27/04/2026
Time to address the elephant (for once not ceramic) in the room before the old Tom-tom drums start.. 🐘🐘🥁
Some eagle eyed folks will have spotted this weekend the baby and I knocking about with someone who sounded like Otto, but was missing his trademark top knot and looking sufficiently baby-faced - fear not, we’ve not traded him in for a younger model.
Back in March Otto rejoined the military in the same unit that he was in 12 years ago.
Before anyone gets any big feelings or opinions about it (because believe me, I’ve heard it all) he did so with my blessing and we (me, the baby and extended family!) are very, very proud of him.
Sometimes it’s the ‘what if’s’ that will tend to linger if they aren’t explored.
When that particular itch has been scratched, I’m sure you’ll see him back in the shop, bossing me around and asking me where I’ve hidden the parcel tape.
Until then it’s little old me (and obviously, boss baby) who is large and in charge at the little Curiosity Shop, and I’m sure our seasoned customers will be celebrating that because you know you’ll get a good bargain with me behind the till 😂
At present he’s doing the gruelling 9 months of basic training and only home for very short windows, but you’ll probably see him on and off at the shop and around the area in that time, mostly checking to make sure I’ve not sold his Afghan Jezail for £50 😂
And here comes the potential jump scare for all of our house clearance customers who have had us working for them on jobs since March:
it has been me doing the clearances and I will continue to be doing so.
Thats right, I’ve been trusted to take care of both of Otto’s babies. 😱
Otto has spent three years building up the house clearance business and he’s trusting me to keep it growing and delivering the top notch service that he’s worked so hard to maintain. No pressure!! 😅
So, to be entirely transparent, I felt it was really important that I got a few solo clearances under my belt before it was made common knowledge - because let’s face it, It’s a tough old industry at the best of times.
But you will all know by now that I love a challenge, and I love to be put firmly out of my comfort zone, so really I’m relishing the opportunity to see where I can steer the business - albeit at a hundred miles an hour, with bits hanging off! 👹
And, most importantly, the wheel has to keep turning regardless of what else is going on.
As it turns out, and not to feed into gender stereotypes, women are pretty good at clearing up dusty old messes and we’ve had some wonderful reviews online..so maybe that’s our new USP, whilst the big boss is away - like the No1 ladies detective agency (Alexander McCall Smith fans will know what I’m rattling on about!), we are the gentlewomen’s clearance bureau 😂
Not only has it been the busiest (and most interesting in terms of whose houses we’ve been clearing!) we’ve been since we started the clearance business, but it’s allowing more employment opportunities for local people (I can do alot of things, but dead lifting furniture postpartum is not one of them!) which is something we will be urgently growing further, as we’ve five local clearances booked for May-June.
Again, Otto is still very much in charge, making sure I follow all his health and safety whatsits and don’t inhale too much asbestos whilst rooting through dusty sheds 😅 but I can now get away with stacking the van to the rafters and keeping all the rusty old biscuit tins..for awhile at least 😂
So, when you’ve seen me flying down the high-street at the speed of knots, frazzled and driving the pram like wacky races, it’s likely because I’m still getting back in to the swing of being back at the shop, as well as up to my eyeballs in dust and uncleaned treasures.
For the rest of May I will be opening the shop Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I will be looking for a person/persons to help in the curiosity shop from June, so please keep your eyes peeled on here if you are interested in summer employment - I’ll post a formal advert in the coming weeks but it’s more about the right person, than retail experience.
Now more than ever, I’m saying a heart felt thank you from myself, Otto and the baby to all our customers (shop and clearances) for supporting our small family businesses.
I look forward to seeing some of you on the High Street very soon and fingers crossed for a busy (and sunny!) summer!
🏴🏴🦦🦦🌻
