The Thirty-seventh Anniversary

Of the purchase of the Cow Painting.

This was the subject line of the email we received from the Herr Doktor HJB this morning, who we met recently at his home to celebrate his 80th birthday.

We first encountered the "Octogenarian" in the antiques and collectible emporium run by Vashti Bunyan and her partner Robert Lewis.

HJB was looking at the painting when Pat and I entered the little shop in Dunblane. It was the final hour of Saturday trading and we had learned from experience that that was the best time to negotiate a deal with Robert.

Of course, we chatted away for about 45 minutes whilst Pat cast her knowing eye over the shop. We were still furnishing our Dunblane home and Robert and Vashti had supplied items of furniture and other household goods.

Every so often Vashti would ask HJB if he was interested in the painting and he would reply with "hums and haws". After several of these replies, I looked at the painting.

"If you are not going to buy it I will".

HJB looked somewhat startled at this statement. Vashti introduced us and we had a conversation about who we were etc etc.

Robert then made "time to shut the shop" statements.

"Who is going to buy it?"

HJB looked at me and said “I will".

We had a chat on the pavement and we became firm friends from that day on.

The name of Vashti Bunyan might ring some bells in the minds of 60-70 music fans.

Vashti

Buying from Robert and Vashti was always an interesting experience and I could tell many tales.

Here is just one. Robert asked to come to their "Croft" to examine a barn which they were thinking of converting into holiday accommodation.

"Would we have a look at it?"

We duly did and we had a very careful look. We looked through the various openings and we looked at the roof from the outside.

The building was full to overflowing with furniture and various antiquey items.

Pat and I looked at each other. We were not going to enter that building.

Over afternoon tea and "cookies" I did raise doubts about the structural stability of the building and suggested that we could only examine and survey if the stock could be removed.

I did suggest more than a little caution be exercised.

This was dismissed as "piffle".

A couple of weeks later I received a call from a very shaken Robert.

The weather was very fine that day, even in Dunblane. Blue skies, sunshine and no wind.

"We were in the garden and heard a sort of sigh followed by a rumbling noise than went on for several seconds".

"The barn has collapsed completely".

Apparently they had added more stock into the building that morning.