Marjorie Granger Smiling In The Garden, Page 2

  Later on that afternoon, she busied herself making a huge arrangement of red robin branches and forsythia and putting pine cones on sticks in with the mix, it looked amazing. She took a picture of it and put it on the computer. She had thought about doing a blog of herself to promote her business, which she was going to call Marjorie’s Marigolds

  Chapter 10

  Marjorie trawled the internet looking for ideas on how to start her flower shop. She looked up renting agents to find out which shops were for sale in her local area, they all seemed rather expensive. However, she was planning to get some other people involved so that she could possibly spread the cost, and make it more of a proper business.

  She decided that she would enrol in a business course at the local college so that she could get some background knowledge as she had virtually none, apart from the period of time she was an Avon lady in her local road, and had to do her own accounts then, and then the other time when she was the treasurer at her local adult education writing group that she belonged to.

  Marjorie looked up local colleges on the internet and found a business start-up course that was due to start in the autumn of this year.

  She phoned them up.

  “Hello, my name is Marjorie Granger I am looking to join a course to start my own floristry business”.

  “Ok, let me see what courses we have” said the female voice on the other end of the phone. Marjorie’s mind wandered while she was being put on hold, and she thought about her new arrangement of “Sing Hosannah” that she was going to try out at this weekends wedding at the church were she would be playing the piano.

  Marjorie loved to play the piano at home. She played lots of lengthy classical pieces, if she had a stressful day at work, then the interweaving melodies seemed to obliterate this, and send her into another world. She played it for a couple of hours before Len got home from work, because otherwise he would complain that she was playing too loudly.

  She was the holiday cover pianist for the local church, and had played at a few weddings and christenings. She had seen some marvellous wedding dresses and witnessed some screaming beautiful babies! She had become an expert on which was the perfect figure for a wedding dress, and had seen some interesting creations!

  Her favourite hymn to play at a wedding was “All Things Bright And Beautiful” as everyone always enjoyed singing that and she did not have to be a sympathetic pianist filling in the gaps.

  “Hello, Robinsville Bank Business Beginnings Gill speaking, how can I help you?”

  “Oh Hello” said Marjorie in her best telephone voice, I would like to start my own floristry business and I would like some advice please”

  “Ok, let me send you our introductory pack” said Gill, in a Manchester accent.

  “Can I have your address please?”

  “Yes, it’s 7 George Street, Robinsville, RZ3 PLT” quoted Marjorie.

  “And your name?” asked Gill

  “Marjorie Granger” said Marjorie.

  “Ok, thankyou very much we will be posting you our information pack, good luck with your business venture” said Gill

  “Thankyou very much” enthused Marjorie.

  She put the phone down and flushed with anticipation and excitement.

  Chapter 11

  Caroline Spence sat in the coffee shop in Jeffery and Jackson sipping her espresso coffee. The coffee shop had a Parisian theme, with lots of red leather chairs and black and white pictures everywhere. Cupcakes and Chocolate cake and shortbread were displayed beautifully in the middle of the café by the tills, it all looked delicious. Caroline chose a pink cupcake with glittery icing. She had just bought herself a lovely red pashmina from the haberdashery department. It was a rich Italian red, and the wool of the pashmina was soft like cashmere. She stroked it with her well manicured hand, she like good quality things.

  She had been very excited to meet Marjorie Granger to give her the money her mother had left her, it was nice to meet mothers’ friends. Marjorie’s house seemed warm and welcoming and smelt of fruit cake and instant coffee.

  She stared down at her espresso, she always preferred that to instant really, she liked to enjoy the high life when she could.

  In the eighties she worked as a manager of an estate agent, which she really enjoyed, however she often heard the junior office staff whispering to each other that she was “up her own arse” which always made her frown angrily as she had to walk past them to get to the coffee machine.

  She had enjoyed a privileged childhood with ponies and private education and the prohibition of dating the staff of Stockholm Sofas, which was the shop opposite the newsagents where she had a Saturday job. The boys from there used to come in and chat her up on their lunch break, she tried to educate them a bit more by asking them to help her with the crossword but they had just laughed at her and taken the rise out of her posh voice. Eventually she got quite friendly with one of them and used to meet him behind the local Wimpy on a Tuesday after school. She sighed and shivered when the memory of it came flooding back.

  She wanted to get to know Marjorie better and decided to invite her over for coffee one day.

  It was Tuesday afternoon at Robinsville School where Marjorie worked. Marjorie was mopping the floor and planning her floristry venture.

  “I won’t need to work in this place anymore once I’ve made my fortune in floristry” declared Marjorie.

  “ Well in that case I’d like a bunch of red roses hand delivered every Saturday morning” exclaimed Irene, who was unloading the dishwasher.

  “I’ve got an appointment with my bank manager on Friday to discuss my Business Plan” said Marjorie.

  “Oh, my daughter works at your bank, she said she thought it was you on the phone the other day, good luck, I hope you get what you want.”

  “Thanks” said Marjorie.

  The rest of the afternoon went quickly and Marjorie walked happily home down the hill with her IPod on. She had just downloaded the latest album by “Trudy and the Treetops” which was kind of folksy rock, which she really enjoyed listening to.

  Chapter 11

  It was a lovely summers’ day and there were some lovely flowers around. Marjorie had grown a beautiful clematis up her house, which she had put their about three years previously. Now it was growing in great abundance and looked beautiful with lovely purple flowers on it.

  She got in through the front door and noticed that the answer phone was flashing. It was a message from Caroline Spence.

  “Hi Marjorie, I just phoned up to see how you are? Are you still going ahead with your floristry venture? We must catch up for a coffee, please ring me soon”.

  Marjorie smiled as she heard the message then quickly phoned Caroline back.

  “Hello Caroline, how are you?” she asked.

  “I’m good, thankyou” said Caroline “It would be lovely to se you again, how are you getting on?, are you free next week?”

  “Yes I’m free on Wednesday or Friday, which one is good for you?”

  “Wednesday would be good for me, shall we meet in the café at Jeffrey and Jackson?”

  “Yes” said Marjorie “That sounds lovely.”

  The following Wednesday was a dull day and quite cloudy. Marjorie walked to Jeffrey and Jackson from the bus stop with Lens’ big golf umbrella. Everyone was moaning about the bad weather on the bus as if it was the end of the world. Marjorie wished they would cheer up as they were bringing her down as well.

  Soon the bus was stopping just outside Jeffery and Jackson; there was a lovely spring Easter egg display in the window with some beautiful green raincoats and brightly coloured Easter eggs. They had even put a bottle of champagne in the window.

  Marjorie walked up the escalator and into the café to meet Caroline.

  Caroline was sitting at a table by the window. The café looked large and posh, and Marjorie was worried that she would not have enough change for a cup of tea as she had spent all her money
on the NCP car park just outside the shopping mall.

  “Hello Marjorie, lovely to see you again” Caroline enthused.

  “Ah Caroline, what a pleasure” said Marjorie.

  “I must tell you about how my florist plans are going” said Marjorie.

  “I have told a few of my friends about it, and I am having a coffee morning to celebrate next week, you are welcome to come to it, how have you been by the way?”

  “I’ve been fine” said Caroline “I’ve been doing lots of rehearsals for my up and coming production of “An Inspector Calls” that I have been directing for my local theatre group”

  “That sounds exciting” said Marjorie “The Children at my school do lovely plays all the time, sometimes I help make the costumes”.

  “Ooh do you” enthused Caroline, “perhaps you could help my lot out, we are not very experienced dressmakers and usually have to send stuff away.

  Chapter 12

  It was 9.00 and the day of Marjorie’s coffee morning. She had decided to have it in the local church hall and invite some flower arranging people that she knew and some cup cake entrepreneurs.

  The church hall was large and old and had been used by lots of other people. Rick the domino club man was there putting up some curtains and the premises manager was also there clearing out some cupboards.

  Marjorie had invited her friends Jean and Jenny to help her set up some nice flower displays and then there was a lady coming at 10am to set up a cake stall. She had made a huge banner with the children at school at lunchtime last Wednesday that said “Marjorie’s Marigolds” in huge capitals letters which were collaged with flowers.

  Marjorie’s daughter Jenny had decided to visit as well. She drove up in her ford fiesta and Marjorie saw her out of the window. She arrived carrying a huge bunch of lilies and Agapanthus for Marjorie. Marjorie hugged her and said “How lovely to see you.”

  Jenny went inside and introduced herself to the other ladies. The hall was getting noisy now with the hustle and bustle of people. The green walls were adorned with photos and posters of flowers and tables stood against them with blooms and blends of botanical bliss.

  Jean had bought with her a lovely pink and white spotted tablecloth to display the flowers on.

  Marjorie brought out some arrangements that she had already made. There was a beautiful display of white chrysanthemums and white lilies, and then there was a lovely gold pot full of lavender and red carnations. She told everyone who visited the launch that her shop would be ready soon, which was a lie really as she was still halfway through looking at properties with estate agents.

  Last Thursday, she and Len had visited a shop in Blackton which was a small village near where she lived, it looked really perfect, but Marjorie felt quite nervous about it.

  Presently, Caroline Spence arrived with three of her friends to support the occasion; she looked very glamorous in a red suit with a huge corsage of Irises on it.

  Marjorie went over to her and introduced her to her daughters and Len, and then she went into the kitchen and made tea for everyone. Caroline and Jenny brought it out into the hall on silver trays. The teacups and saucers were light green and had come from the church hall kitchen.

  A glamorous woman with long dark brown hair called Trina came in with her baby and said that she would be interested in helping in the shop if Marjorie needed anyone. She was wearing a large leopard print coat and bright pink Dr Marten boots with black jeans. Marjorie said yes please, Trina seemed enthusiastic and full of ideas.

  As she was at her business launch and it was quiet, Marjorie decided to give the property agent a ring.

  “Hello, its Marjorie Granger here I would like to have a second look at that shop in Blackton please”

  “Ok” said the property agent “Would 10am tomorrow morning be ok?”

  “Yes, that would be great” said Marjorie excitedly.

  Len popped in to see how they were getting on and also to ask what he could have for dinner. He was very cautious in the kitchen and did not like to cook on his own “I’ll leave him a list next time” thought Marjorie.

  Chapter 13

  It was 10am, and a beautiful day, Marjorie drove to the shop in Blackton. Blackton was a small village that was near her; unfortunately she got caught in quite a bit of traffic and was nearly late. There seemed to be quite a few farm vehicles about.

  Finally she got to the shop at 10.10am; the property agent was waiting for her by the door.

  The shop looked perfect, it looked very homely maybe it needed a bit of renovation, she was not sure whether this was a good thing or a bad thing but it could be put right with some new paint, big pictures and shop fittings she thought. She began to plan it all in her head and she made notes in a notebook and took pictures with her digital camera.

  She put in an offer there and then with the letting agent and then drove home full of anticipation.

  When she was driving home it seemed to take longer than usual, she could not see very well as it was quite foggy and there were lots of forests near where the village was with the shop in. Eventually she got back onto the motorway and the road home, and Len was waiting for her with a cup of tea. She told him all about the shop, he thought she was a little hasty putting an offer in there and then, but said that they would cross that bridge when they came to it.

  The next morning she was back at school making pastry for steak and kidney pie, she put all the ingredients together then mixed it up and made some lovely pastry, then got some lovely steak out of the freezer along with some frozen vegetables and put everything together.

  It was very satisfying making a steak and kidney pie, she was not sure whether she would miss this if the floristry business took off. She would not be able to hold down the dinnerlady job and the new floristry venture, so that was another bridge to cross and another thing to worry for three days about telling Len about. He was starting to frown a lot and watch reruns of Top Gear, when she wanted to watch reruns of “The Blue Peter Garden”.

  She got home and stood in the garden. It was a spring day and all her daffodils and tulips were out. She had also planted some pansies and new lavender bushes. The lawn needed mowing but it could wait till the weekend.

  To be continued……