News from L&F

I have to report clear signs of my blood thinning as I age.  Last week some of the family went to Barcelona to watch our daughter-in-law compete in her third Ironman competition.  For the uninitiated that’s 2,000 people doing a...

Somehow, in the middle of all this, the year had moved round again and it was time for the Meet.  Hunting doesn't work.  As a means of killing things it's ridiculously inefficient.  But to begin with it's very pretty.  Picture...

I don’t know how it is in your neck of the woods, but in this corner of rural Lincolnshire autumn has most definitely arrived.  Is this my favourite season?  It just might be (but then I tend to think that...

Day two today of the Rockingham Castle Autumn Artisan Fair and the sun is shining!  What an amazing place this is.  Henry VIII was a frequent visitor, as was King John and just about every one of any note ever...

Next was the issue of the tiles to go around the heirloom Aga, and behind both the electric hob (I'm not as stupid as I look: belt and braces always) and the huge double sink and drainers. In my new...

Here in sunny Argyll there is most definitely a change in the air.  The sun is still lovely and warm but the air is decidedly cooler than it was even a fortnight ago.  As I let the dogs out this...

A summer sale seemed like a good idea at the time.  With autumn on the horizon, we reasoned, we should clear the decks and make room for new stock.  Some of our old favourites were the first to be listed...

We’re getting into Dangerous Territory now.  August is birthday month at L&F with one husband and both sons requiring cake and presents on the 5th, 10th and 25th – as you read this, we will all five of us be...

It was time for the fun bit!  Colours, fixtures, fittings, door furniture (I learned to call it that: ‘knobs and knockers’ still tragically reduced us all to a pulp of childish laughter) fabrics … the bit I had been really...

The eagle-eyed amongst you will have spotted that last week was blog-free: our apologies for that.  ‘Events, dear boy, events’ is the only answer, but the good news is that we’re back on track and raring to go – and...

Another day, another chance to sell … this time it’s at nearby Belvoir Castle’s glorious Flower Show.  It has been a full-on week what with one thing and another and it’s lovely to be back in the swing of packing,...

Oh my life – today’s the day, and I’ve ducked out of Fair preparations to set up this episode of an everyday tale of country folk.  (IFYYK).  The garden is full of people putting the finishing touches to their stands,...

I’m sure I’ve said this before, but retail is 90% hard graft and 10% pure guesswork.  The graft is straightforward, and largely enjoyable – remind me I said that, when I’m loading the van in a blizzard and the dark...

We have two weeks, ladies and gentlemen, until F Day.  The Humby Hall Summer Fair 2025 is on 6 July and we are feeling the pressure.  We have twenty stands of local small businesses coming, Alpacas, a judged dog show,...

I feel we have arrived.  We are Lincolnshire’s answer to the Beckhams, without doubt ...

It’s World Ocean Day today and I woke to a glorious picture from our youngest, currently at the house in Argyll.  It isn’t of blue skies and gentle seas.  It isn’t even of wild tempests and flying spume.  It’s of...

In the first January the four door, tomato red Aga we had bought with the house finally died.  The beast had only ever loved the Vendor, and it had disliked me from the moment I had first walked into the...

The latest excitement in my charmed life has been a visit to the Chelsea Flower Show at the beginning of last week.  I took to gardening BIG time during the Covid lockdown and was so, so lucky to have the...

Hampton Court, ladies and gentlemen!  Buzzing, sunny, full of happiness and cheer and I can’t tell you how lovely it is to be back out there, under a blue sky, meeting you all, having a laugh, and showing off our...

As we began month whatever (I didn’t dare count) of the Great Plan, I came to fear for my marriage.  If Eeyore, when asked how it was all going had said just once more that ‘It’s really not too bad!’...

No news is good news - we survived, ladies and gentlemen!  The Easter Egg Hunt of 2025 was generally agreed to be a classic of its genre, and everyone remained (largely) unblemished.  What remains of the diabetes inducing haul is...