Mono Monday - ‘Old’

First task of the day was to drop off a couple of bags of donations to the charity warehouse in Stanway en route for M&S and Sainsbury’s. It doesn’t seem to matter how much stuff I clear out, the volume of it never seems to decrease!

I chose some gifts for my great great nephew’s 2nd birthday which is coming up. Mum missed his birth by just three weeks, though she had seen him on the scans and knew he was going to be a boy called Tommy. I’m so glad she lived to see her great great granddaughter Hallie turn three. I have a precious photo of the five generations of mothers and daughters (see Extras).

I walked up to the village after lunch for my hairdresser’s appointment and a good natter with Liz, then stopped to get a blip of our lovely independent hardware store for the Mono Monday challenge theme of ‘Old’. Staines & Brights was established in Tiptree in 1925, and is celebrating its centenary this year. It had a separate shop selling electrical goods, and most people in the village used their excellent service to install their white goods. Unfortunately the lease on that premises ended and its landlord sold up, so because of that, a retirement and a serious cancer diagnosis for their beloved long-standing electricals manager, Staines & Brights have sadly just announced the permanent closure of their electrical department. However, the hardware, homeware, gardening, gifts and cards continue in the much-loved old tardis of a shop in my picture - much to the relief of everyone in the village. I really don’t know what we would do without this wonderful 100-year-old business, undoubtedly one of the oldest in Tiptree. Thanks to laurie54 for hosting the Mono Monday challenge in January.