Manua, Tohiti and Malacca rattan, how many poles would you like?

If anyone was curious about our whereabouts yesterday, we were absent because an order arrived - several tonnes of it. It had to be fork lifted from a huge curtainsider articulated lorry then manhandled bundle by bundle into the store.

This is Mr. FG standing in front of one "pole mountain", there are another four like this one. Tohiti skin off and on, Manau in all dimensions and some beautiful Malacca. You name it! Unfortunately today we are suffering the consequences of kidding ourselves on that we are still young and fit enough to hurl a 40+ kilo, 18 foot long bundle over one shoulder and nonchalantly throw it 5 feet in the air to land in perfect neat pile on the rack. The reality is quite different, huffing and puffing whilst fumbling under a random pile of pliable poles that have expertly knitted themselves together, then trying to lift them even to shoulder height and drag them unceremoniously onto the ever growing pile is closer to the mark! I started the day well, first bundle of Manau was properly tangled into the one below. Having manipulated my hands into place under the bundle, Mr FG at the other end of said bundle lifted it two feet into the air - I tried to lift, but the poles were still trapped into the one below, the bundle snapped back taking my left hand with it......Now some of you that know me may remember that I have long fingernails that are so hard they need cutting with toenail clippers, well I've found out that Manau poles do a much better job of trimming my nails than clippers! The falling bundle sheared my middle fingernail off just above the flesh, but the nail on my first finger didn't give way and ripped off a quarter of an inch into the pink fleshy zone below - you know the really painful bit? Blood spurted everywhere as I ran to get first aid, which was a pink plaster and some masking tape courtesy of our friend Keith. I found myself holding the fingernail that came off, what I thought I was going to do with it I have no idea!

Today Mr. FG has bruises, aches and pains in places he didn't even know he had......even his aches have got pains! So this afternoon we do it all again and then over the weekend we will be sorting, labelling and generally getting to grips with the pole pile. Meanwhile the washing machine is on making a vague attempt to remove the thick film of rattan dust that enveloped us completely, we looked like ghosts by the time we got home.

Thanks to Tom for driving the fork lift truck and Thomas for helping us all day - without you we would probably have been in hospital by now!

And so....if you fancy making some garden structures, walking sticks or furniture, give us a shout, we may just be able to help.

Happy days!!