I think it may have been at my third Chelsea fair that I had my very best show. The second one went really well also, It was this second Show when a Lady came to my stand and bought a good few bowls, I was putting one after another on top of a wide radiator stand that was in the corridor opposite my stand. This worked so well. My stand was in the side corridor, this was quite wide, the stand was 8foot long 3foot wide tapering of to the top shelf to 1foot wide that was 6foot high. I had shelves made from a Ceder of Lebanon tree that I had felled down in Craig-y-Nos, this was the former home of the opera singer Adelina Patti. These shelves were left untreated, just planed smooth and sandpaper finish. The most beautiful smell came off these shelves once they got warm, My stand had the such a draw, just from how it smelt. Now lets get back to the Lady buying bowls, soon there was a few bowls on the radiator top, by the way this radiator was cool, not switched on. There for me to wrap ready for her to take. When she had bought all the ones she wanted, then I totted up and the Lady paid, Yes she really was a Lady, it said so on the Coutts bank cheque I was handed. I started getting them wrapped up, when the Lady said, " My Chauffeur will call later to pick them up. It`s been my pleasure to meet and talk with you today". The she was gone. Just how the other half live. Many Celebrities came around Chelsea, a bit like the Garden show, the place to be seen. Nice people, nice show and a nice time. I always looked forwards to that week. I was very fortunate to have got in so many times. The period from the mid eighties through to 1990 was extremely hard for me, Work wise. Long hours, a load of travelling from delivering to getting around the many craft fairs I done. Very early mornings to Late nights . Time moves on, but back now to the craft fairs. St, Donat`s Castle was a favourite. In the ground was a former castle, restored by Randolf Hurst, a very wealthy American. The Arts centre and Atlantic collage are always very busy. The Fairs there were held during holiday periods, when most students were back at with Family at their home Going back to Chelsea now, at another time. I had just got into the Town Hall, for the opening on the first day. It was just after eight in the morning ready to open at eight thirty. I was so surprised, no sooner had the doors opened to the public , when this lady came directly to my stand. " Wonderful", that was her first words. Then the lady went on, " I have come straight from Heathrow, I flew in on Concord, wonderful aeroplane, I am flying back later today to have lunch with friends in New York." My word, just how small is the world getting. This Lady was on a Mission. She said she had come the previous year and I only had one Burr Elm bowl left and she had bought that, although I had not remembered her, it was always so busy, I was usually very good at remembering faces, But for some reason not this one, A year in such a busy life, I was bound to miss placed some events in my mind.. Well This lady wanted to see all the burr bowl I had. Some where still in boxes down in the store. Lucky for me the stairs down to the store room where just on the corner by my stand. I was very organised back then, the burr bowls all in the same box, and marked BURRS. I came up with four nice ones. I never displayed more than one big burr bowl at a time, keeping them very Special. I had lots of Burr wood, but to a lot of other woodturners it was expensive and very hard to come by. My first day, my first sales, the Lady had all five. These bowls ranged from 18" diameter down to 14" diameter, all of them turned very fine, most no more than a three eight wall thickness, very light to pack and carry. I wrapped then all very neatly, nice soft tissue and fine bubble wrap. Putting them one inside the other in sizes they went into a tidy box and where taped up ready to goin her hand luggage. Off she went, such a big smile on her face, you would have though the lady had just purchased the Crown Jewels. I too was grinning from ear to ear. My first day, my first sale, and already up into four figures in money. That Chelsea was my best ever, I went with twelve large boxes of work, returning home after the 6 days with only enough work to fill one box. A nice light car for my journey home.