Flanagan & Allen

About six weeks ago, we ordered three garden arches. The Wessex Forge, from whence they were purchased, promised perfectly rusted iron arches with curly bits.

I figured we’d just order them, pay then they’d turn up in a few days. That is, after all, how our Internet purchases usually happen. That is not the case with Wessex Forge.

After three weeks, I called them up, worrying that we’d been scammed. But no, I was assured, the arches were being made as I spoke. MADE? Wow, I thought, you order them and they then set to and make them. This means they are going to be completely ours! Not just made in advance and sitting in a shed somewhere. Brilliant, I thought.

Well, I was right. They ARE brilliant. They turned up today. And can I say, right off, that the Wessex Forge is fantastic. Great product, great service and seriously great rust.

I set to erecting two of them – they come in four pieces each. I then took one apart because I’d put the curly bits the wrong way round. I then erected them again. And I reckon they look splendid. Here’s the first one, just off the bottom step, arching over the beginning of the path and just before the office.

Okay, it looks a bit bare at the moment but, eventually (and hopefully) it will have things climbing and growing all over it. The second one is further down the path, leading into the Summer Garden. The third one had to wait for important planning discussions to be had with Mirinda before final placement was decided.

Apart from arches, most of the day was spent doing housework and taking the dogs up to the Park. Here’s Emma looking mighty pleased with herself:

She’d just finished having a right go at a woman walking along. She often does this and it’s very embarrassing. She will just stand and bark, her tail wagging furiously. If the person approaches her to pat and pacify her, she’ll just run away before starting in barking again.

This time I picked her up and let the woman stroke her (she’s fine being stroked while I hold her), explaining how she’s only a baby and not sure about humans yet. The woman was fine with it and reckoned Emma was just saying hello. I thought it wise not to mention her genetic links to the yappiest dog in the whole of the South East.