Martin Cash in the Attic

Welcome to the programme that loves to rumage around your home looking

auction to sell so that you can raise funds for a special project

or treat. It's not often I find myself in

such remote and spectacular scenery as this. So it's going to be

interesting to see what turns up when we begin our search for Cash

Coming up on Cash In The Attic, a magnificent 18th Century Portrait

sets its sights on a trip to auction. I've known it all my life

but I used to dislike him because his eyes followed me in all

directions. Persian pottery gets a weighty valuation. Put that down,

it looks ever so heavy! Dear me! A night on the tiles!

And, might there be a reason to celebrate following a day in the

sale room? Incredible! And, that's just a taster. There's

plenty more excitement ahead before the final fall of the hammer. Today,

I'm Suhr surrounded by the mountains of Perthshire in Scotland

artist Fiona Martin was born in Dundee. After a long career

teaching French, she met and married Daily Mail, a vicar with a

real passion for music. -- Dale. They set about building their dream

home in the heart of Scotland. Dale passed away before the house was

completed but Fiona is still here, keeping herself busy with her

painting and gardening. Fiona has three children from a previous

marriage, plus five grandchildren, including Charity, who'll be

helping us with the rumage today. Hi-fi owe that and Charity.Ic see

why you like to spend time in the kitchen, you have stunning views.

Lovely place to come and spend time with granny isn't it? Yes. Do you

use the lake a lot? We visit every year, yes. Tell me why you have

called in cash in the attic? have seen the garden, it's on a

slope and I want to be able to mow it as long as possible so I want to

get rid of the steepest part of the lawn and plant it up with some

really nice shrubs and flowers. want to make it manageable? Yes.

you can sit out and enjoy the view? Absolutely. How much do you think

this will cost? Well, I would like to think I could make �1,000, but

if I could make a bit more, I would be delighted. Paul Hayes has a

great eye for antiques. I think he's going to have fun today

helping us find things that we are going to take to action. Shall we

go and find him? Not only is this a lovely house in an amazing location,

it also seems to be full of antiques and collectibles. Our

expert Paul is already a picture of activity.

Hi, Paul. How are you? All right? This is fi you that and who are you

gazing at? -- Fiona. Who is he? have always referred to him as

Bonny prince Charlie but I'm not sure. It came from my mother's side,

probably from my grandfather. It was hung on the stairs in the house

when I was a child. I've known it all my life, it used to frighten me

because his eyes used to follow me in all directions. He looks a young

Bonnie prince Charlie. It could be him. It looks amazing. When you

look at the late 1600-1800s, it could be. Do you know anything

about it or who painted it? There is a catalogue which exists and

it's in that cupboard there. It dates from 19 22. This one? Yes.

Look at that! When it was sold off. As far as I know, this was in the

family before 19 22. A lot of the stuff my grandfather had was sold

off and various members of the family bought it back.

It says oil painting in gilt frame by Godfrey Kneller. Who do we know

about him? He's one of Britain's best known paintings. He painted

all the Royal Family and the parent people of the day. So earlier than

this, he was doing people like Sir Isaac Newton, the Hampton Court

beauties, all the ladies in waiting at Hampton court and all the

Monarchs. Bonnie Prince Charlie would have been one of the ones he

did. He's tremendously famous, absolutely first class. So if it's

genuine, what period are we looking at? Late 1700-1720, that sort of

time. Are you able to put a value on it? Unfortunately, I'm not. What

I would like to do is to get someone who specialises in that

period to authenticate it. If it's right, it's a masterpiece, a very

good picture indeed! Which we would then be able to take to action?

You don't want him in the house any more following you around? I can

live without it. Well, what an intriguing start!

We'll get to work finding out more about that enigmatic 18th Century

Portrait, but for now, we still have to find �1,000.

This is a very orderly but characterful home which almost

invites us to rumage through its many rooms and countless nooks and

crannies. It's not long before granddaughter Charity unearths her

first item. Paul, look at this. Where are you?

Ah. Now then, here we go. That's nice isn't it. Does it belong to

your granny? Probably my great, great grandfather, Thomas McKenzie

and I think it's been passed down the family to my great granny, then

grandma. A family heirloom? I think so. Chances are he was out in Japan

or the Far East about 100 years ago I think. This is maybe 1870, 1900,

that time. The Chinese had the secret of making blue and white

porcelain earlier than we had, something like 2,000 years and

Japan were a may skpwror manufacturer of this vase about the

turn of the century -- major. It has an off white almost blue colour

to it. When the ash tist would paint this, it goes on black --

artist. When it gets fired, it turns blue in the kiln, but it's

very difficult to get the correct shading. It ranges from an almost

black to very light blue. It's instantly recognisable but its

orange peel effect, it has a bluish tinge to the porcelain and can you

see the pit marks? Yes. That tells me it's a genuine typical vase of

the 19th century. Do you recognise that flower? No. It's a

chrysanthemum and that's the national flower of Japan,

representing peace and harmony, so it's often depicted on porcelain of

that period. It's a nice item. If I said around �100, how is that or

�150, sound all right to you? Shall we send that one to auction?

Yes. Do you know any Japanese? Thank you very much. Thank you Paul,

that's �100 into our pot. But we still have a long way to go if we

are to reach �1,000 for Fiona's garden make-over. I spy this rather

grand pair of Victorian Bali twist walnut candle sticks. Belonging to

Fiona's late husband, they were made in 1851 for the great

exhibition held in Crystal Palace. These have Ivory embellishment

September into the mounts and Paul thinks they should get more of a

fliblger of interest at auction -- flicker of interest. Now then,

Fiona, he is nice. Isn't he? Where has he come from? Grandfather was

an avid collector and these were the things he seemed to like to

collect. He had a really good eye actually. Did he buy from auction

houses or country sales? I honestly don't know where he got them from.

I imagine, it's a French name... You are right. A famous French

manufacturer made this, but this could have been bought in this

country when it was imported and exported all the time. What he was

famous for were animal studies, equestrian and those sorts of

things. This is a sporting Dane. I love the fact that he created and

captured good movement. Whereas stoic and posed animals were made,

he captured them mid flight, if you like. This one looks as though the

dog is about to catch something on a hunt. This is a bronze item, it's

beautifully done. Bronze is distinctive. Shows through almost

like a brass colour. Is that the original base? Should it sit on

something else? It had a wood base and over the years that's

disappeared. The bronze itself is still in remarkable condition, it's

lovely. It's not sentimental to you? I do like it very much but I

can let him go because I've got his big brother. Really? Yes. A

slightly larger one. A lovely 19th century example here. It could be

used as a desk ornament or paper weight, but if I said a couple of

hundred? What, never! For that little thing? Yes. Good grief!

Will Paul's high hopes for the bronze dog lead to an exciting

result on auction day? 80 - 5, 100, 130. A thrilling day still to come

in the sale room. With all that snow outside, it's

feeling cosy in here, but let's not get too comfortable, still lots to

do. I have a feeling we have a pretty fair chance of finding more

treasures and, sure enough, Charity's rumaged through the side

board and turned up this 18th century brass snuff box which is

ingraved with what looks like tavern scenes. Snuff boxes are now

largely a relic of a once popular practice which was fashionable for

gentlemen to have in the 199 centuries. Fiona bought this a few

years ago and there is a keen collector's market for examples in

good condition. This one has a faur bit of wear and

tear but Paul's estimate of �60-�80 is not to be sneezed at. -- fair

bit of wear and tear. Wonderful to be here in your sitting room

getting the benefit of the amazing view. How did you come to build

this house? My husband was taking services in the little church up

here and we just fell in love with this area and saw a plot for sale

and bought it. We sold our house, moved into a

rented house and oversaw the building. Sadly, he didn't live to

see it? No, he died in the August. I moved in the November and he had

died in the August, so yes, that was sad. But he saw it growing so

knew what it was going to be like? He was very enthusiastic about it,

very much looking forward to having a grand piano with the good

acoustics in the hall, but it didn't happen unfortunately.

did you meet? Through a match- making friend. A second marriage

for me. I'd been on my own with the children for three years and this

friend was determined I was going to meet this vicar in the dales and

I kept ducking the issue and trying to avoid it. Several dinner parties

were set up and I found excuses not to be there. Eventually I gave in,

met him and we just hit it off. was whirlwind, wasn't it? I suppose

it was, we met in February and married in November so we didn't

hang around. I think neither of us could face travelling another

winter. The road up from where I was living near Darlington was

horrendous so we decided we'd stop the travelling and just live

together. Officially. Legally! Well, I'm sure that Dale would have

been proud to see how things turned out for Fiona and this lovely home

he helped her design. Time moves on and there are still plenty of

special pieces to discover. Fiona's browse through her book shelves

result in this 1910 edition of the Rubait, written by an 11th century

poet, Omar Khayam. They've proven consistently popular since they

were rewritten. This edisis in good condition and could make up to �100.

Paul, have you got Charity with you? I have. Come and take a look

at this. You know what that is? Straightaway, yes. Do you know?

tea caddie. Bet your granny never made you tea out of that, did she?

No. Where did it come from? It was my great grannies and they used it

for tea in the house when they were using gas lamps. I think it's been

passed down to my grandma. This is beautiful. Made from rosewood and

it's distinctive and popular at this time with its black band that

runs through it. Can you see that? Very distinctive grain and

beautifully done. This was made about 1800-1820 and it's a Regency.

The whole shake is a sarcophagus shape, popular at that time and

it's been inlaid with mother of pearl and someone would carve out

the shape and reinsert the same shape in morbt of pearl to get that

wonderful design -- mother of pearl. Tea was expensive so they kept it

locked away. That would stop any butlers or maids in the house

helping themselvess to your tea. In the compartments, you would have

the black tea and the green tea and they could be blended. Sometimes

you would find these larger with a mixing bowl to blend the tea

together. How much do you think we might make for it in action? It's

in remarkable condition -- action. They split at the back sometimes,

but this is in lovely condition and it's 200 years old and almost as

new. I think that would go for �150, maybe �200. Sounds good. When you

think that nowadays we probably keep tea in a tin tea caddie, but

they put such care and love to produce such a beautiful thing.

Exactly. Wonderful. That will buy a few plants for the garden, won't

it? Shall we continue looking. That gives us an impressive estimate,

but still plenty of work to do. Fiona's search through her dresser

unearths this eye-catching set of six hand printed comport plates.

Paul thinks they could be Minton who were the most popular suppliers

of dinner wear for Embassies and heads of state. These always prove

popular at auction and with this floral pattern set from 1890, we

think it could serve us well at �50-100. Meanwhile, Paul's quest

for collectibles draws him to this pair of miniatures which belonged

to Fiona's grandfather. They're dated 1780 and are an early example

of fine Jas ter wear, a type of unglazed stone ware first

introduced by Wedgwood -- Jasperwear. Miniatures like these

were popular in the 18th and 19th centuries and still command high

prices. Paul puts a �100-�150 estimate on them.

Fiona, you have wonderful paintings all over if house the house, but

there's no mistaking the artist here, because it's you, isn't it?

Yes. How long have you been painting The last ten years on and

off. A very talented family. You sing in a choir, don't you? In the

local community choir, yes, which is just for fun. I'm strictly a

back row singer. Charity's the soloist. Yeah. I was in a cathedral

choir and then I'm in a chamber choir and girls' choir. Tell me

more about your gardening background? Your father was a

horticulturalist? Yes. So when you do it, what exactly are you hoping

to put in it? You have said you want to make it more manageable. In

what way? My problem is that it's on a steep slope and the lawn is

very difficult to mow in places so if I could get rid of the steepest

parts of the lawn, plant it with some interesting shrubs, perhaps a

weeping willow, and make it generally more manageable. So the

whole plan is to make this low maintenance but lovely to look at?

So I can stay here as long as possible. What a great idea! Yes.

We'll do our very best to ensure that Fiona achieves her glorious

garden. But there's no time to warm ourselves by the roaring fire if we

are going to reach that �1,000 target.

I'm fascinated by this collection of gold jewellery. There's

Victorian lockets containing a picture of Fiona's father. They

were popular keep sakes in the 19th century and although mostly worn

around the neck, they could form part of a charm bracelet. Two gold

rings too, one of which is of Irish prove innocence, plus a pair of

cuff links which belonged to her late husband. Fiona, a lovely old

clock. Where's this come from? don't know a lot about it. It

belonged to my cousin who I think inherited it from our mutual

grandmother. But I can't tell you more than that at all. I never saw

it working until I got it and I got someone to look at it and got it

started. They are quite temperamental, they have to be on a

dead flat surface, otherwise there's a problem. Yes, I noticed

that. It runs off a pendulum. You have two winding holes, one winds

up the clock mechanism, one winds up the strike which will strike on

the hour and the quarter hour-and- a-half hour. What happens, I'll

show you on this, you have two compartments, one there, and one

there with the ratchets on. There is a coiled spring. As you wind

from the front, the springs get tighter and then the pressure then

is allowed to release very slowly and that's done by this anchor

escape there which rocks back-and- forth and lets one cog go at a time,

driving the whole motor. A complex movement, but by the time this

clock appeared, it was everywhere, the standard system. It has to be

dead, dead flat. Made by a firm called ElKingtons. Heard of them?

In connection with silver plate? Yes. Solid silver items, they came

up with cheaper methods. They were based in Birmingham and moved into

clocks. You've got an 100-year-old clock, this is a collectible maker.

If I said around the �500 mark? really?! Yes. I am amazed. Goodness.

How does that sound? Amazings. think it will do well. Gosh, far

more than I thought. Great. What a terrific amount and timely too as

we approach the end of our rumage here today. We'll need one last

push as I'm determined to find as much as possible. Fittingly, it's

the lady of the house who's really on the ball today. Paul, come and

tell me what you think of this? Let's have a look. Is it heavy?

is. Wow ck, look at that. wonderful. Lord above, where have

you been keeping this? It's been anywhere and everywhere. In

wardrobes, under beds and it's not the sort of thing you just put in a

drawer. Where did it come from? of a fire place actually. There

were seven tiles all together, that was the central one, three up each

side and features in the same catalogue as the picture we looked

at. I inherited this one plus another one and a procken one which

I sold -- broken one which I sold probably 20 years ago. An amazing

piece of work isn't it, Paul? Tell us about it? That was done in Iran,

hence the Persian connection and you are looking at well over 1000

years now. One thing I can gather from the colour from this is that

they only ever used seven primary colours and yellow was one of the

last colours introduced so this could be 18th century, probably not

earlier. It's not a strong yellow is it? No, but what a wonderful

thing to have, part of a structure. It could be an entrance to a

different room, sometimes they had grand appearance entrances. This

type of pottery you will find from this area very much in transcript

or in a wonderful gee metric design, rather than depicting people or

animals. Any idea where it could have been made? Iranian, Turkish,

it's not Muslim or Islamic because they don't depict the human form or

animal form, they only use the geometric designs. What do you

think we might get at auction? Never handled anything of this size

at all or this style of pottery and it needs a bit of further research,

but to get it into the action, if I said between �300 and �500 and if

we can get someone to have a good look at it, that sounds fine.

a starting figure... Do you want to put that down Paul because it's

ever so heavy. Yes, please. Dear me! Feel like I've had a night on

the tiles. Starting figure, �300 the lowest? Yes, the lowest at

least. If we take the lowest estimate of everything Paul has

looked at today, you want to raise �1,000, but I think we could make

as much as �1,690. Wow! That's all right. Hey! And because we've still

got a question mark over Bonni Prince Charlie and the tile, it

could be considerably more than that and you may end up with a

hanging garden of Babylon out there!

That would be super. Well, we've had a great time here

in chilly but beautiful Perthshire and managed to find some quality

items to take to auck147. -- action. That bronze dog was passed on to

Fiona by her grandfather. Then the Regency rose tea caddie

shouldn't prove too much of a strain for the bidders. I'll bet

the Victorian mantle clock will strike the right note in the sale

room and take us to our target. Still to come:

Some of the heirlooms prove rather more difficult to part with than

she anticipated. Do I suspect second thoughts? Just a bit. It was

my mother's and I'm fond of it. While some prove to be more

valuable than she ever imagined. should have treated them with more

respect! Will she be able to achieve her horticultural dreams?

Find out with the final fall of the Scholl... I mean gavel. -- shovel.

We really had a wonderful day at Fiona's home in the beautiful

setting right on the edge of a loch and found some fascinating items

which we brought just a little bit further south to sell here at the

auctions in Edinburgh. She wants to raise �1,000 so she can make her

garden that little bit easier to handle. So, as you can see, the

weather has certainly warmed up a bit, so we are hoping that the

bidders are going to be on fire when her items go under the hammer.

One man whose presence I can always count on, come snow rain or shine,

is Paul Hayes. But should I be concerned that he's reaching for

the bottle already? I know he's been consulting with the fine arts

specialists about the portrait so I hole he'll be able to give us some

good news. Hello Fiona. Where is Charity? She couldn't get away from

school, I'm afraid. This is my friend and neighbour maifrplt

presumably you are very familiar with this? Oh, yes, and I missed it

on the wall when I was at Fiona's house yesterday. I don't think he

looks frightening now he's done here. Looks a bit more human. What

did the experts say, Paul? It turns out that it's not a Godfrey Kneller.

They could print whatever they liked in the 1920s, so that is not

genuine. The auctioneer's done their homeworks and had two experts

look at it and it's 18th century Italian school, an Italian

aristocrat. One thing they told me which was amazing is, the canvas

has been cut down. Where's hiez right hand gone, unless it's behind

you, Angela, watch him! -- where's his hand gone. It was a larger

canvas. As an 18th century, they put an estimate of between �800 and

�1200. Would you let it go at that? A reserve of �500, I wouldn't want

to portray an aristocrat for anything else. But you don't want

to take him home? He'd come home at less than �500. Who knows he might

be going back to Italy, you never know. We don't have to go that far

right now, just over there to take our places to get ready for the

start of the action. As the auction gets under way, firsts is that set

of six hand painted comport plates dating from around 1890. Paul

thoughts they could be Minton so fingers crossed for a decent result.

30, 32, 35, 38, 40, 42, 50... Anyone else want in at 55? Five

over the lowest estimate. That's fine. That is a tasty start to the

auction. Lit's hope we can continue in that vain with this elegant

Oriental object about to go under the hammer now. Paul valued this at

�100 to �150, you have put �150 reserve on it. Are there second

thoughts here? Just a bit, it was my mother's and I'm fond of it.

Start me at �100, 50, 50 bid, 55, 60, 65, 75, 85, 90...

That's the bottom of my estimate there. 95. All out on the right at

95. Any advance? Not sold. Let's not be too downhearted because it's

still early in the sale but it just goes to show that no matter how

attractive the piece, sometimes the right bidder isn't in the room.

Next up, the lovely pair of Victorian walnut candle sticks.

Great exhibition piece there? bids on them. Gieming to start them

at �120! -- going to start. Wow, amazing. 170, 180, 200, 220240,

260,... 280, 300... And they haven't finished yet. Away in the

distance at �3 20 any advance on this lovely pair of candles. �32 0.

Amazing! Terrific. Pedigree you see, beautiful craftsmanship and the

great exhibition. That's it. should have treated them with more

respect. Amazing! �2 20 over Paul's upper

estimate. I wonder if this item will do as well. The tea caddie

handed down to Fiona from her grandfather. Tea was expensive in

the 18th century. Let's hope this piece is as highly regard today.

�100, �80. A bit cheap this. �100, 110, 120, 130, selling all the time

at 130. Selling all the time at 130... A lit t bit more. Selling at

�130. There we go. That's OK. God to see Fiona staying positive and

that is a respectable amount. After a 129 stuttering start, thingss are

beginning to look up. It's an old book and nobody knows when it dates

from, but it was very popular in the late 19th century. 30 bid, 30

bid, A couple of people here wanting it. 60, 65, 70, 75, 80 with

the lady at �80. Anyone else want in? Very good.

Terrific. And �5 over the lowest estimate. I do enjoy seeing bidders

battling over one item. Let's hope there's more of that to kofplt

Kshksh come. The highest price ever paid for a snuff box at auction was

almost �800,000. This brass example might not have quite the same

pedigree, but you never know. The snuff box that's about to go under

the hammer is one that you bought under the hammer isn't it? Yes, I

did. I had one and sold it and missed it so when this one came up,

I couldn't eresist. �60... All out in the room at �60. That's great.

Bang on Paul's lowest estimate and a �10 profit for Fiona to boot.

I'll tell you how much you have made at the half way stage because

you want to raise �1,000, don't you? I reckon that you have made so

far... �6 45. Gosh, that's good. Amazing. Not bad considering we've

got... We didn't sell the vashes. Which you are taking home with you

and you have the wonderful Persian tile still to come and the painting

-- the vases. We are going to take a half time break and we'll come

back for the second half of the auction.

If like Fiona you are keen to raise money by selling at auction, bear

in mind that there are charges to be paid, check in advance how much

commission you have to pay. Before we know it, our next lot is about

to go under the hammer and it's that varied collection of gold

jewellery, including the Victorian locket and cuff links which

belonged to Fiona's late husband. She'll also thrown in a 1960s watch

for good measure, so she must be feeling generous. �35..., 40, who

is going on, 45, 50, 55, 65, 70, 75, 8, 80 on the left. Great. �80. At

�80, 527... That's all right? were on the button there, Paul.

Another good result putting us closer to the target. Fingers

crossed there will be animal attraction for the next impressive

piece. The 19th century bronze sculpture of a dog that's been

valued at �200 to �250. I chatted to the auction eesh and I might

have a bit of news, she might have been thinking that I overegged this

one. It's showing my love of dogs! �290 the bronze model... She likes

it. �100 for it. 50 bid. 50! 55, 65, 75, 85, 95, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140,

150, selling all the time at 150 on my left at 150... Happy with that?

Anyone else want in at �150? think that's fair. I'm not

disappointed. That's great to hear and hopefully

we'll be able to make up that �50 before the end of the sale.

I wonder if our next lot would be the one to do it.

The auction house have had a lot of interest in this next item coming

up, the huge and very heavy Persian tile that we looked at. Very nice

indeed this. Likes this one. A lot of interest in it and I'll start it

straightaway at �500. Start at �500! 550, 600, 700, 800, 900, 950,

1,000... What?! �1,100.: they love it. � 1,200, 1,300, 1350, 1,400,

anybody else want in at �1,400? �1,500, 1600, 1700, 1800, 1800, on

the telephone at 1800. Selling on the telephone at 1800. That's just

incredible. I wouldn't have believed that. I've been tripping

over that because it was sat on the floor and I didn't know where to

put it. Wow! Never said it before but that's a whopping �1,300 over

Paul's upper estimate. There seems to be a real bidding war over that

Persian tile which is wonderful for us and takes Fiona well over her

original �1,000 target. But there is still more potentially valuable

items to come, such as this late 19th century mahogany mantle clock

with 2 silver dial by makers Elkington & Son. 100, 120, 130, 140,

150, 160, 200, can I tempt anybody else at �300 now? Fiona is keeping

positive and so she should be because �300 is a decent amount and

I'm sure it will go a long way in the garden of hers. Two items that

the auction eesh is quite excited about. The two silhouettes

portraits, the cast ones made by a company in 1795. Do you know

anything about the makers? I only know that he invented paste that

looked like marble. One of them is his wife so it's the wife of the

maker. �200. �100 bid. 140, 160, 180, 200, 220, 240, 260, 280, 300,

320, 340, 360, 380... Gosh. Went up very quickly. 700, 750, 800, 850,

850 would you like in on the telephone at 850, selling on my

right at �8 50. Incredible! Just when we thought it couldn't get any

better... That pair of miniatures performed brilliantly in the sale

room. This roller coaster of an auction

is approaching the end, but not before the sale of the fabulous

portrait which, until today, Fiona thought might have been of Bonni

Prince Charlely. A lot of people have had interest in it and now

that we have realised it's not the original, �500 is the reserve on

it? Yes, I put �500 reserve on him because I wouldn't want him to go

for less because I would feel like I betrayed him. We start at �500,

�5 50, 600, 650, 700, 720 780... 800 is what we said. The top

estimate. 880 in the room. On the phone? 880. Gentleman seated. 900,

900. 920, 950, 980, 1,000, 1,100, anyone else going on? The gentleman

seated in the room at 1100, 1200, 1300, 1500, all out on the right,

make no mistake at 1500. Any advance? Seated at 1500. There you

go! Amazing. Well done. �1,500 which was even more than Paul

thought even when we all thought he might be Bonni Prince Charlie. He

turned out to be Bonnie in tend anyway. That fabulous result brings

an incredible sale to an end. The question is, how much has Fiona's

remarkable haul of heirlooms managed to make? We have had such

an exciting auction. I know. I feel like a wrung out rag. Well, you

wanted �1,000, you know you've done incredibly well because of the

wonderful prices we got. I wonder what on earth you are going to do

with... �5,325... Wow. Have a ball! I'm going to enjoy it. A holiday.

Some towards a car and a super garden. Couldn't ask for more.

you come back, there will be so many weeds, you'll never get

started on the garden! It's a number of week since Fiona's

remarkable day at auction and having raised well over five times

her target, she's wasted no time developing the horticultural plans

with her gardener. The plans is to make it easier to manage. I thought

I would put in a big island bed, plant it with roses and in memory

of a dear friend who tied at the end of last year, I want to plant a

tree in memory of him and I think perhaps a magnolia would go well.

Having banked considerably more than she hoped for, what does she

plan to do with the rest of her wind fall? Well, my car is not

going to last forever and that was worrying me a little bit so I think

it will have to go into the pot for a new car or a new second hand car.

I think Fiona must be chuffed to bits with that result and what a

fabulous garden she's going to have now right there on the banks of the

loch. You know, if there's something you would like to raise