Trees and People

This is probably the longest I have ever gone without blogging. How's things I hear you cry? Well, currently I am selling trees (the Christmas Forest, Richmond) again - my 3rd year, and this year I have taken to the helm, and I must admit that it's been quite enjoyable. Generally the staff have seemed happy so far, and I've found it quite invigorating making decisions and being the guy everyone asks for help from. Don't think this means I'm planning a career as a suit, tie, briefcase and blackberry man, oh no. I couldn't stand such a life - anything involving being crammed onto a train like getting wide christmas trees through the 45cm diameter netting machine every day wouldn't suit me. But yes, trees have been sold.

I've often reached the point during this season where I've suddenly become amazed at the sheer size of the population of Richmond/London/the UK/the World. After a huge weekend where people have been queuing the whole length of the place, I think surely there can't be any more people who need Xmas trees - but of course there are. Like that time I was walking down the road and saw (and actually registered their presence for the 1st time) all the TV aerials on the roofs of houses and realised just how many houses there must be in the country (and subsequently how much money the BBC must make from TV licencing!).

These two pictures are of the Richmond Forest, sneakily taken from the back of a huge flat-back we'd filled with dead trees. Throwing trees onto the back of that lorry if TOUGH work - even dead trees - that weigh half of normal because they have no needles... I have a new level of respect for the warehouse people.