Dreaming...

and blitzing my house. What a lot of Stuff...

High Shank Feet have bred in the cupboard, tonight I plan to update the page here

https://www.helenhowes-sewingmachines.co.uk/indfeet.html

ETA, done (mostly) and onto something else... Page updated, please browse

 

Gallivanting!

I have borrowed a motorhome, and from 4th October I will be proceeding in a leisurely fashion up one side (the right-hand-side) of the country, stopping here and there to admire the scenery, then across Scotland and down the left-hand-side to Wales.  I'll be away for at least 3 weeks, so, definitely no post going out, and advice will be a bit limited - emails PLEASE to helen@helenhowes-sewingmachines.co.uk for preference...

The phone will be off while I'm driving, so 07914 676182 will hit my voicemail - I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Items can be reserved, so ask, and I'll keep a record...

I'll have my tools, repair kit, sewing, books, and amusements, and can possibly deliver machines - see

http://www.helenhowes-sewingmachines.co.uk/buy.html#machinesales

for current stock - I won't be making huge detours (or bringing anything not firmly ordered) , so ask before Saturday 2nd please!

Image above stolen from Facebook Marketplace, describes as "needs restoration"   Hmmm

Following On...

 ....from our gallivant to Suffolk Parts to buy out that nice Mr Roche, I have been a-sorting assorted-things. Today was Pedals - first to the hot shed to pick out some possibles, then arrange the table on the lawn (much nicer) and literally to wash everything (all very dirty), assess, open, remove capacitors, brush out grot, close, clean leads, list, number, photograph, bag up and then to the attic, with 3 big bags-full to put away. Sorted and stocktaked all the boxes, added 3 more, put everything nicely together by type in lots of nice new boxes...

Aaaaargh. So hot after all that that I had to have another shower, and now I'm just about to start remaking the page HERE

I have given up hopes of having clean hands any time soon, but I do have an awful lot of useful and saleable stuff ready to go.

And, I seem to remember thinking That I would not be bothered with electricals... Sigh...

To Suffolk, To Suffolk...

 ...to buy a car-full of parts

Well, actually 2 cars-full, so we will go back next week for more. Could not have done it without the help and support of my lovely friend HB, who did all the lifting and shifting and only got pork pies and strawberries in return

Retiring mechanic + shed + lots and lots of boxes + sadly, some incoming rain and rust = a Winter's worth of sort-it-out and clean-it and photograph-it and put-it-online!

My Great She-elephant, loaded to the window edges, drives so nicely... And we came back through torrential rain...

How to Behave - Customers Beware!

I have been driven to despair by some people's poor behaviour, and have come this close () to giving up entirely once or twice recently.. You do know I'm the world's leading expert on quite a lot of this stuff? Be nice to me please.

Yes, I know you think you are my only customer, but yesterday I could not answer the emails as fast as they came in. Not the first time, either. It's scary, to answer one, make a note, open the inbox, find 5 more...

I have had to turn my phone off at night because people ring at 7:30 am or 10:45 pm, and want a long complicated chat. Sorry, I want a lie-in sometimes, and long leisurely dinner and a conversation with the cat, so tough... 12 till 6, folks, no earlier or later

And, yes, I can Google for you, but so can you do this for yourself. I'm happy to help by telling you what search terms are required, but then absolutely I don't have time to read a dozen sites for information you will not be particularly grateful to have handed on...

If you ask for something that I have to check, do you want me to drop everything and the thirty-six previous enquiries? Or can you wait a day or so. I have everything in my house. Some of it has not been unpacked since I moved the last of it in October last year, because nursing John and being with him at the end of his life was everything, for quite a long time. And, your machine is old, if you are running a business with it and have no back-up, I'm sorry, I have little or no sympathy...

So, ask nicely, accept that you are in a queue, accept that I am one person, disabled by a back injury, tired, living alone, grieving, sad and sick and so bloody tired. I'll get to you...

And, if you find it elsewhere, for goodness sake, tell me... Save my legs (I have stairs) and then maybe, just maybe, I won't put you on my no-longer-going-to-be-helping-you list...

Notes on the Current Situation, June 2020

I'm busy. I've never been so busy. Some mornings I wake up to 20 new orders from the overnight emails, and then sit over breakfast and watch them roll right in.  And, yes, I'm very happy about this, but it does mean that some of you think I'm not paying attention, or ignoring you, or something

Well, you just need to be a little bit patient.  I'm doing my best!

I have to select things before I offer to charge for them. I have to answer the phone and write stuff down. I have to find, wire or rewire, fix, polish, check, pack, charge and take-to-the-post-office. I go to the PO twice a week - i could not manage once, as the trolley was too heavy to drag and anyway, I kept running out of milk and fruit. I sometimes have to eat, sleep, wash, and do my Daily Ws*

The current situation will not last forever, and I need to make the most of it while I can, but...

...but, I can't do any stocktaking, sorting, photographing, listing, uploading, while I'm doing all the above.. So I'm falling further and further behind...

And, I need you to email me, not Facebook, or Messenger, or TextMessage, PLEASE!

So, I have just eaten supper; back to picking, packing, and scratching-of-head...

*Watering, Wood, Washing, Washing-up, Washing Me, and Work-about-the-House... I think I may have a floor here somewhere

A Tour Around My Room

Actually one of my rooms, but this one is the stock-and-post room, which was John's little hideaway, and which I claimed very firmly for myself, with green paint, pots of tools and about 1000 boxes
You think I'm exaggerating...

Come in the door. There's only room for one, so social distancing (note my topicality there) is easy

Right hand wall, as you come in. IKEA book cases...

Then the postal scales, picking trays, and the sellotape machine - totally essential!

At the moment I'm testing buttonholers and zigzaggers, so I have my old girl on the desk. I really must do something with the forest of wires...

Carrying on round, the printer lurks in a corner. As with all such, it can sulk for an Olympic gold when in the (bad) mood

Shelves above the desk...















The big counter under the window was installed, with some constructive swearing, by my daughter Abi and me one evening. It's a foot short, so under the printer is an ingenious shelf. It's the usual kitchen-worktop, in shiny black (you can't see it, but it's a good colour for this sort of work), and very substantial.. I like substantial. The heap here is all waiting-to-be-tested buttonholers

The lamp corner

Yet more shelves... These are mostly bobbins, bobbin cases, shuttles, and tools

Finally, the Heap by the door. I always seem to have a heap

Not shown, the mess under the big counter, and the little pile of envelopes under the desk

This room is about 8 feet square, and I think it's a masterpiece..

I have been feeling a tad mortal, what with the back and the state of the world. I do worry that all this might go to landfill one day when I'm gone..