who will buy my beautiful mop/big bucket/hot shot/spiderman ball/broom/snow shovel/tartan trolley/fishing nets/paddling pool

I have been holding back at sharing this place with you, but now is as good a time as any. This is what I like to refer to as the most amazing fortune telling shop window that I know about - it only does weather, though. It will come as no surprise if you have never heard of this little known phenomenon. Neither had I.

Until...

It was two years ago and I remember well that it was spring. The sun was out and the first warmth of the year could be felt on the back of the neck, slowly defrosting months of crumpled heat deprived being. I passed this unassuming purveyor of household items only to notice that the windows were filled completely with sledges. I immediately wondered when the shopkeeper would concede that the sledges were no longer good stock to be displaying and replace with something more appropriate, like maybe some hula-hoops. Needless to say, the following week it snowed and snowed and snowed, and the stock that had previously puzzled me, disappeared very quickly and at a premium. Immediately the window was replenished, but not with more sledges. No, the window was quickly filled up with summer outdoor 'fun' goods (the aforementioned hula-hoops appearing in abundance) and these looked out mockingly from their window safe haven onto streets still heavy with snow. Once again, the window was right and it was a matter of days before everyone was rejoicing in an early heatwave. And so it went on. Until now.

In recent weeks and days I couldn't help but notice, as I am sure you will too, that the window had become confused. Tartan trolleys, spades of red, yellow and blue, brooms and 'hot shots'. I did wonder aloud if perhaps with some analysis we might be able to detect whether or not the weather window had moved direction into an area of prophecy less easy to establish. I shall get back to you, but in the meantime if you think you might have spotted something then please let me know.

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oh yes and it's Friday - make it a good un
it's been a while