Problems for the Co-op

There’s a terrace outside our Co-op, which they use to display stocks of seasonal wares. In summer it’s usually gardening stuff like sacks of compost and garden tools, and in winter it’ll be lots of boxes of firewood. At this time of year the Co-op expects to sell lots of bedding plants. The Swiss are keen gardeners, so stocks are large and business brisk. The staff expect to have to bring the plants inside at night, as frosts at this altitude are still common. At the moment however, the weather is so cold that the delicate plants can’t even be left out during the day, so the sandwich counter is obstructed by lots of trays of pots. Our Co-op isn’t very big, so this is a bit of a problem. Fortunately there aren’t too many customers at the moment, so the staff can just about manage with the loss of space.

The wintry weather continues. No sooner have the paths been cleared, this happens.

The cold weather seems set to stay with us for a few more days yet.