About Me

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SW London
A semi-mature, hardy individual who tries to get away with doing as little as possible in gardening as in life, still expects the best results & wonders why she is frequently disappointed! She likes to keep a photographic record of everything, good & frequently bad!

Tuesday 20 April 2010

So, I had my gold scissors but where was the ribbon……

 Rob's Shoppiwop Opening 007

This was, of course, for the Grand Opening of Rob’s shoppiwop, The Garden Sage.

Rob's Shoppiwop Opening 009Now there have been rumours that this particular shoppiwop was for the sale of curtains & other types of window dressing, but I can assure everyone there was neither curtain nor blind in sight, & as for chintz roses, the man has much more taste than that!

Rob's Shoppiwop Opening 006 So, let me go back a little. Are you sitting comfortably? Then I’ll begin.

Rob's Shoppiwop Opening 022In fairly recent times I got to know a fellow blogger called Rob. I do a mean that I did met him in the old fashioned way rather than in the virtual world where many people lurk. And I should clarify the use of the word blogger in describing myself as calling myself one at that time was more than a bit of an exaggeration.

Rob's Shoppiwop Opening 020 (ooops, sorry about that duck’s head!)

It happened like this…. I was perusing the blog of my good friend, Arabella Sock, something of a minor celebrity in blog world for her carefully crafted & insightful  bloggywog, The Sea of Immeasurable Gravy (beware it contains pictures of kittens). I was doing a bit of stalking of those who made comments, as you do, & came across Rob & his blog. ‘Hang about’ I thought, ‘I think I know where this person works’ which was in a garden shop very close by.

Rob's Shoppiwop Opening 021 So, I pop into this shop, casually buy a few plants whilst checking out the man working there before confronting him with the words ‘Are you called Rob & do you write a blog?’ It was the very same so we had a bit of a chat. I really should have been more suspicious when he became very animated after I explained I was a friend of Arabella Sock.  When he asked if I was a blogger, for some ridiculous reason I said yes when all I had been doing was fiddling around just to see if I could.

Rob's Shoppiwop Opening 017 Rob told me of his plans for his own shop & so I eventually found myself on a very lovely sunny Saturday afternoon in Raynes Park all geared up to make a speech & cut the ribbon…….

Rob's Shoppiwop Opening 018 Rob's Shoppiwop Opening 026

There was food, there was drink & of course many beautiful plants but no ribbon. And I had made him his very own celebration cakes too.

053

And at last, here he is, hiding behind the orchids……..

Rob's Shoppiwop Opening 024

Well done Rob The supposed great & good who spurned your invites have missed out on South West  London’s premier event!

(I still think Little Shop of Hostas would have been a better name, don’t you?)

5 comments:

  1. So that's what Rob's been doing for the last couple of months when he could have been blogging!

    It looks a very interesting shop - well done to Rob for opening it and to you Ms B for documenting it. Shame I don't live near enough to visit it!

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  2. Thanks for sharing, looking forward to seeing the shop when we visit Chelsea Week

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  3. Have I got this right?
    You approach strange men and the pass word is-
    I'm a friend of Arabella Sock.
    Sounds like espionage to me.
    But I'd love to see the shop - and nice cakes!
    anonjan

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  4. Well the password certainly wasn't "Do you do curtains?". It was a pity I didn't meet up with you there as we could have got good mileage from this "joke" which I know would have amused you as much as me.

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  5. Thank-you for calling at the shoppiwop.

    Arabella, I think it is just as well we did not meet up; you would have ended up being very naughty!

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