Beautiful Evening….

Beautiful Evening….

Hi there,

Thanks for popping in. Have you also had a beautiful sunny day where you are? It was glorious here – difficult to comprehend that we are in the grips of something so invisible and sinister, isn’t it.

Well, today, it was my turn to work at the new factory. We go in one at a time, and I opted for Saturday. It was the first time I’ve been beyond the garden gate since the Wednesday before last. How quiet the roads are! When we walked into the new Clarity building, Dave and I, it caught me off guard. I must admit, just for a moment I could have wept. It’s all so abandoned. So empty. All so not as it should be.

But I shut the Woe-is-me-Poor-Me down pretty fast with a “Shut up Gray. Don’t be so daft!” Turned it round very fast. The reality is that I was going into the building to PICK and PACK ORDERS! I wasn’t going in to shut the place down for good. The staff are all at home, being paid to stay safe at home. They haven’t been laid off. The rent’s paid through till June. We just have to get through the next few rocky months. ONE DAY AT A TIME and TOGETHER. It is what it is, and we have a whole helluvalot to be grateful for actually.

So I spent the day alone, working away. Blimey! Sent a lot of Postcards and colouring pencils out!! Dave did some building work that needed doing, went over to the old site and brought some stock over. And I picked orders. It’s been a while since I’ve done that. Enjoyed it actually. You have to concentrate on what you’re doing, and that helps focus the mind on the here and now. Debby and her team had set up the picking zone brilliantly before we sent them all home. So it was a real pleasure working in there today. The sun poured in the huge window and it was pleasant. Calm and pleasant.

Then we drove back home over the Ashdown Forest. You’re not allowed to stop, but you can drive through. And the sunset was beautiful.

All in all, a very good day. A simple, uncomplicated, productive day. Just what the doctor ordered.

And tomorrow we’re on HOCHANDA TV. 2-4pm and 6pm. Now that’s strange too. Quite a luxury! Not having to drive up to Peterborough to the Studios and hop about there for 2 days. Thanks to the formidable presenters, we are able to send in demo recordings, and they can carry the show solo. I for one am VERY grateful to them for all their hard work.

The 2-4 show will showcase a beautiful set of stamps (and as Groovi Plates too): The Harbour and the Village. So many elements! So many picture postcard scenes!

I did a couple of neat little demos for the show; just hope they come out ok.

Stay safe, enjoy the glorious weather –

Love and Hugs,

Barb xxx

19 thoughts on “Beautiful Evening….

  1. Hi Barb,
    You certainly have a lot to be thankful for; a loving husband,wonderful family, good friends,your health. You have also established a wonderful company and I for one am doing my best to make sure you definitely stay in business!!! ( not sure my bank manager approves mind you!) You are loved and admired in many countries and you will most certainly get through this.Thank you for everything, love and hugsAlison xxx

    1. Hey Alison
      Missing you matey it seems an age since we were last together.. stay safe and see you on the other side xx

      1. You too Linda, miss my parchy sessions. Hope your hip isn’t giving you too much grief ( unlike my knee!) . Love Alison xx

  2. I think that sometimes we have to be kind to oneself Barbara. You always think of others, I am thinking about you. A kinder person I have not met. Why not enjoy the sunshine tomorrow, enjoy Dave and have a Barbara day. I always call it a “recharging” day!
    Hugs Nadia

  3. Hi you two
    Glad you were able to escape for a bit even if it meant you were working. I’m hoping the sun comes out here tomorrow cos it’s been miserable today. I’m so used to being out and about on a Saturday during the day.

    Stay safe xx

  4. Glad you were able to escape the house for a bit. I am looking forward to the shows tomorrow. I have the village stamps but not the harbour ones. Can’t wait to see the demos. Stay safe.

  5. Lovely day here in Norfolk once the mist went and the sun came out. We were up at the crack of dawn and back from the shops before 8am. Breakfast followed then caught up with the doodles and your crossword. Then after lunch on to the Mail crossword – I think they have a different compiler because I usually get at least 95% of it done but the last 2 – horrors – less than 60% !! Either my brain is slipping in my old age or these laid back, relaxed afternoons make the clues seem harder.
    My little book of doodles is filling up nicely, roll on next week,
    but please don’t make the projects too hard.
    Thank you for all you are doing, your are a champion.
    Love 🍒🍒🍒

  6. Beautiful day here today, lovely taking the dog for a walk and soaking up the rays. Only trouble is when the weather is nice it encourages people to go out more than they should so maybe we need to wish for rain to keep people in. Its a strange feeling going to work with hardly anyone around, usually school is always full of noises and sounds, even at lunch time you can still hear the children outside playing. I am on a rota so only go in once or twice a week. Its going to take some getting used to when we go back to normal…whatever that is! Have a good weekend. XX

  7. Glad you were able to let the sunshine in today and that you were able to focus the mind. I’ve just introduced someone I know to doodling and she and her son are now addicted! I’m not sure it’s relaxing for her. She just can’t get enough of it but that’s great. Loads of us north of the border have just had a quiz via FB live and Zoom. It was great fun. Looking forward to the shows tomorrow. I don’t know what is happening these days but I seem to have less time than ever to get things done. I’m sure there was more than one hour pinched last Sunday! Anyway, it is all good at this end. Have a good day tomorrow. Lots of love. Hx

  8. I can imagine how strange it must have felt walking into your new building, no hustle and bustle, no people being busy. You had Dave by your side and you were both there for a purpose, well done to you both.
    I am looking forward to tomorrows shows but might have to catch the afternoon programme on the recorder later because if it is as nice a day as is forecast then I plan to be in the garden battling the weeds.
    How good you are not having to travel to Peterborough. The presenters are doing a fantastic job. xx

  9. Glad your day went well with the picking and packing, and a ride back through the Ashdown Forest, always a favourite place of ours in days gone by. We are lucky to have some lovely scenery where we live now but I think about picnics and walks we had there especially when you talk about it. x

  10. It must have been a strange day, firstly going outside the confines of the house & secondly being in the building on your own with none of the Clarity family banter. I am sure I am not the only one that thanks you for packing our orders so we can carry on crafting. Its been a mixed day here weather wise, perhaps tomorrow will be better but then I will have shows to watch so it won’t really matter.

  11. I do feel for you – your new premises were meant to bring all your team under one roof and for reasons out with your control they are further apart than usual. But they are safe at home and that is the most important thing. I’ve been saying to my own little team to remember they are home in a crisis, trying to work, not working from home! It’s all about how you look at things. Thanks for the doodling shack – I’m catching up this weekend and shared it with my parents, friends and on our charity Facebook page. It’s so calming and distracting and helps that you don’t have to come up with the idea on your own! Well obviously you do, so thank you again x

  12. Your loyal team/family at Clarity will be back with all guns blazing, as will your customers, although we have never gone away. Obviously, it must be of great concern to you, especially with moving to the new building and all the investment that it has required.
    However, the way that you have handled everything and especially the SHAC SHAC, has been amazing. I hope you know how much that is helping so many people, and not just your Clarity customers. It has spread exponentially to so many people and is and will continue to be, a saviour for their mental health and a means of bringing people together and keeping in touch. Thank you so much for doing it and I hope that in some way, it is helping you too, to get through this testing time.
    Have a good, relaxing day today and enjoy the sunshine. Hugs. Annette X

  13. Morning Barbara! Hope the picking and Packing went well and that you were able to fill your day doing something that in turn will bring lots of pleasure to all those people.
    Ashdown Forest is such a beautiful place and I am sure that your drive through that area did you the world of good even if it was just a drive through.
    Looking forward to the shows today.
    Love and hugs as always xxx

  14. Hi Barb, it was a lovely day yesterday and looks like today is going to be the same. Yesterday Hubby pottered in the garage, we re-stacked some storage boxes to make space for more, I cleaned the rather smelly pond out and found out we had 3 Ribbits (frogs) in there, since we first put some frog spawn in about 6 years ago, we have had them every year. Today is planting herbs and seeds in the sunshine this morning, and crafty play for me this afternoon, so hopefully will be watching the shows. I am sure the demos are just superb. Stay safe and take care everyone. Bx

  15. I really love the Ashdown Forest creation, and would love to make that myself. After staring at it in wonder, I still haven’t a clue how it’s made, not an inkling. Please let that be a demo’ on Sunday! Can’t wait to see Barb make it look so easy with her magic.

  16. The forest gel print is lovely. Loving your demos for Hochanda. You highlight the new product, but the techniques you show us can be used for so much more.

    More sellouts! Dave is going to be very busy. Congratulations.

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