The fabric guild

I’m conscious that I’ve been dwelling on the past. My life has become rather humdrum and I suppose I’ve indulged in memories of the years ago . Well we old folks do.

Perhaps expressed in this poem  by Arthur Osborne

Away, away!
Into the sky I dance
Bending, swaying, lightfoot leaping
Tireless staying, rhythm keeping
Up in the air!
The rhythm and sway
Now here, now there!
Swift and smooth as a maiden’s glance
I sway and I glide
And nimbly I ride
With never a care
As inly I throb to the cosmic tide
No outer step, no body stride
Thus the rhythm keeps its track
In a stiff old body with arthritic back

I was always a rubbish dancer even when young so I don’t have happy memories more embarrassing ones.

I think I may have mentioned the Fabric Guild before. Essentially it is a cut price warehouse ( Kisko company ) of quilting and sewing goods but set up so it is nominally a club of hobbyists. Only once have I seen them asking for membership cards. I rather think it was set up this way to get around Sunday Trading laws which have long since been abolished. Formerly in a warehouse in central Leicester it has just moved to Oadby in south Leicester.

We have been making trips every few months for quite a few years now. Annette buys a lot of her sewing bits plus fabric from them. Having looked on the website we set off on Sunday. Now I lived in Leicester for two years and Annette for four so we fancy we know our way around.

The problem is our knowledge is 50 years old and things have changed. And how they have changed!  Getting to Leicester cross country is no problem following a route we used long ago- it hasn’t changed much. The problem came around the city. Taking the easy option I followed the outer ring to the A6 and then headed south. I have never used satnav much as I can never get it to stick to the car windscreen but it proved a god sent help on this occasion. Oadby is big place and anyway I have grave doubts the guild is actually in Oadby, certainly we travelled  through back streets to an industrial park.which seemed to be in Wigston. Perhaps Wigston is a part of Oadby as in turn Oadby is part of Leicester. Anyway very confusing.

The disembodied voice proudly announced we had reached our destination. We looked around to see no sign except a couple of ladies walking around also searching. Eventually after walking around we found it. Only the tiniest of notices announced the name although we should have guessed from all the cars parked outside.

Although it has one large room it is now mostly a warren of smaller rooms on two floors. The Guild have only just moved and everything was still rather disorganised ( not that it was ever very organised )

One nice feature is a sitting area with free drinks dispenser and biscuits. I notice some long suffering menfolk reading their newspapers while their partners explore. Needless to say the customers are almost all middle aged to elderly women.

There is no such sophistication as a till. Mike sorts out the goods having memorised all the prices. He then adds them up on a sheet of paper. The only modern item at the checkout is the credit card machine.

We are trying to match fabric for a bedspread. All my ( helpful! ) suggestions are rejected and I end up standing around while Annette chooses the first one she had examined hours ( seemingly ) before.

Returning we became thoroughly puzzled and ended up on the MI. Fortunately I’m familiar with the junction by Coalville  So although an unnecessarily long distance at least it was home in time for lunch.