Miniscule Millefiori

As far as we are concerned, January didn't exist. My health problem's were one thing, but having just about found enough 'oomph' in myself to get back to work for a couple of hours a day, the pikeys were back in town. They raided most of the local contractor gardeners, along with the shop's that keep us supplied. Our own supplier had cctv of a couple of guys running up the side of their shop using tree surgeons leg spikes, whereupon they removed roof tiles and felt, smashed the showroom ceiling and cleared out his chainsaw stock. His other shop nearby was also similarly hit. Our own van was broken into, and all of our power machinery taken, over £3500 worth. Needless to say our spirit's were, by now, pretty low. Altogether it would appear that they have taken around £200,000 worth of tools from us all.

Chad, who owns the two shops we use, was still counting his losses (yet again), when a very pissed off me entered, and explained what had happened. He is an extraordinarily kind guy, and after saying that he doesn't like to make profit out of those that have been hit by such low life, proceeded to get his team gathering a completely new set of replacement gear for us, and all at cost price. He made no profit whatsoever, and I cannot say how this gesture helped to lift our spirits.

Among other expletives, Amanda had mentioned on Facebook that because of me not being well, and both of us mentally pre-occupied, we had forgotten to celebrate Burns Night. About a week ago there was a knock on our front door during the evening, and a friend we hadn't seen for about seven years turned up with a bag containing a haggis, two swedes and a bottle of rather good malt, along with a pack of caramel wafers 'for any emergency' as she put it. We were really moved by this second unexpected gesture, and our faith in humankind began to recover.

Customers have been very understanding, and as a result of this, and lot's of help from family, we might even make it through February at work as well. I can still only manage to do about four hours at the most, at which point exhaustion takes over and I need to nap, but recovery is progressing.

My only job today was a small amount of turfing. Chafer larvae had taken up residence under the old grass, and magpie and crows had obliterated thing's in their search for the tasty morsels.

By way of a celebration, I decided to splash out on myself a little, and did the very manly thing of buying an old venetian millefiori paperweight. I know, Glass goblets are my thing, but I couldn't resist this one. A particularly fine example, and incredibly complex for a paperweight that's only about three centimetres in diameter. 

It's really rather special, to me anyway. The design being more complex than most I have seen.

Here's how they make them

Bye for now.