last night with a hard frost setting in, but remarkably by morning the frost had lifted and although the sky was looking somewhat grey, the temperatures had risen to around 7degrees. Notwithstanding, my first priority when coming in to the bookshop is always to get the woodburner lit and today was one of those magical days when our trusty stove decided to light immediately.

The middle section of the bookshop is therefore now very toasty, just in time for the first customers of the morning to arrive (which they duly have). Yesterday between us we managed to list and shelve over 130 titles, but there is still much to get on and do today. We have exactly two weeks to clear our goods in/warehouse area, before we need to have the space free for the Christmas Fair (Sunday 11th December). The Christmas event is our last of  the year, and I am almost sorry to see our events programme close this year. We have had some truly superb exhibitions, and I have very much enjoyed working with the various artists, writers and musicians who have contributed so much to us in 2016.

My book of the year is probably the new volume on Wigmore Abbey by John Challis, with photographsby Alex Ramsay. I was looking at our copy again last night when I got home and it  really is a triumph and a fitting record of all that the Challis's have done to restore and preserve the house and garden.

Friday night we went for dinner at the Jolly Frog in Leintwardine. An ever constant in the local dining scene the Frog never disappoints, and the fish in particular is always outstanding. I am also very fond of the French bistro style interior which is at once quirky and familiar. We also had a very reasonably priced house wine - how nice to be able to get a decent bottle of French wine in a restaurant for under £20.