Year of the Hat*

OK..so if I`d been listening to Al Stewart on January 1st I`d probably have written this then.

But it was a combination of a biting winter wind, and the song* (similar title, ok?) popping up on Shuffle that made me think about titfers.

As a mum, you spend your life juggling the `hats` you wear. You`re nurse, teacher, chauffeur, cleaner, entertainer...and sometimes law enforcer to your kids. That`s one busy hatstand.

And then suddenly...they grow up; get engaged, plan a wedding...and you realise you`re months away from being M.o.B. And M.o.B and H.A.T go together like a ...yeh..horse and carriage, or something ...but not really for someone who really doesn`t wear them much in real life. I mean--the bride herself can carry off a hat with aplomb. Mortar boards; that black fedora in Paris; they seem to suit her. But this is new territory for me. So even if I can escape the hat wearing on one side of the pond (it`s a UK-USA relationship- *so good, they`re marrying twice*...)..I might just have to bite the bullet and buy one.

So I`ll call Saturday in Ludlow a dummy run. It was bloody freezing, actually, strolling around town, and I knew that only a hat would fix me. I splashed out a fiver in the Oxfam charity shop for a little black number, donned it, and loved its cosiness. I even took lunch at a table outside Ludlow Cicchetti-- (I reckon it was minus three with the wind chill factor. In fact, the waitress offered me a rug and a few minutes later... a hot water bottle; but no; the hat was working.) (Second thoughts: maybe the hat made me look 89 or something? Sheesh).

Back home; the high shelves remind me of the smiles I`ve had rehoming my late father`s hats. Toppers, a trilby or two, flat caps; reminders of formal state occasions, days out shooting; days at the races. The place is full of them. Sadly--none of them suitable for the M.o.B unless they want me to do a Cabaret number as `the turn` (unlikely).

So...hat wise; this is one big year. In fact...I`ll need some kind of ski number for next week`s trip to see the M.o.H (chief bridesmaid) in Geneva, too, because we`re popping up to the mountains while I`m there. Before that, I`m in London for my cousin`s silver wedding blessing in church. (Hats to those: Does one?) Back home, I might keep my eye open for a big straw number, so I can dream of warm, relaxing summer days ahead. And then there`s the virtual hard hat everyone should keep handy, because, frankly, you never know what a year`s going to throw at you.

So that`s it then; 2015. The year of the hat. With apologies for its late launch. And no.....the one below isn`t the little brimmed number I bought in a charity shop; it`s me showing off on the Royal Yacht in Edinburgh last year. So how about you? Hat or no hat? Pics please...! @janemcintyre12 on Twitter if you`re brave enough.

Happy Monday! :)

Sweet charity: who`d haggle?

Charity shops.

Some people moan about how many there are these days. But one thing`s for certain; they`re providing vital revenue for people, places and animals in need. And usually, a bargain for buyers.

So I was a bit surprised, and rather sad at a shop in Ludlow today, to hear two men haggling over the price of goods they wanted. One was after a decent suit, priced at £15. Another had been testing some binoculars. His offer got turned down. But the suit man, who asked more than once for a discount, eventually got the requested fiver knocked off his new whistle. He then turned round conspiratorially to me and said: `I never pay full price for anything.`

I was so embarrassed, I paid for the map I`d chosen. And then put the same amount in the collecting tin on the counter to make up for Mr Haggle`s shortfall.

And OK, haggling`s fair game in some places. Moroccan souks, for sure. Forecourts full of shiny new motors, maybe. But in charity shops, every penny counts. So when shelves are already full of low priced items and most staff are volunteers, isn`t haggling just a bit, well....mean?

It certainly surprised Amanda Evans when she started at the Shropshire Cat Rescue shop in Shrewsbury, one of two county shops the charity runs.

`I was amazed to see people asking for money off an item which was being sold for £1.50 or £1,`she said.
`But it happens every week, really and you get used to it. I still roll my eyes a bit sometimes, after the person`s left !`.

Shirley McCann is retail manager for Hope House Children`s Respite Hospice.

`Haggling`s not that common,` she told me.` But it does occur. We price goods according to what we think they`re worth.  If someone asks to pay less, we discuss it, hopefully over a bit of banter, and ultimately it`s down to the manager`s discretion. If the item is already priced low, then staff will stick to their guns.`

`People very kindly donate goods to us, to support the hospice,` she said, ` and we want to get a fair price for those items.`




So where do YOU draw the line? Is haggling just second nature for you, wherever you`re shopping? And if you`re in a charity shop, and you know you`re picking up a bargain--how often do you drop a couple of extra quid in the collecting tin on the counter, as a thankyou? I`d love to hear what you think--whether you`re a charity shop bargain hunter, or one of the army of volunteers behind the counter. Add a comment below, email jane@janemcintyre.co.uk , or tweet @janemcintyre12 . Thankyou!

Framed, cross stitch sampler (a charity shop gift for me today from my daughter)

ps. Like this? Try this!