Baggy's daily state!
Depression (Black = really bad/Grey = not great/Blue = okay/Yellow = sunny day): Yellow.
Anxiety (From 1 = barely any to 10 = gibbering wreck standard): 5.
Tears: No.
Overall day(s): Tiring but full.
Apologies baggetts that Creative Clara has been absent for a couple of days but the gang have been rather busy. She was flat out on Friday, choosing jewellery from her collection that she was prepared to sell and pricing it. Then packing everything up for the Brocante on Saturday. Clever Bird was convinced that it would be the busiest fair so far with people looking for Christmas presents. In between this frantic activity, The Domestic Goddess attempted to tidy the house for Calum's return from work and Furry Mama took Pepper Pooch for ball throwing walks around the village ex-quarry pits. As usual the pooch lay in the muddiest puddles he could find. Fortunately the towelling drying coat that Furry Mama bought him, did a good job of keeping most (but not all) of the stinky, black, wet mud off the sofa.
Friday night was the yard's Christmas meal which Grotty Groom and Calum were going to. By the time Calum got home from work, it was a bit of a frantic dash to get ready. Cal looked resplendent with his newly coloured and beaded beard! Pepper looked resplendent in his Christmas jumper and stripy scarf. Baggy looked - well, like Baggy. The plan was for the pooch to sleep in Billy Bob Jalopy campervan, while they had their meal in the pub. However there was no parking space left so they parked on the fairly busy road. Pepper was freaking out at the car lights going past and instantly Freda Fretter was worried. There was a sign on the pub door saying that dogs were welcome, so she decided to ask if Pepper could go in. He could as the party was in a private room, as long as people didn't mind. They didn't. Pepper curled up next to Furry Mama at the end of the table.
Then everyone started pulling their crackers. Poor Pepper shot into the inglenook fireplace under a table and stayed there showing the whites of his eyes and shaking. It was a lovely evening. The food was delicious and the conversation was flowing. Pepper started to relax and came out from the inglenook. Just at about the same moment as people started to set off party poppers! He shot back in. At half ten Furry Mama decided that Pepper needed to go home and wind down and Clara needed to go to bed, for a 5.30am start.
Baggy barely slept, but still managed to get Clara up in time. They were at the Brocante and all set up, ready for the mad Christmas hoards by 8.00. Clara's scented vintage bowls looked very festive and the jewellery looked appealing. Calum took the pooch for a walk and then headed off again for cappuccinos and bacon and egg sarnies. The expected hoards had yet to appear. The hall was freezing! Baggy started doing little dances to keep warm. People started to arrive. Nobody bought anything. Pepper went to sleep on his bed under a little table. People came and looked, but still didn't buy anything. Freda Fretter started to worry that it was going to be a waste of a day. Then another trader came and bought a pair of earrings, so the car park and one sarnie were paid for at least. Clever Bird decided that whatever would be would be, and that her "genius" idea of making scented bowls of shells etc, was a non-idea. Ah well. Cal headed out again with the pooch and came back with some natural treats for him as he was being such a good boy. Meanwhile Clara sold another pair of earrings; that paid for the other sarnie and one bag of treats. Baggy just decided to enjoy the day. By the afternoon, Clara had just about covered her pitch fee and was so cold and tired that she just wanted to get home. The hoards failed to arrive. And the baby "hoard" that did arrive were looking but not buying. Not one person had shown the slightest bit of interest in Clara's smelly pots. Sigh. All that work - and cost.
Then the mini hoard seemed to vanish, so traders started to have a wander about themselves. One came over and had a look at Clara's favourite item, an C18th enamelled, hand-painted snuff box. She fell in love with it, but said she couldn't afford it. Clever Bird offered her a 10% discount. She said she'd have a think. Ah well. Another hour went past without a sale. Someone else fell in love with the snuff box. Clever Bird took action. She went over to the trader who loved it and said, "Another person just came to look at your snuff box, but I didn't really like them and I want it to be loved." Both true! "So if you'd like it, I'll give you a 25% discount".
"Oh Bless you. I do love it. Thanks. I'll have a think".
Clara wandered back to her stall with various bits crossed.
It worked. Later that afternoon the lady came and bought the snuff box and the day went from being a total waste, to one of the most profitable Brocantes to date. Yay. By the time they got home, with fish and chips, they were all so tired that they decided to leave the unpacking until the morning. Baggy couldn't stay awake and gave in and went to bed at 8.00. She fell instantly asleep with Pepper and Hinge on the bed with her. She woke to whining. It was 1.00am. A stark naked Calum appeared, "Your boy is outside. He went out at 11.30 too. I think he has the squits".
Furry Mama went down to the kitchen and waited for Pepper. They went back up to bed. No Calum. "Cal, where are you?"
"In here".
He was in the spare bedroom. "Charming, not even a kiss goodnight. Are you okay?"
"No. My back's agony. I'm trying to relieve it and didn't want to disturb you."
"Oh. Okay. Sweet dreams".
Pepper and Baggy went back to bed. An hour later he woke her again, wanting to go out. And again two hours later. And again at 6.30, when Furry Mama also realised that he'd been sick on the landing. Freda Fretter was very concerned.
Cal came and joined them at 8.00. Pepper was delighted. "Were you already in the spare bed before Pepper got you up?"
"I was. I knew I'd keep you awake."
"You okay now?"
"Not really but better than I was".
Freda Fretter started to worry about Calum as well.
Today Freda continues to worry about them both. Cal seems a little better, but the pooch is not well. He seems fine in himself, except that he won't really eat and has the terrible squits. Furry Mama is not sure if it's just an allergy, stress or something worse. This is exactly what happened to Minty Mutt. He went from being fine, to having the squits. Then being sick too. Then stopping eating altogether. A day later he was bleeding from his bottom and had to be put to sleep. Furry Mama found out on Thursday that a few weeks ago, one of Minty Mutt's best friends, Rupert the sausage dog nearly died from exactly the same symptoms and is only now recovering. She's since found out that a little terrier across the street also nearly died a few weeks ago with the same symptoms!! Call Freda paranoid, but this seems a little more than a coincidence. So Clever Bird has decided that for now Furry Mama will not take the pooch round the old quarry - especially, as just like Minty Mutt did, he has taken to going in one of the stinky lakes. But she's going to assume that it's his allergy. It could well have been the treats he had yesterday. Yes they're pure meat, supposedly with no additives, but they're dried, so presumably have a preservative in them. So he's on the vet food again. No treats for now.
So while Calum pootled into town to get petrol and some food, The Domestic Goddess went onto the patio with the hose and did a clean up job! Furry Mama then played ball in the garden with the pooch. He was more than happy to hurtle about, so clearly he was feeling okay. Calum returned. The Goddess put the food away. Then they put all Clara's stock away. As they were piling it up on the patio, Clever Bird noticed a poo. Furry Mama has never been more happy to see one! It was normal. Yay! And the pooch has now eaten and is fast asleep, so hopefully he's back to normal. Now Freda can just concentrate on worrying about number one furry............
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