Trip To Rye

Today I visited Rye with Chinmoyee. We both enjoy a good hunt around the second hand shops, and I also wanted to do a longer journey in the car. The car is lovely! It is like driving on air. It can overtake up hills!

In this curved wooden building on the left, was the strangest collection of things. It was a shop-I think, but was arranged like a gallery. It had huge skulls, a horse model for portraits-which was a frame like a school gym horse, with a strange wooden head attached. It had huge aluminium lights. A stack of aluminium chairs and a green wooden door with a heart cut out. There were four American tourists having an obscure conversation and ignoring my presence. (I wanted to get past!) There were little number cards on some things and little sold signs on others. The skinny ex-model looking type who told me off for taking photos-she rushed over to tell me-obviously did not take me and my friend seriously as potential buyers. I did force a smile out of her as we left-politeness always wins! It was great and fascinating and mysterious.

After visiting here we then proceeded to visit more normal antique shops, where a number of items were purchased by both of us. We had a great self-justifying conversation on the way home, along the lines of how neither of us needs anything we bought, but we just like it. Don't put me on Question Time ever, is all I can say! I have also just got (though ordered ages ago), the Sibella Court book 'etc.' I started to read it last night and a quote early on struck me, because I agreed with it so strongly. She says 'I see in still life'. Yes! I do too! Hurray for people who collect stuff and then write about it for me to enjoy!

The photo I sneaked before being told off.

Pretty glassware in one of the other shops.

Cooking with jazz looks fun.

Who will buy this felt monkey if I don't? Nobody. So I had to. He is sitting behind me at the moment in his little fez, looking very pleased with himself and his new situation. He is very solidly stuffed. (Interesting to you only if you make dolls or stuffed toys I would think!)

This photo is in a brilliant shop containing mainly kitchen things-kitchenalia-that word is a bit ridiculous I always think. It is a very well organised shop, run by a very friendly lady. I cannot resist things in there. I bought a beautiful tapestried bag and a tin of concentric oval biscuit cutters. It is a hugely satisfying object. (well objects) Heavy, metal, slightly rusty, geometric, movable, mathematical. The list of its lovable qualities could go on and on.

Oh yes-and a trivet! I remember this kind from chemistry experiments at school.