Friday 20 February 2015

33,000 Odd Funny Farm Followers

And Counting?
What's THAT all about?... and just WHERE did you thousands of people come from when I wasn't looking?x

I'm not remotely suggesting that you're all 'odd'(!) -  just that there's many MORE than 33,000 of you now -  and quite honestly, whilst I DO think you all need to 'get out more'(!) - I could be 'knocked over with a feather', because I had no idea, until this evening, that so many of you have liked reading my Blog since I last Blogged.

Have you missed me Children?

To be honest, a lot of water has flowed under my bridge since I last wrote -  so I do feel rather blessed to be back with you once again.
And to be back writing my Blog now is the icing on my cake - quite literally.

BC Cat has been a constant supportive ball of fluff on legs............  on my lap, on my mind, on my case, and recently, on my HUGE Vet Bill?  She's prolly about 15 now, and we almost lost her just before Christmas, which was 'THIS' close to breaking Wellie's heart.

She had Cat Flu (picked up from the Funny Farm Cats maybe?) and her kidneys are clearly beginning to fail her.,.  So I took her rather pronto to Marlow Vets in Chepstow, and was overwhelmed by their professionalism and kindness at such short notice, even offering Tea'n'Tissues (for me, not the cat?!)

The next 3 days on a drip, (her, not me?) and antibiotics, kidney tablets, and quite frankly, whatever they could do to keep her stable and alive, and with the utmost TLC.
They also think she has a tumour... but bless her paws, she's rallied really well for now.

Then there's Trousers.  Remember him?
......... Or, as I like to call him these days: 'He Who Mustn't Be Obeyed'...

Last November, he put himself on a No-Carbs diet, has lost about 3 stone, and I'm INCREDIBLY proud of him.
Howevver..... He IS actually now THE grumpiest man living on Planet Earth, and I should know, I work with him every day!

He used to get up every single morning at the 'crack of sparrow *art' to travel hundreds of miles up'n'down the country to work for a rather large company, painting'n'decorating.  Now, he slopes into Monmouth, a 20 minute drive from where The Funny Farm is, at about 7.30am, puts a match to the log-burning stove, chops a couple of logs, onions and things, and for the rest of the day then, creates rather gorgeous meals for Joe Public to take photos of and post up on Facebook.

And ACTUALLY, now then, seriously, what does WELLIE and her Flobalob Flowerpot People do these days you wonder?

Well, here's The Jackanory:
There was a small independent ready-made garden centre for sale locally, but it was way too expensive for what it was, and the location was less than brilliant.  So, thinking outside the box......... I identified a far better location to open, and create my very OWN town centre garden centre that I didn't need to procure £75,000 for.  And with it, invented a Garden Tearoom to supplement the non-gardening 'leaner' months of the year to go with it.

My ideas, which let's face it, if you know and love Wellie, have ALWAYS been this side of bonkers, were to take a step back from the ever-increasing chain of high-street Coffee Houses, creating 'Vintage' in the Tearoom, with pretty crockery, silver cutlery, shabby-chic, and amalgamate it with my love of food, Grow Your Own and place it in my customer's laps.

Paul (previously a very successful Chef before his Decorating Career), left his job in the latter months of last summer to come work with me, in order to further this innovative new business.

The people of Monmouth, surrounding towns and villages, and even much further afield these days, seem to love us for just who we are, and what we offer, beautifully expressed from the lovely comments left about us on Facebook and Tripadvisor.

The popularity of THE POTTING SHED MONMOUTH has evolved such that the garden space has become less garden centre, and more CafĂ© for Cooked Breakfasts, Lunches, Teas, Coffees, Cream Teas and Cakes....and totally 'customer-led', we are in the process of applying for a Liquor License.

So that's my news!
Have a goggle at us on Facebook and Tripadvisor.
Until next time, thanks for being here.
Wellie.