Each month we share a blog from a volunteer or hub attendee. Today we’re sharing Heather’s blog. Heather visits our Dales shop each week to help sort donations and hang out with our resident dog, Moley – this blog is written from his perspective!
April weather is brightening the Dales shop once again and so is Moley! He’s ready for more sunshine with sunglasses, a music stand and a £10 acoustic guitar, which he can do his best Bob Dylan impersonation with. (All he needs now is for someone to donate a harmonica… In the meantime, he’s enjoying cds of music by Woodie Guthrie, Johnny Cash and the Carter Family.) To quote a donated sign, Moley’s daily motto is: “Good Vibes Only”…
Moley’s other latest tuneful finds have included flute music books, Chopin music sheets and some musical instruments such as recorders. A robin-themed table mat set also appealed to him, as it reminded him of the robin in the Emmaus shop’s allotment. He’s been equally interested in a wooden high chair, which is labelled as a project to upcycle. So if upcycling is up your street, why not give this chair a try? (Moley would attempt it himself, but the chair’s a lot taller than he is…) Elsewhere craftwise, he noticed embroidery kits, a “Mickey Mouse” crochet kit, a dressmaker’s toolkit and a mini hand-held sewing machine. (Which was just the right size for his paws, though he couldn’t use it as it said “Batteries not included”…) If you’re looking for a slow cooker, Moley discovered not just one, but three! Bakers have also been catered for, with a cupcake-making set, a crepe maker and a set of flower-shaped moulds for layered cakes. The shop’s ongoing pet theme continued with ornaments of Westie dogs and spaniels, a watermelon-shaped dog toy, dog food bowls and a black cat painted on a decorative plate. To top it all, there were a couple of dog calendars, dog training guides, a dog notebook and a card game about how to understand your dog! Searching the bookshelves, a guide to stamps of the world gave Moley another new hobby to amuse himself with, along with a camera bag with some lense covers inside. Somebody donated a large bread bin, which Moley was tempted to hide in, as well as a shredding machine for him to distract people with! He admired a pretty Laura Ashley sticky notes set, along with little copies of photos of Classical Hollywood stars and of Banksy murals. He also noticed a “Willow Tree” wedding figurine and three unusual mirrors – one shaped like a cloud, one like a pig and the other like an eye with large lashes. (To add to Moley’s joy, mirrors are currently 25% off at the Dales!) A set of tent hooks gave him ideas for the Easter holidays, as did a rabbit-shaped mould and a set of Easter biscuit cutters. He rested in a pushchair, peeked into some laptop cases and appreciated a tray which said “There’s nothing better than a good friend, except a good friend with chocolate.” (Moley would replace “chocolate” with “dog treats” in that sentence!)
Recent donations included clothes, records and games. Customers have bought dvds, pictures, tops, plates, mugs, a blue glass pot and books such as “Bleak House”. Some customers chuckled at a sign which read “I child-proofed my house, but the kids keep getting in”! (Moley would like to reassure you that Emmaus Suffolk’s sites are all child-friendly – and dog-friendly! He also adds that, like the Royal Oak, the Dales shop now has a tub of dog treats by the till! Unfortunately for Moley, the tub has a lid on it…) Clothes on sale included a sparkly gold top and a “Coca Cola” top, while the entertainment section kept Moley’s mind alert with a large glass chess set and dvds for “brainteasers” and learning road safety. Plus, he found another typewriter…
Moley’s seen on the Emmaus Suffolk Facebook page that they collect and deliver donated items for free. Staff member Tania also told me that the Carr Street shop will no longer be running hubs, but you can still enjoy the hubs at the Royal Oak and the Felixstowe premises. The Facebook page mentions that there’ll now be a “Meet Up Thursdays” hub at the Royal Oak on Thursdays 2-4pm. The Dales shop’s café now also has outside seating so you can make the most of the good weather. Further news on there is that Emmaus UK president Sir Terry Waite will be hosting another evening to raise funds for the charity. (This time it will be at Bury St Edmunds Cricket Club from 6-9pm on April 15th.) Moley can’t wait to hear from his owner, staff member Mandy, all about Sir Terry’s speech!
This last month, Moley enjoyed guidebooks for Vietnam amd Germany, which went well with the picnic baskets and collection of flasks + portable coffee cups he’d spotted. A little bagpipe player figure equally matched with a set of two elegant “Edinburgh crystal” glasses. Moley also relaxed with books about Sir Bobby Robson and Sir Alex Ferguson, plus a novel called “Death Comes To Pemberley” (after which he patrolled the shop for clues, with the help of some donated magnifying glasses…) Sitting near some small model ships, his imagination then took a deep dive as he followed the adventures of the “Nautilus” in the classic novel “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea”. Other book/tv/film-themed items included a “Charlie and Lola” bowl, a “Winnie the Pooh” bowl, a Disney characters tray, a lightsaber toy and a cute little purse shaped like Chip the teacup from “Beauty and the Beast”. Moley admired some large, sparkly fairy woodland pictures and a stained-glass windchime too. In the childrens’ section, he made a beeline for a “Thomas the Tank Engine” rucksack and a “Paddington 2” lunchbox, which was the perfect size for carrying his own lunch in! A Paris-themed photo frame, a mug from Prague and an ornament from Malta also got him in a travelling mood…
When browsing the Dales shop’s bookshelves for this year’s April read, I found a novel fittingly titled “The Enchanted April”. Written by Elizabeth Von Arnim in the 1920s, it’s about four British women who answer this advertisement: “To those who Appreciate Wistaria and Sunshine. Small mediaeval Italian Castle on the shores of the Mediterranean to be let furnished for the month of April. Necessary servants remain. Z, Box 1000, The Times.” (Spelling and punctuation as they appear in the book.) Just the thought of it is irresistible to them – Moley wishes the advert was real so he could join in too! The book’s descriptions of the Castello San Salvatore, its garden and surroundings certainly are enchanting – you can practically smell all the flowers and feel the sunshine. (The interesting foreword mentions that the author was inspired to write about such a castle after renting one herself in April 1921. Moley’s Googling found reviews which mention that the real castle is Castello Brown in Portofino. It’s no longer a hotel, though tours are still offered. He’d love to admire the view, laze in the gorgeous flower garden like Lady Caroline and commandeer the battlements like Mrs Fisher!) Three of the travellers still find quibbles though, e.g. when they’re served some very slippery macaroni! (Incidentally, the Dales shop recently had a pasta maker on sale… Plus, a “Jamie’s Italy” cookbook, an Italian phrasebook, a book of modern Italian artists, some coffee-topping stencils and the film “Eat, Pray, Love” on dvd. Moley’s still dreaming about the giant pizza in that film and wishing he could eat such things…) The book’s conflicts are mainly about how the women interact with each other and with the men in their lives, as well as the problems they’ve left behind at home. You get an insight into each one’s views of the others and of themselves, as well as the magical effect that Italy has on them. The book includes some past attitudes, including stereotypes of women, men, the British, the Italians, and the poor. There’s also humour, however, particularly when the formidable Mrs Fisher disapproves of something! Lotty Wilkins and Rose Arbuthnot do a bit of a “Shirley Valentine” in leaving their husbands at home, while Lady Caroline Dester flees the hustle and bustle of 1920s society life. She and Mrs Fisher both wish to relax alone, which, it turns out, is easier said than done! My favourite characters were the eccentric cook Costanza and the location, which is like a character itself – full of unusual magic. If you’re looking for an escapist book to take your mind off what’s going on in the world, I recommend this one. (Moley promises he won’t distract your enjoyment of the scenery, honest…) Appropriately, there’s apparently a 1991 film adaptation, called “Enchanted April”. Plus, you can see images of the real castle on a website about the author. The icing on the cake, as far as Moley’s concerned, is that it says online that the author’s other books include “All The Dogs Of My Life”, in which she recounts owning a total of 14 dogs over the years! (Quotes from it suggest that one dog once overturned her writing things, which Moley vows he’d never do…)
For the rest of April, Moley’s hoping that the little TARDIS model can take him back in time to the 1920s, so he can rent the castle too! (That way, he could persuade Elizabeth von Arnim to include him in her novels…) Until that happens, he’s tapping his own memoirs on the typewriter, admiring the flower-themed items in the Dales shop, smelling the coffee in its café and using the phrase book to learn some Italian… Hope you enjoy the café too, Heather.