Wind stopped play

Couldn’t believe it — the whole of last week was absolutely glorious with brilliant sunny, even if not very warm, Spring days. Yesterday morning we woke up earlier than usual to get ready for the flea market and were frustrated to see that the wind had got up and was putting the whole day in jeapardy. Bear in mind that we only get to take part in six of these markets each year, and having spent almost two months preparing new material for our handcrafts stall – sewing, glueing, cutting etc. — it was upsetting to see that one of those six days might be lost.

It is probably difficult for you to imagine that the only way that we can get to the market zone is by loading everything into our little boat and braving the elements — made even more hazardous by the wind whipping up the water and soaking us every time we rode a wave! We decided to take the two big tables over to the market first, just to see what the situation was and whether the strong wind was rushing down the long and wide street making it impossible to lay out the merchandise without the risk of its disappearing into the nearest canal. Seeing a few other market stall-holders there was encouraging, and we opted for the risk and my husband went back in the boat to pick up all our boxes of stuff.

We weren’t the only ones affected by the wind, as there were very few tourists stopping, and those that did were obviously not dressed for the occasion and were suffering from the cold and too busy trying to stay warm to be able to think about shopping! Nonetheless, we managed to save the day and pay for the snack lunch which we ate at the bar next to our stall. My daughter’s puppy came along to keep us company for part of the time and amused most of the people walking in the area — for her it was a new experience to be able to run after the pigeons and meet lots of new dogs, so it was good fun for her too. The strong wind was the least of her worries!