22/12/2023
It’s been a terrible year for my family and I’ll be happy to wave goodbye to 2023. A few months ago two of the most important influences on my life and two of my biggest supporters passed away.
To say we were rocked to our very core is an understatement. Nothing could possibly prepare us for that six week period in Summer 23. While we were not prepared, we were very much consoled and supported by our family, neighbours and friends.
When we stumble there’s somebody there to pick us up. For us it’s not our parents or grandparents any more but other willing people ready to step into the gap.
Jim and Nonie were well looked after by the medical staff of the various facilities they had occasion to interact with between January and July 2023. The carers and ancillary staff were just as and sometimes even more important and everyone worked together to make Jim and Nonie’s last weeks as memorable and comfortable as humanly possible.
For this we are very grateful.
To avoid reality I buried myself in work. Mr Sports Gift and The Funky Gift Shop have been my happy place for a long time now but in the last few months I found special refuge…. just me, the fire and the dog.
It is easier to hide away but, wherever I hid, our loyal and supportive customers found me and got me out of my own head. Some of them know they helped. Some of them helped without knowing ….but everyone helped.
In all small businesses, the path is uneven and strewn with obstacles. It can be isolating and lonely at the best of times and downright depressing in the worst of times.
Eventually reality dawned
I have decided that Mr Sports Gift and The Funky Gift Shop will be taking a good long break from today. Thank you for your support to date and your patience at this time.
Now is the time to rethink, redesign and maybe even relocate our business proposition. Now is the time to take action before it’s too late. A business without a plan is just a dream and doomed to fail. I’m not letting this fail.
This will take as long as it takes but WATCH THIS SPACE!
