Grumbles

[calissa]

The weather outside this afternoon is absolutely gorgeous: the sun is shining and even though there is snow on the hills the temperature is reasonably warm. It would be the perfect day to do some gardening but I am down and out with a cold. I'm finding it difficult to be gracious about this--my To-Do list is rather long but my body refuses to have a bar of it. I've already had one nap today and am starting to feel in need of a second one.

After several difficult weeks, I seem to have settled into a writing routine. It probably helps that my gaming schedule has quietened down somewhat, with the Robin Hood campaign wrapping up and Cenotaph set to shortly. I'm not managing much in terms of word count, but just stringing together a couple of writing sessions has helped improve my outlook.

If you follow me on social media, you're probably aware of my outrage over the closure of one of my favourite tea stores. Adore Tea is a local business that first opened up at a village of boutique stores over the far side of town. They did so well for themselves that they were able to open up stalls at two shopping centres owned by Westfield. One was over my side of town and it was extra special because not only did it sell looseleaf tea but it also did take-away tea using specially modified coffee machines. Although the shopping centre was still a bit of a drive from my place, it was where my mum and I would go whenever we wanted an outing out and another friend and I would order their special of the week to take into the cinema whenever we were off to watch a movie.

The stall at the other shopping centre closed some time ago and yesterday I came across an announcement that the stall at the local shopping mall was closing too. T2 (a big chain selling packaged tea and accessories--but no take-away tea) had recently been installed quite close to the Adore Tea stall. Westfield raised Adore's rent, then terminated their lease, giving them just 24 hours to move out.

Adore had a sale where I picked up the following:



I am totally disgusted by Westfield's treatment of Adore Tea and will no longer be shopping at their malls. This isn't a hardship because I rarely go there and I find T2's tea to be of inferior quality. However, it does mean that I'll have to travel quite a distance to the nearest decent tea shop (the Tea Centre) and further afield if I want visit Adore Tea.

Comments

[darakat]

I totally agree that T2 is inferior. It doesn't tatse nearly as good. T2 is owned by Unilever (whom aslo own Lipton and Ben and Jerry's amoung others) so can easily absorb the costs of rent Westfeild are charging. Its been something Westfeild have been doing for some time, letting small shops in, then when a big chain that does the same thing comes along overcharging rent for them so the big chain can take them down. Often this is because Westfield owns a stake in the buisness of the big chain.

Sad really.

Wish I could stop shopping at Westfield, but all our shopping centers are in some way owned by them :(.

[calissa]

Do Westfield also have a stake in Civic? I'll be doubly grumbly if that's the case. I know that Tuggeranong aren't really any better in terms of their practices, so I think I need to do a reassessment of the way I shop.

[darakat]

I think its owned by St George Bank but the management is outsourced Westfeild, but don't hold me to it. Further digging needed, it is midnight at this stage.

[calissa]

All good. Thank you!

[onewhitecrow]

That is wicked of the mall - I hope all the Adore Tea customers forsake the place as you have. Looks like you got some amazin' sale teas, though, even if it's for a sad reason.

As for gardening...how about a garden chair/rug nap instead? Then you could be outside and theoretically planning what to do when you're well. People need rests sometimes, too.

I like this luminous cloud's shadow and crystalline quality...reminds me of autumn. [sigh] I have enough of summer quite quickly, though with the cloud cover it was relatively dark by 11 last night, enough to require lights in the house.

[calissa]

Very wicked. There were a lot of unhappy customers at the sale and I know a few of my friends will likewise be avoiding that shopping centre from now on.

I ended up reading on the couch in the sunshine, but a few days ago I spent some time out in the hammock, dog on my lap and cup of tea in hand. It was fantastic. There's a thick fog this morning, so little chance of enjoying the sun today unless it clears up quickly (which doesn't look likely).

All that light must be exhausting. How quickly do the days shorten after the solstice?

[onewhitecrow]

I hope the local company bounces back from the loss of that outlet/publicity, at least.

I eeeeenvy your hammock. Also the trees to tie it to - mid to late summer I get most treesick, since summers when I was growing up were spent largely up trees.

Considering it's dig season - which means 9-odd hour days, often trying to Social, I'm not sure I can judge the effects of the light alone, save that I occasionally accidentally stay up all 'night', lacking a cue to go to bed...
Noticeably but not dramatically, though the effect is most visible around the solstices. It's half midnight now, the darkest it'll get, and I can see across my room without the light on, though not colours. I...will go to sleep now.

[calissa]

I hope so, too. As I said, they have a lot of support in the community but they also lost a lot of money on that outlet.

My hammock is hung from hooks in the pergola, so no trees. However, I do have a couple of trees in my backyard. We recently cut them back because they were threatening to take over the whole yard. They grow back vigorously, however, and I'm looking forward to seeing them go nuts again in spring.

It sounds like there's a lot going on for you at the moment. I hope you managed some sleep.

[clare_dragonfly]

That's awful that they would throw the tea shop out with so little warning! T2 must have come to some strange agreement with them. I wonder if that's even legal.

At least you won't have to buy tea for a while, with all the nice ones you've bought!

[calissa]

I was rather wondering the same thing.

That's true and definitely a silver lining! I also made a trip to the Tea Centre just recently, so I am well and truly stocked up.