Daleks and Baby-Witches

Dearest Emily,

It was lovely to see you this week. Thank-you for turning my book-shop into a cafe and charging customers 3 imaginary pounds for their imaginary pizzas.

This week being Half-term has brought lots of small people through the door. Here's our Halloween window;

I was originally going to do a Doctor Who themed Hallows Eve window- but after purchasing a large Dalek, five minutes later, a young collector arrived and bought my entire stock! More about Daleks another time Em, I need to re-stock first.

Back to the small people. We are en-route for the local primary school- and at least once a day, a little foot appears on the doormat- followed by a yell- "Don't go in there, we haven't time!" followed by small peoples yelling back "I just want to look!"
At weekends, some of the larger small people come along on their own, by bike, or with Best-Friend and pocket money.
One particular smallie- races into the shop scurries around the corner to the back, and hides amongst the shelves, as his mother grunts across the mat. "Get out, get out!" 'I just want to look!" as he slips past her and into the window display. Not a word is said to myself or Wendy, my assistant. It has become quite an amusing game- and I rather suspect that smallie will win one day, and get to choose something to read.

We also have a lovely eleven-and-three-quarters year old girl called Alice (of course) who regularly asks for a job "because I am saving up. I don't know what for yet." Another, comes in on Sunday mornings to talk about her favourite authors and to hold the really really old books in her hands. This she does until she feels its a bit late- because her mum wants her to help prepare the vegetables for Sunday lunch. Every time she leaves she turns and says "I'll be back soon".

It's nice that in a fast-paced changing world, with E-books, and Reality shows, that small people are drawn in to a Bookshop. The other day, a sheepish face enquired- "Can I come in? I haven't got money". Books are friendly...

But today it is Halloween Em, so I've found a scary picture for you. It is from a family album that came from a big house hereabouts. It was taken in about 1890, and it is the inside of a Portuguese Church. Goodness knows how old the skeleton bones are.

I rather like it. This is really for 'All Hallows Eve' and more in tune with the Hispanic celebration than a commercialised Trick or Treat that we've adopted on these Isles. It does look to me, a celebration of those loved and lost, look at the thought, care and attention to making this display.

I shall save the Dalek for another time Emily, your Great Grand-dad manufactured these, back in the 1960's, so that's another story.

I hope Annabel still has the China Pig that I gave her intact. It did look a bit threatened when she banged it on the car window.

See you soon, 

Your ever-loving Grandmother, GiGi xxxx