I have found myself of late, thinking about the nature of globalism. Living in Africa opened my eyes to the strange contradiction that whilst we are all unique, we are also all very much the same. Brexit saddens me and it remains to be seen how it will affect the yard.
In the meantime we continue to be busy with international trade. This month we have sent a container of goods to Russia, which were ordered by an Irish pub company; we are liaising with film makers who need a large numbers of props to be sent to South Korea; and we are supplying Indian items to a restaurant in Ireland!
We have also shipped an English fire surround to Paris, whilst buying French fireplaces to sell in England. We have shipped Indian doors to a burger joint in Ireland; sent railing from Turkey to an address in Canada; delivered British tram seats to Austria; sent brackets to Sweden; and posted a bee shaped door knocker to America; we have also sent fire tools to Hong Kong; delivered a staircase to France and shipped vintage theatre lights to Denmark!
Mr W and I have been busy too, we bought over 30 fire surrounds in Belgium; flooring in Austria; tiles from India and doors in France. We have taken delivery of panelling from Portugal, doors from Southern Ireland and flooring from Italy.
It has been a real diaspora of reclaimed goods. As I sit in my chilly office contemplating each item in its new home, I imagine myself in a cosy Irish pub in St Petersburg. I can just picture myself with a pint of Guinness in one hand and a vodka in the other. ‘Slainte!’ or should that be ‘Na Zdorovie!’? Either way, here’s to your good health!