The town.

Not much going on here. There should have been a photo opportunity at the weekend when the town had its 'Theme Day' and heavy old traction engine rumbled through the High Street puffing white smoke - and a filthy black cloud every so often like a random f*rt. Unfortunately, since new highways laws decree that roads can't be closed to trafic more than once a year (or some such lmitation) this event has moved from being in the street where it brought more trade to local shops, into the nearbye park where it brings trade only to the motorised hot-dog and ice cream stalls and the 'showies,' the little fair that arrives for the occasion. Yet another low blow to the High Street. Not because of that but because I was too lazy to walk the distance, I got no photos. I do like traction engines. Sandy and I sat through Fred Dibner replays one Saturday night long ago admiring his renovations as they chuffed majestically through town traffic; also the big old factory engines in their sheds - something quite exciting about them.

We have a sixth charity shop opening - did I already say that? Probably. No matter. I hear that two other charities are eyeing up empty stores, of which there suddenly seem to be a plethora. A chap who sets up web sites for towns came by to ask where the bookshop had gone. He likes secondhand book shops and was hoping we would become a book town. It could have happened if we had received an EU grant, but Wigtown got that ages ago so, the rents being what they are - exorbitant - no-one is going to risk opening a secondhand bookshop in this climate. The web-site chappie says his mother and her friends make special trips to the town to trawl for bargains therefore he has come to the conclusion that he has to feature us as the 'Charity Shop Town' of the North.

I give up. The moaning is over. It's getting boring. I set about trawling myself yesterday, starting with the Red Cross shop, my favourite, and felt the old stirrings of excitement as, invited to go behind the scenes, I found a couple of hardbacks that might tempt quite well on Amazon. I also found two skirts for my daughter and sent her in to look through the shorts. She came back with an armful.

I also heard about incipient internecine warfare between CS's as one tries to head-hunt volanteers from another. This can only get worse!!

Sudden enjoyable shiver of schadenfreude!