Vanities

 We've been here nearly a year and we're still finding new things in Eastbourne. It's nice to live in a town with that kind of depth. Yesterday we were coming out of Rustico (the pizza place- which we only found a week ago)) with Sandra and Hamdi and I said, "Can we just have a quick look in the window of that collectibles shop over there?" and Sandra, being bolder, said, "Let's go in." And it turned out to be the sort of shop I dream about- full of glorious junk- books, photographs, prints, toys- and spread over two floors- with a quirky elderly chap sitting behind the counter. I bought a Matchbox car- and could have bought several- but- as John Hurt said to Oliver Reed after Reed said he could drink him under the table, "Yes, I'm sure you could, Olly, but where's the fun in that?"

Earlier I'd bought The Age of The Renaissance- an enormous Thames and Hudson art book- from the National Trust shack at the Birling Gap. 600 illustrations, 180 in colour (and very good colour too) originally published in 1967 and costing £8 8s (which was a lot of money back then- and more than I could have afforded at 16- though I'd have been covetous.) It's in good condition too- complete with dust jacket. I paid £5.00. 

I am very fortunate. My taste in vanities runs to things that nobody else particularly wants.