Tap tap tap tap

January. And the beginning of the longest quiet spell in the shop. It's never totally predictable, but every January sees the beginning of a three month period with a dramatic drop in footfall and accompanying trade. It's welcome in a way, after the relative bustle of the Christmas run-in, but also it's the time of year I can no longer put off the things I have been avoiding. I am a very good procrastinator.

Paperwork, tidying the stock room, breaking rough rock and other delights await. I can also have a much better idea of how much money I'll be able to take to America to spend on stock, so I can start making a more detailed shopping list. It's going to be an expensive trip this year, with the way the pound has fallen against the dollar. At least it's a few months until the Euro buying trip. Some time for the pound to crawl out of its corner after a little wound-licking.

The money I take over December dictates what I can spend in Tucson. I need to spend a fairly large amount to financially justify the trip, but it's very important for the business that I go. There are a few stock lines that I only buy there, once a year, and while I could proabbly get them through a UK based dealer, I would be paying far more and not getting to hand pick each specimen. So - quality and price would suffer.

Usually, I have a list of essentials that I need to buy first, then see what's left afterwards for anything new and interesting. I always come back with something different for the more regular customers.

So. Time to make the list. Well - tomorrow maybe.