Snow Was Not Going to Stop Play Again...

A Story of 'Where There's a Will, There's a Way!'

Yesterday evening Hubby went to Bath to pick up a van that we had hired to deliver the larger items of furniture to my shop this morning (which we had to postpone from the weekend.) As he pulled onto our drive at around 5pm, it began to snow - perfect timing!

It then continued to snow....and snow....and snow...and by late evening it looked like this...

We went to bed that night thinking that we'd have to try to get the van back to the van rentals in the morning, unused, as it was going to be impossible to make the trip to Shepton Mallet safely.

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By morning though we were feeling different. The roads seemed fairly clear...the only problem we could envisage was driving onto the pedestrian area outside the shop to unload easily. This called for a second opinion, so I made a quick phone call to Belinda, who has her shop in the town. She suggested we risk it, seeing as we had paid for the van hire...but she did warn us that the Market Place was covered in a good layer of snow.

So with our minds made up, we grappled with a wardrobe, dresser, tables and a bed, until the van was loaded and we were ready for the off...

We took a steady drive over, behind other slow moving lorries and vans...

Passing by the wintry wonderland of the open countryside.

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Until we finally made it to the outskirts of Shepton Mallet...

And passed under the impressive old viaduct...

To finally reach the entrance to the car park...Only to fail at the last hurdle...It really was a case of 'so near and yet so far'...

Great Ostry car park has a sharp incline to negotiate which the loaded van just couldn't quite manage to get up...So we parked the van elsewhere and walked to the shop to have a cup of tea and a think about how else we could do this...

When we got there we saw that there was still a lot of snow on the ground and that it would be very risky to drive on to the Market Place.

Just as we'd brewed-up, Belinda called in on us to see if we'd made it. When she heard of our difficulties, she suggested we borrow her trolley to wheel the furniture from the van to the shop, if we could manage to park a little closer...Brilliant!

Off we went back to the van. This time with some slow manoeuvring, we made it into the main part of the town, with just a little slip-sliding, and ended up parked on double yellow lines (in our defence, totally obscured by the snow, Officer ;-))

It was then fun and games as we unloaded each piece and either carried or wheeled it around the ancient stone cross, to the shop door.

Pretty exhausting, I can tell you, but at least we'd managed it.

I now have full admiration for house movers...lugging furniture around is incredibly hard work! (Especially in snow!)

Thankfully each piece fitted exactly where I'd planned - phew!

I then took the trolley back to Belinda at No.21 - Thanks again B, I am very grateful for everything today!

Actually, this is another example of the tremendous community spirit that exists in Shepton Mallet and I can't wait to be a part of it. Also, Belinda works hard promoting the regeneration of Shepton, which is to be admired...there is a real feeling that its 'Shepton's turn' for better things...

Hubby and I then made our way back home and feeling good about what we achieved, we decided to make another run with more bits and pieces. We loaded up the van again, this time with smaller items of furniture, and made the trip back again...

This little green painted table will be my sewing area in front of the window.

We also moved in mannequins and trunks, and boxes of vintage books. Then it was back home, in order to return the van to the depot in Bath. An eventful, tiring, but fulfilling day!

(There will be lots more car trips to come, with all my small items of stock and handmade goodies over the next few days...)

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Whilst Hubby took the van back, I went to check on our hens, to make sure they had plenty of food in their hopper.

When I got there this cheeky chappie was checking too...of course he had to do a taste check too ;-))

He looks well fed, doesn't he?

The area under our raised decking is also popular with the wild birds...looks like a birdy motorway to me!

Hope the snow hasn't prevented you from achieving your goals today,

Niki x
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PS: I'm sorry that I haven't had time to visit many blogs recently...the shop has been all-consuming for the last few months. I know some of you have been going through some sad times just recently, and so I'd just like to share this little ray of sunshine with you all:

My cousin and his wife have just become very proud first-time parents (at 51) of a gorgeously beautiful baby girl. Quite rightly, this little miracle is their whole wide world just now. Nx