Today the “Big Guy” and I are going on one of our winter monthly trips, they are affectionately known as a “Mini Cruise” they are in fact a P&O ferry to Rotterdam. We take this trip the first weekend of each month from September through to May each year (The summer months are too busy with weddings). We go in search of fabulous new things for us to sell in both shops, on this trip we are particularly looking for magical morsels of loveliness for Christmas.
We will arrive at Euro port and be awoken by the dulcet tones of the entertainment manager via the loud speaker at around 5:00am tomorrow morning, Jason is very economy conscious (the trip has to be viable) so we will eat the Madeleine’s I have prepared and yet to bake for breakfast. The cabin/cupboard is small (only one of us can stand up at a time) there is a small shower and this really gets you going as it has a Russian roulette quality about it. We are then invited to the car deck to disembark, we drive across country go on a short drive on drive off ferry at Rozenberg and arrive in Aalsmeer in time for the flower auction.
We do buy to bring back and also have other beautiful things sent on to us, we have the opportunity of viewing all the new varieties of fresh flowers, we can place orders for special flowers for forthcoming events and pick up samples for our event clients to see.
We eat in some dubious places, Jason loves the meatball pistolet, I myself am not keen and opt for the soup, the coffee is very good and very strong, and it keeps you going. We leave the Aalsmeer area around 5:00pm (When I have lost the will to live).
We always stop off in a village Maassluis to buy a whole cooked chicken (they cut it up for us thankfully) and some fresh apple cake this is our feast for the cabin on the way back, we wash it down with a bottle of duty free (helps us to sleep).
Besides the amazing flowers and the wonderful arty designer pieces we buy this trip has an absolutely free bi-product, Jason and I talk without interruption, the phones don’t work, there is no TV, there are no children, staff or customers to take our attention, we only have each other for a full 48 hours.
Now I know this sound slightly sad but I love it, this bi-product is the best bit, we have time to really thrash things out, discuss new ideas, and entirely talk ourselves into and out of some of my most ridiculous plans. I adore Jason he is a truly wonderful person not least for being prepared to spend 48 hours being browbeaten by me!
We will arrive at Euro port and be awoken by the dulcet tones of the entertainment manager via the loud speaker at around 5:00am tomorrow morning, Jason is very economy conscious (the trip has to be viable) so we will eat the Madeleine’s I have prepared and yet to bake for breakfast. The cabin/cupboard is small (only one of us can stand up at a time) there is a small shower and this really gets you going as it has a Russian roulette quality about it. We are then invited to the car deck to disembark, we drive across country go on a short drive on drive off ferry at Rozenberg and arrive in Aalsmeer in time for the flower auction.
We do buy to bring back and also have other beautiful things sent on to us, we have the opportunity of viewing all the new varieties of fresh flowers, we can place orders for special flowers for forthcoming events and pick up samples for our event clients to see.
We eat in some dubious places, Jason loves the meatball pistolet, I myself am not keen and opt for the soup, the coffee is very good and very strong, and it keeps you going. We leave the Aalsmeer area around 5:00pm (When I have lost the will to live).
We always stop off in a village Maassluis to buy a whole cooked chicken (they cut it up for us thankfully) and some fresh apple cake this is our feast for the cabin on the way back, we wash it down with a bottle of duty free (helps us to sleep).
Besides the amazing flowers and the wonderful arty designer pieces we buy this trip has an absolutely free bi-product, Jason and I talk without interruption, the phones don’t work, there is no TV, there are no children, staff or customers to take our attention, we only have each other for a full 48 hours.
Now I know this sound slightly sad but I love it, this bi-product is the best bit, we have time to really thrash things out, discuss new ideas, and entirely talk ourselves into and out of some of my most ridiculous plans. I adore Jason he is a truly wonderful person not least for being prepared to spend 48 hours being browbeaten by me!
I will post about our adventures on our return...
