Bookshop exhaustion

 Today (Monday) was manic.  Normally, Monday is one of our quieter days, but this pattern appears to break down in tourist season.

We took nearly £360 - 169 books.  That's double what we normally take on a Monday.

A customer came in mid-afternoon and said how relaxing it must be to work in a bookshop.  I explained that it was a bit like a swan - gliding along the surface and paddling madly underneath.

I told her how many books we'd sold at that point (about  130) and explained that all 130 of those books had to be replaced by someone bringing down new stock from upstairs.  She instantly got it, so I didn't bother telling her that stock turnover (replacing old stock with new) was on top of that and doubled the workload...

We had a small mountain of incoming stock as well.  A wet weekend often brings in lots of stock on Mondays.

We're putting out all the children's books in the window and on the outside table.   It's pulling in families who then come in and buy books for the parents as well as for the kids.  People on holiday seem happy to buy lots of books.  As do grandparents looking after kids during the school holidays.

It's great sales, but we're both absolutely exhausted.  I come home and collapse in front of the TV (and I watch very little as a rule).

Last minute planting

 We're close to the end of the planting season, but several bits of allotment have just been freed up as a result of the broad beans coming to an end and the onions being harvested (we plant autumn onion sets).

I've been looking around for suitable stuff.

Several rows of beetroot have just gone in (Cylindrica and bolthardy).  I love beetroot.

Rocket should be okay, so I'll probably plant that tomorrow.  (and maybe try another sowing in a week or two if I'm organised enough)

Just across the road from the bookshop is a small, friendly garden shop. They believe I can get in a quick crop of carrots and spring onions, so I shall try those (and radishes if I  have any seed left from the last attempt).  I also bought a packet of 'perpetual spinach' (aka 'spinach beet') - very useful stuff indeed.  It doesn't have fantastic flavour, but it's very hardy and crops right through to March.

I've also placed a sign saying "This plot fertilised by urine" where it is clearly visible from the gate.

It might deter potential thieves. Besides, it happens to be true.  Urine is a great, free fertiliser and we've been using it for years with good results.  (If you want to know more about how to use it, just ask)