'Rosie's Farmhouse Pantry' by Rosie Pugh

This is the start of a much longer piece in which Rosie Pugh describes the years she spent running her teashop.

I had been in Bridgnorth less than eighteen month’s when my husband, Keith, said we must think of something to add to the farm to bring in extra money.
A couple of month’s later, I had a dream in which I was serving tea and coffee with cakes and sandwiches. I shook Keith, in the middle of the night, and told him what I had dreamt. He said we should talk in the morning and that I was to go back to sleep. The dream was so real I was unable to return to sleep and eagerly waited. In the morning over breakfast we discussed it and finally he agreed that I could open a teashop.
It was then left to me to organise and find the information I needed as I had no idea what to do. I had to sort it all out and get the place ready which would involve turning our dining room, with just one table, into a tearoom.
It needed painting as it looked as if it had not been painted for many years. It was the same with the hall and the down stairs toilet. They were both a funny green colour and I wanted the room to be in antique pink and the hall in a pale peach. I set to and bought the paint and brushes and got on with the job. I was not an expert painter but I did quite well considering I was still working outside helping with the potatoes and doing my housework at the same time.
When the room was ready , I had to buy some tables and chairs but I could not afford anything upmarket so I went to a small shop near the cattle market outside Bridgnorth and they gave me three months credit and I bought some plastic ones to start with.
The porcelain cups, saucers and plates came from my sister-in-law Pollie. My table cloths and serviettes were altered so they matched and I added some white lace to make them prettier. Keith and I moved a large dresser into the dining room and placed ornaments and a beautiful, scented candle on the shelves.
Slowly things started to take shape as the place became bright and cheery. My son Garry called and I asked him if he would do a sign for me to hang up near the road. He agreed and suggested I call my teashop ’Rosie’s Farmhouse Pantry’. I thought this sounded delightful. He painted one red rose on a white board and he painted the writing in black.
The weekend I had planned for opening was approaching and I was suddenly gripped with fear. What was I letting myself in for? I was treading into the unknown. I was out of my depth. Deep down I knew I had no idea of how to run a teashop.