ROLL UP! ROLL UP! NOTHING NEW TO SEE HERE. SOME COLLECTORS BECOME FAMOUS FOR THEIR ACQUISITIONS, THEIR LEGACY A PIRATE'S HOARD OF PLUNDERED AGES. 

AT WHAT POINT DO LOST OBJECTS BECOME DESIRABLE AGAIN? THE FIGURE OF A WOMAN EMERGES AT THE DOORWAY OF THE CLUTTERED SHOP FRONT. SHE HAS THE LOOK OF SOMEONE PASSING BY AND, AS SHE SHAKES HER HEAD, SHE HALF TURNS BACK TO WHERE HER CHILDREN HOVER BEHIND A TOWER OF ABANDONED SUITCASES. NOT TODAY. HER BLANK EXPRESSION IS ALREADY MINDFUL OF THE RAIN BUT THEY MOVE NOISILY AND WITH SLOWER GESTURES. THEY ARE STILL LOOKING.

IN THE CARD GAME HAPPY FAMILIES THE AIM IS TO COLLECT AS MANY SETS OR 'FAMILIES' AS POSSIBLE. EACH CHARACTER IS NAMED AFTER THEIR VOCATION. MRS FIELD THE FARMER'S WIFE, MR SOLE THE FISHMONGER, MISS BUD THE FLORIST'S DAUGHTER. THE ROLL CALL IS A REMINDER OF A TIME WHEN WE STILL KNEW THE NAMES OF THINGS. WE LOOKED AND WE SAW THAT EACH THING COMES FROM SOMETHING ELSE.

LOAF BEGAN LIFE AS A COMMUNITY SUPPORTED BAKERY RUN FROM THE DIRECTOR'S OWN KITCHEN. SUCH A MODEL IS SIMPLE. THE COMMUNITY SUBSCRIBE TO THE BAKERY FOR A SET AMOUNT OF MONEY. THE BAKER HAS A SECURE INCOME AND THE CONSUMER A REGULAR SUPPLY OF FRESH BREAD. 

FLOUR, WATER, SALT, YEAST AND TIME. PERHAPS OUR ANCESTORS WERE MORE PATIENT. NOT SO QUICK TO DEMAND, QUICK TO ADD, QUICK TO WALK AWAY. TUESDAY THROUGH TO SATURDAY YOU WILL FIND 'REAL' BREAD AT LOAF. REAL MEANING NOTHING MORE THAN JUST ENOUGH OF LESS. 

IN THE OPEN KITCHENS I WATCH CROISSANTS BEING ROLLED, TWISTED AND BAKED– THEIR PALENESS SOON CRISPING TO HAZEL IN THE OVEN'S HEAT. LIGHT THROUGH THE FRONT WINDOWS FALLS ACROSS THOSE ALREADY LINING THE HEAVY WOODEN SHELVES. THEY WILL NOT REMAIN THERE FOR LONG, EACH DISAPPEARANCE A SYNONYM FOR THE NEXT.

A CONNECTING DOOR LEADS TO THE BAKERY'S COOKERY SCHOOL. TO THE RIGHT A PILE OF BOOKS UNTIDIES A SIDE TABLE. SOMEONE HAS LEFT THEIR SATCHEL SLUMPED AGAINST A CHAIR. 

- ARE YOU THE OWNER, I ASK

- WE ALL ARE, HE REPLIES, FEEL FREE TO WANDER AROUND

PERHAPS I WOULD HANG MY COAT, MAKE IMPRINTS IN MY PALM WITH THE CRUMBS FROM LUNCH. CAULIFLOWER, LENTILS, CARROTS AND SPICES. I ADD THEM UP TO MAKE A DAAL. EGGS, PEAS AND SPINACH- FRITTATA? EACH A MEAL SHARED. 

VOICES MIX WITH LAUGHTER AND DRIFT ACROSS THE CORRIDOR. THE SOUNDS KNOW THE SPACE WELL. CUMIN, BASIL, PEPPERCORNS. SOAP BUBBLES STILL SCUM THE SURFACE OF THIS MORNING'S WASHING UP. 

I LATER LEARN THAT TOM'S SURNAME IS BAKER. HIS PARTNER IS JANE BAKER, THE BAKER'S WIFE.

 THERE IS NO SECRET, THERE IS NOTHING TO HIDE.  

A MAGPIE MAY TAKE SEVERAL WEEKS TO CONSTRUCT A NEST. THE NEST IS USUALLY IN A TALL TREE AND COMPOSED OF MANY SMALL TWIGS AND BRANCHES. MAGPIES ARE OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH BAD LUCK. ROSSINI WROTE AN OPERA ENTITLED 'THE THIEVING MAGPIE' ABOUT A FRENCH GIRL WHO IS ACCUSED OF THEFT WHO IS TRIED, FOUND GUILTY AND EXECUTED. LATER IT IS DISCOVERED THAT THE TRUE CULPRIT IS A MAGPIE. IN CHINA A MAGPIE'S SONG BRINGS HAPPINESS. HIGH ABOVE THE STREET OBJECTS LINE A WINDOW LEDGE. THE LIGHT HAS FADED THEIR OUTLINES. CERTAINLY A MAGPIE WOULD NOT THINK TO PICK THEM UP. THEY SEEM TO HAVE BEEN PLACED INTENTIONALLY OUT OF SIGHT AND I ALMOST MISS THEM FOR THE YELLOWS AND REDS OF THE BRIGHT SHOP WINDOWS UP AHEAD. IN THE NURSERY RHYME SEVEN MAGPIES ARE FOR A SECRET NEVER TO BE TOLD. I AM UNSURE AS TO WHETHER THAT IS BAD LUCK BUT PERHAPS THAT IS PART OF THE RIDDLE.

WHY IS A BUDGERIGAR LIKE A PIZZA BOX? A BOLD ADVERT IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS. EVERY CARE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO ENSURE THAT QUESTIONS WILL BE ASKED.