I've been running past this antique centre for weeks, ever since the Council closed the route past Minster Pool, while its banks are being landscaped. Each time I run past I think, I must pop in some time. So last Saturday morning I did.
You might think that's rather a feeble excuse for a 'New Thing'. If so, you are in good company. The canon precentor of Lichfield cathedral says I might as well scratch my arse in Tesco and think, ooh, I've never done that before! That can be my new thing for the week! I explained that he was mistaken. The rules say I can't simply notice something I have just done for the first time and retrospectively nominate it. I must choose in advance. It's my blog, I make the rules. So ner. If he continues to argue, I will be forced to deploy my deadly linguistic weapon , which is to shout 'Paninis, paninis, paninis.' He will then rant about panini being a plural, and I will no longer have to come up with feeble reasons for my feeble new thing.
I was busy this week, all right?
The top photo shows the entrance to the centre. It used to be a school. Inside I had flashbacks to the tiny village school I attended at the age of nearly 5, before it closed and we all went to the spanking (apt adjective for those benighted days) new County Primary. I could practically taste the chunks of beetroot and raw onion we had in our salad. That's false memory syndrome for you. I always dropped mine on the floor. School dinners were delivered in big buckets half way through the morning. Back in the days of school milk.
Anyway, inside was strangely reminiscent of the Museum of Childhood. Lots of brightly lit glass cases full of things that burst into your awareness with a whoosh of nostalgia. Biscuit tins. Tiny Whimsy animals. Hairbrush and mirror sets with embroidered backs. My quest was for a suitable wedding present for the cathedral organist and his lovely bride, who were getting married later that day. I also bought a 1965 Newcastle United football programme for the chancellor.
Yes, I like this place. Can't think how I've managed to live here nearly 5 years without going in for a snoop. And I don't believe I scratched my arse in there once, so I have something saved up for a dull week later in the year.
It only opened in November so you're excused the first four years. I was in there this morning. The man behind the counter was bemoaning the lack of trade because of the Fair filling the carpark.
ReplyDeleteAha! That might explain why I hadn't noticed it. Thanks, Phil
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