Mixed Lot

Once upon a time when my life was known to me, I charged about the Kingdom in search of treasure. Sometimes, I found nothing but that hardly mattered as I holed up in the corner of a pub garden somewhere. What I didn't know then, but know now, is that there is a pub in North Norfolk with an antique centre alongside it. Hang on - pub and antique centre? Heaven!

And so it was that we visited Keys of Aylsham today. It was a bit like visiting your Great Aunt -predictable and smelly. My Great Aunt used to serve up tinned salmon on a bed of lettuce. It made me want to vomit. So we left Aylsham and headed for The Three Horseshoes at Scottow - yes, the pub with an antique centre alongside it.

Douglas Bader used to drink at The Three Horeshoes. That's historic. Now it has converted a barn alongside the pub into an antique centre of exceptional quality. We wanted to buy everything but it's all in the margins and the place is priced for the Chelsea Weekenders. No profits for boys with notes in pocket.

I did buy a little bit today - nothing that worth mentioning but enough to pay for our drinks in the Ribs of Beef later on in the afternoon. Deals are done over pints and today was no exception - significant news coming soon. The number of fish we saw in the River Wensum - partly attracted by dry roasted peanuts - was astounding. The beers flowed once more. The laughter in the sun and the tales and traumas and tittle tattle of it all. Oh, how wonderful to be an antique dealer in England in the summertime.