NICE MORNING

It has actually been a very nice morning and not just in terms of the weather either. Charles and I took the puppies into Morpeth first thing. I'm glad we got there before 9.00, because an hour later you could barely get moved. Normally I wouldn't have the patience in crowds like that, but it is the first weekend for people to enjoy the new shops, so it's perfectly understandable that everyone wants to have a look around. Like I said yesterday, I am REALLY impressed and it is difficult to believe that we are actually in Morpeth after so many years of little change. These new stores are really going to give the existing ones a hard time - and that can only be a good thing for the customer, as they will really have to up their game if they are to compete. Rutherfords (a shop which I LOVE) was virtually empty this morning, in fact I thought at first that it wasn't open, but they will be hit hard by Laura Ashley and M and S.
While we were looking round we bumped into people we hadn't seen for years - it was almost like some sort of reunion - and looking around it was happening to everyone else as well. There was a real feel good factor!
Charles left Morpeth with the puppies and I stayed on a bit longer to meet James for coffee and a wander round, then he drove me back to Fram.
There was a message on the answer phone from the guys who are delivering the sofa to say they will be about an hour late because of the road conditions further south. Not a problem - we're not going to be going anywhere else today.