Christmas approaches quickly. I haven't given it much thought yet, being so itinerant. We've been in this apartment for a week now though, and we're a bit more settled. Time for some serious shopping, then! And where better to get into the Christmas shopping, eating and drinking spirit than Mumbles!
After a walk around the headland at Langland with the dogs yesterday, I thought I’d persuade Gareth to come with me on a Mumbles shopping expedition. He graciously agreed after he'd had some lunch (stomach being the way to a man’s heart and all that) but was determined not to change out of his “I'm a man of the countryside” garb. In Mumbles, I'm attending to my personal grooming more carefully, wearing make-up before I set out, and wearing tidy shoes. Next it will be fancy knickers, in case I get knocked down. I couldn't bear the shame of being seen legs akimbo with sad pants in front of a bus in Mumbles! Heaven forbid!
Earlier, after the dog-walking, we had stopped at Peg 2 for coffee and the best Chai Latte I've ever had, both of us in our fleeces and walking boots, only to “bump” into an ex-colleague of mine whose own get-up was “smart-but-I'm-not trying”. Being herself a Mumble-er she proudly told us how she herself has now downsized without losing a view of the bay and having space for parking too! She also enjoyed telling us that she was here in the coffee shop to meet the local MP. Tonia, the MP, arrived and soon spotted Gareth, who had been her campaign photographer. Clearly pleased to see him, she engaged in friendly chat with us about life in London and the Commons. If my glam aunt were still alive, I'd be able to dine out on that one with her for sure.
Anyway, lunch over and Gareth still smarting for having paid £10 for a bag of coffee beans at Peg 2 (tee hee, it's not just my bad) he gritted his teeth to come shopping (browsing, I called it) and we started off in the Gower Gallery. I oohed and aahed at the lovely things there, the skill of the painters and sculptors, the delightful little things that presented themselves to me as potential Christmas presents, and Gareth didn't say a word. I believe I heard him sigh with relief when we left the shop empty handed but he knew that wasn't the end of our venture.
Next stop was Cover to Cover, a business now owned by my book-expert cousin, Tim. To chat with him was to interrupt the healthy sales that were going on, so we said we'd come back in the week. I'll probably need a week in there anyway, with the mouthwatering (should I say page-turner-finger-tickling) choice of reads on offer there.
From there we browsed around a display of ‘Affordable Art’ in one of the chapels (sorry, I didn't note the name, but it's just opposite the bridal shop). Clearly there are Mumblers around who are looking for the trappings and trimmings for their homes that the wealthier patrons of art are better able to afford. Some of the work on display in the chapel was very good, but those running the event were a bit scary. Show any interest in a piece and you'd be swooped upon. I left a pound in the collection box and left ungenerously.
In the Ostreme Centre a craft fair was bustling with trinket makers and gift seekers. Lovely stuff to my eyes, but Gareth couldn't see the attraction. Bored and irritated with my inability to decide what to buy from the smorgasbord before me I found him outside staring vacantly into the glittery street.
After that I went alone into one of the dress shops, so I could finger at leisure the things that I would never dream of wearing myself while he went for a chat with the butcher next door (Tuckers, from Penclawdd; so we know him) and bought some bones for the dogs.
Not even Coakley Green’s fish perked his interest in our continuing shopping event, so after a trip to the ATM and a bag of fruit and veg from the greengrocer, we headed to the Alehouse. Whiling away a couple of hours there softened his mood for a while and we topped off the day with a meal at Mumtaz. Forgetting that spicy food doesn't agree with him, he was at least fed, watered and ready for a sprawl on the big leather couches back at the apartment.
Tomorrow we have another house viewing. We can't get overly excited about it as there is very little on offer. Maybe it's just the time of year. What the heck, live and love life, eh?
No comments:
Post a Comment