The day before ...

It was raining when the first picture of the day was taken ... around seven o'clock as usual.  One of my 365 albums had a morning shot for each day over the past month.  http://365project.org/elizabeth/extras
Even on the days that started out bright the weather often changed to dull and frequently wet as well.  It will be interesting to see the statistics for August ... the subjective impression is of a very cold and wet month ... but I'd like to see what has been recorded officially.
Apart from some very, very heavy showers the day has been reasonably good here and that's been useful as we've spent quite a bit of it in preparation for tomorrow's Car Boot Sale.  This is our second one and I'm hopeful that there'll be a few more cars and a lot more people ...
One of this evening's jobs was to put some pre-Euro coins into little bags so that we can sell off as many as possible.
Eliot has his task as well.  Before jars go for recycling they need to be cleaned and he's pretty good at getting the last traces off the glass.  It was peanut butter tonight and his enthusiasm knows no bounds ... though after a couple of photographs I got "the look" and he moved to the front room where the light wasn't as good for the camera!  He's not daft!  So he was left in peace to enjoy one of his favourite spreads.

The only trouble is - his tongue isn't quite long enough to get to the bottom of the jar!

And so, an early night here as the morning is going to start a bit earlier than usual!  Who knows what time the first cars will arrive ... so I may need to be at the halls quite early.  Eliot will have to come along ... I'd not want him to be barking in an empty house at that hour ... it would not make me a popular neighbour!  He can trot around with me for a while and sit in the car for a while ... and if the lads are there they might even take him for a bit of a walk ...
All of this depends on the kind of day it is.
Mothers' Union have their stalls set out inside the building ... and the young people are set up as well.  CMSIreland will arrive in the morning and they will be indoors too.  So even if it is a damp day there'll still be stuff to buy!  We have a MOUNTAIN of items ... it would be great not to have to pack away too much at the end of the morning!
But, as far as I could see ... there are no turtles!
Not that I need to buy any more ... you'll have worked out by now that the number and variety at the rectory is huge!
Today was the turn of the brass band ... but not all of them were present ...
This little fellow (six centimetres long) is a container and the interior is enamelled too.  This brass has a coating which means it doesn't have to be polished - unlike the other pair!  There's a larger one in the same style not in the picture.  Three is a more pleasing grouping than four!  These also are containers under their shells ... but I'm not sure what to keep in them.  The larger one is big enough to hold a box of matches ... but not these.

I love brass ... even if it does need to be cleaned on a fairly regular basis ... but even doing that is a relaxing job.  It is always worth the effort to see the warm glow on the freshly polished metal.
I'm rambling ... and bed is calling .... Good night!  And come to the Car Boot Sale if you're anywhere near (or within reach of) the Lisburn Road.  The halls are just behind the Fire Station.