where art collides philosoperontap

Christmas Eve. I realise it’s stating the bleeding obvious but I wanted to get it out there. Reinforce the point, sort of thing. Get it off my chest. Not that I’ve been suppressing it and now I’ve said it feel an enormous sense of release. You will just have to accept it for what it is. Christmas Eve.

For some there will be the realisation that omg they haven’t bought the present yet. Not here son, not here (blows on fingernails and rubs against shirt). There have been ‘incidents’ in the past like the year we agreed not to buy each other presents but THG sneakily got me one but I hadn’t got her one. Aaaagh. We stopped that nonsense and get each other prezzies.

Doesn’t mean to say you can’t find that little extra. Sgonna depend to some extent on the traffic sitch. There has been a constant flow of cars into town. Must be chaos down there. Don’t like going downtown at the best of times. Was bad enough going to Waitrose yesterday.

There will almost certainly be something left until the last minute so that it stays fresh for tomorrow. Croissants for example. I realise they should ideally be eaten on the day of purchase but they are easily refreshed in the oven. More milk. There are seven of us in the house so the milk levels go down a lot more quickly than usual. Bound to be other stuff I’ve missed.

The veg prep mostly gets done today. That’s not my department although I am charged with doing the roast potatoes as I am the master of that particular dish. I don’t peel the spuds though.

I am also responsible for ensuring the meat arrives at the table on time and perfectly cooked. For the beef that means pink in the middle. No shoe leather in this house mate. There will be two different gravies: beef and turkey.

Moved to the laptop now. A much more productive instrument for writing.

The last minute shopping list at the moment looks like this:

Milk
Croissants and pan au choc
Sourdough
Birthday card for Tom (he isn’t on Facebook so I’m safe to discuss here)
Coffee grounds
Cocoa powder

If I add anything else I’ll let you know, obvs. Natch.

This afternoon follows a pattern. We typically end up in the pub for early doors but I’m going to make that call nearer the time. The kids will defo go. There will be some pressure on me to do the same but not sure I want to this year. December has been such a full on partying month and we still have to get through Christmas Day and The Feast of St Stephen. Then it’ll be the Feast of St John the Evangelist, Feast of the Holy Innocents, Commemoration of St. Thomas Becket. A couple of days break that incorporates New Year’s Eve so not really much of a break before we pile into the Feast of the Circumcision and the Forefeast of the Theophany (Epiphany). Wonder what they traditionally do on the Feast of the Circumcision? Saturday 4th Jan is lunch before the game at the rugby club and then the Sunday is Twelfth Night which is really when the serious austerity and dieting begins.

In the meantime I have to nip to the shops. Milk doesn’t just appear in the fridge by itself yanow.

Oh and Happy Christmas everyone. I hope all your dreams will come true and that you don’t forget me in your will 🙂

Meat run this morning. Hard to know when to go. There is going to be a queue. Ribs of beef, turkey breast or crown, back and streaky bacon and spicy Lincolnshire farmhouse sausages. Ham maybe. I like to cook a ham but we will already have a lot of food in. See how it goes.

Might go before breakfast. 

…

Meat run lasted the 3 mins it took to drive there and 3 mins back. Mahoosive queue around the corner and down the road towards the Dog and Duck and nowhere to park. I’ll go back later when I’ll be more amenable to queuing.

At home, pancakes are being prepared in the kitchen. Our John is short order chef for the day. I have requested a side of streaky bacon with mine. Maple syrup and berries. Fair play to him.

…

I must say the pancakes were great. A fresh pot of tea is now a brewing. The kitchen is getting busier. Busyness. Busy busy busy. 

…

At some stage I’m going to have to psych meself up to going to the butchers again. I’m afraid I’ll just have to queue. Finding a parking spot is more of an issue. Also have stuffing to finish off. Like to get some of these jobs done well in advance. Mind you tomorrow is Christmas Eve so it isn’t that far in advance now.

…

Meat queue from arriving to getting back in car was 35 mins. Could have been worse. They had at least ten people working in the butchers. Back home we kissed goodbye to my sister Sue who was up for the Morning Star carol session and I set to making the stuffing. 

I have to say the stuffing is looking great: one rubbishy white loaf chopped into small bits, a few white onions ditto, chopped dried apricots, fresh sage, rosemary and thyme, chopped smoked back and unsmoked streaky bacon (whatever we had handy) and a wodge of butter chopped into small chunks. Forgot to put pepper in bit it won’t matter. Can still add some on the day.

We are mainly having beef and the turkey is just a smallish bit of breast for those who look upon it as traditional on the day so there is nothing to stuff. However we all like stuffing and I imagine everyone will have a slice of turkey to justify it.

Normally I make the pigs in blankets myself but the packs of premade ones in Fosters looked good so I bought a couple and cut down on the sausage and streaky bacon order (not much).

So today I have a titchy bit of shopping to do for that someone special but otherwise fairly chilled afternoon ahead of me. Festivities are mostly over and from our on it is all about family. Those of them who aren’t out on the lash with their old school chums anyway which could be a majority 🙂 It is no different to when I used to go home to the Isle of Man at Christmas. Everyone would be back so you would be out most nights in Douglas, or The Crosby which was the nearest pub to our house a mile and a half walk away.

Coming home from The Crosby was always an interesting experience. The first part was along the main road/TT Course but the second half was up a back lane with no lights. The only way of not veering off the road in the pitch darkness was to walk up the middle where you could feel the camber on either side. As you got nearer the entrance to Ballagarey Road lights started to appear so it was all ok from there on.

…

My god. Waitrose. Cars queueing to get in, mainly because of having to wait for other cars to reverse out n stuff like that. I got the last trolley and one of the few remaining scanners. Did get everything I needed this pm but the queue for the self scanner checkout was halfway down aisle 5!! Apaz it was worse if you didn’t do self scan.

Reminds me of the queues for NYE at the millennium. In those days scanners were new. The queues at the checkout stretched down two aisle halves for each till. In other words to the back of the shop. There were no queues for the self scanners. Defo made me a bit smug.

Anyways back to an empty house and some chill time. No wait I need to check we have fondue fuel!

The big day has arrived. Another big day. There are lots of them. This big day is the annual Morning Star carol session. A not to be missed banger where we sing all my fave carols accompanied by lots of beer (warm Guinness) and mince pies. 

Jacket potahtoes flunch today. Keeping it simple. Choice of toppings. Quite like beans meself though it does depend on the mood or the occasion. A jacket can form part of a dinner where something a little more savoury might be appropriate. A sauce of some sort. Gravy like. With a knob of butter. Anyway today it will be beans for me and I did hear others mention cheese and Coleslaw. I might even add a sausage. Living the dream. Then I won’t want much before heading to the Star. 

Now up and at it in da kitch. Our John is back from Berlin and also already up.

4th Sunday in advent today btw. I realise you already knew that. Probably lit your candle and  opened your advent calendar to retrieve the chocolate/whisky miniature/plastic scale model of the Virgin Mary. Is that a thing? For the devout perhaps. 

I’ve never had an advent calendar. I’m not looking for sympathy. Not sure it was a thing when I was a kid. I have had chocolate and a whisky miniature. Not when I was a kid. Obvs. The whisky that is. Actually our one annual tipple as a kid was a bottle of Babycham each on Christmas Day and maybe also Boxing Day. Disgusting stuff. Tried it a few years ago for old times sake.

There are noises off. Upstairs. Not sure this is just THG and Berliner John. I’ll nip upstairs in a bit. To check.

So this morning whilst THG is at her usual devotions in church, made extra special by the advent thing, I will be out and about sourcing more provisions and maybe even a small gift for that special someone. We keep thinking of new things to add to the shopping list. Hoping they will have had a new delivery of Epoisses.

My 2024 shopping list is drawing to a close. In January I will start a new one entitled Tref’s Shopping List 2025. Obvious really. You might be able to guess the name of the 2024 list. I never delete things off the list. Just add new dates and line items. It doesn’t represent a comprehensive guide to what I’ve bought over the year as things often appear in the trolley that aren’t on the list but it is part of my series of historical documents. Ditto Tref’s Jobslist 2024 etc. You might have to wait until I am dead and gone before gaining access but that is simply the way of things.

Anyway see ya at the Morning Star later, maybs. Ciao amigos.

Today’s banging tune is at the request of Guy Osborne. I do try to accommodate requests wherever possible.

We wish you a merry Christmas x3
And a happy new year!

Good tidings we bring to you and your kin;
We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year.

Now bring us a figgy pudding x3
And bring it us here!

Oh we won’t go until we’ve got some x3
So give it us here!

Oh we all like figgy pudding x 3
So bring it out here!

…

At ten fifteen this morning, on the 4th Sunday of advent (as you know) Waitrose was totes chaos. I left the main wine shop until tomorrow where they will hopefully have had another delivery. Ditto epoisses. The lady behind the deli counter said she had ordered some but it hadn’t arrived yet. Bought some brie as a backup.

Home by elevenish. That’s enough gadding about for now. The house is a hive of activity.

…

Back after another great carol session at the Morning Star. Biggest crowd we’ve ever had. Some guy said he’d come from Boston because he had heard how good it was 🙂 V satisfying. It was quite emotional really especially towards the end when everyone stood up to sing O Come All Ye Faithful and Hark The Herald Angels Sing. Two absolutely banging tunes.

Thassit now for public engagements for the year 🙂 Hereon it is all about family although the family was there tonight. The lads have shot off drinking in the Bail or simlar. The great thing is that I am pretty sure the kids will continue the carol singing tradition long after THG and I are gone. They all make sure they are home for it. Very satisfying.

Home now to a warm house. Might have a nightcap in a bit. Once I’ve finished left handed typing this post. I’m sprawled on a sofa in the front room. There are sounds of conversation emanating from the snug but I can’t quite hear what is being said.

If you were there, thanks for coming. If you didn’t make it you missed a great night. The cold shouldn’t put you off.

The shortest day. Feels significant. Doesn’t normally. Perhaps I’m getting (even more) philosophical in my old age. At this time of year i have deeply meaningful thoughts and wax lyrical about the turning of the year.

When you think about it New Year’s Eve shouldn’t be on 31st of December but today. Tomorrow is when the new year really starts. Today our feasting officially commences. All the parties and meals of the past couple of weeks have just been the warm up act. Yesterday’s Waitrose shop was mostly to secure provisions for tonight’s meal. Only Hannah and George will be missing. They wind their way north tomorrow in time for the Morning Star carol session. 7pm onwards if yer interested. Book early.

Still need to get the meat and veg for the big day, plus some epoisses. Waitrose was sold out of the stuff. Wot. And some more plonk. Funny how the level of supplies goes down very quickly with a houseful. When they were kids it was just Ribena. Now it’s red wine. And the gin, and beer etc. Plus bread, ham, milk, all the staples. It’s as if they don’t eat where they live and save themselves for when they get back to the mothership. Not complaining. We love it.

In the meantime the shed has been filling up with Davies men, or lads as they are called when watching the darts. Last year we had a Davies lads trip to the darts at Ally Pally. Carnage. Has to be seen to be believed. You only need to go once and I won’t be bothering again. Great night out though.

THG just reminded me that Just William normally makes an appearance on the wireless at Christmas. We love listening to Just William. They aren’t books for children. They are written for adults. The writing is just sublime. I remember reading the books to the kids at bedtime to loud guffaws. Not the way to get them to go to sleep really.

Another tradition is to listen to Nine Lessons and Carols from King’s College Cambridge on Christmas Eve. The essence of Christmas. The ending of the service is usually the prompt to head to the Morning Star. We are early doors types and going early means we are more likely to find a seat. Gets rammed.

Today’s carol is The first ‘Nowell!’. A real banger that people put their hearts into. You need to hold back on the harmonies until the last verse. I’ll assume you know to sing the refrain at the end of each verse. It is quite a long one and I’m not sure we sing every verse but this version, as is the case for all the carols posted here, comes to you direct from the pages of the New Oxford Book of Carols.

The first ‘Nowell!’ the angel did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay;
In fields where they lay keeping their sheep,
On a cold winter’s night that was so deep.

Nowell! nowell! nowell! nowell,
Born is the King of Israel.

They looked up and saw a star
Shining in the east beyond them far;
And to the earth it gave great light,
And so it continued both day and night.

And by the light of that same star
Three wise men came from country far;
To seek for a King was their intent,
And to follow the star wherever it went.

This star drew nigh to the north-west:
O’er Bethlehem it took its rest;
And there it did both stop and stay,
Right over the place where Jesus lay.

Then did they know assuredly
Within that house the king did lie;
One entered in then for to see,
And found the babe in poverty.

Then entered in those wise men three,
Full reverently upon their knee,
And offered there, in his presence,
Both gold and myrrh, and frankincense.

Between an ox-stall and an ass
This Child there truly borned was;
For want of clothing they did him lay
All in the manger, among the hay.

Then let us all with one accord
Sing praises to our heavenly Lord
That hath made heaven and earth of nought,
And with his blood mankind hath bought.

If we in our lifetime shall do well
We shall be free from death and hell,
For God hath prepared for us all
A resting-place in general.

Spuds, sprouts, peas, carrots, large white sliced loaf, onions, fresh sage & thyme, butter, eggs, celery

Mildly embarrassed to say that at ten thirty five ey em I’ve just finished breakfast and cleared up and am still in my pyjamas. Two of the occupants of the house have left separately for retail activity and I hear some movement upstairs that suggests I may shortly be joined by the third. During the course of the day we are expecting two further revellers to turn up. All good.

Soon after I wrote that the retail therapists returned and the kitchen is now a hive of activity. Preparations have started for tonight’s gourmet feast. My only involvement has been to pay for the ingredients which weren’t particularly cheap. I can’t complain as I am partially responsible for their upbringing.

…

The shed, this afternoon, is warm and cosy and indeed a haven of calm from the hive of activity that is the kitchen. THG and I off to the Cathedral in an hour or so to hear Benjamin Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols. Not heard of it before so blasting it out in the shed to get in the spirit. Well one doesn’t actually blast out Benjamin Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols does one but you get the idea. Whether I’ll be able to sit still for ninety minutes is another issue. Will find out soon enough innit. 

Sounds v good in the shed fair play. Relaxing. Hoping I won’t nod off listening to it. It’s in the Chapter House so quite an intimate backdrop. Will probs need to wrap up well. They don’t have double glazing in there. I suppose the candles will warm the place up a bit. Better to use real candles than switching your phone’s torch on like they do in big gigs. More atmospheric, certainly more appropriate and definitely warmer with the added benefit that it won’t drain your phone battery. Remind me to switch my phone off. Don’t want distractions innit.

The shortest day. Feels significant. Doesn’t normally. Perhaps I’m getting (even more) philosophical in my old age. At this time of year i have deeply meaningful thoughts and wax lyrical about the turning of the year.

When you think about it New Year’s Eve shouldn’t be on 31st of December but today. Tomorrow is when the new year really starts. Today our feasting officially commences. All the parties and meals of the past couple of weeks have just been the warm up act. Yesterday’s Waitrose shop was mostly to secure provisions for tonight’s meal. Only Hannah and George will be missing. They wind their way north tomorrow in time for the Morning Star carol session. 7pm onwards if yer interested. Book early.

Still need to get the meat and veg for the big day, plus some epoisses. Waitrose was sold out of the stuff. Wot. And some more plonk. Funny how the level of supplies goes down very quickly with a houseful. When they were kids it was just Ribena. Now it’s red wine. And the gin, and beer etc. Plus bread, ham, milk, all the staples. It’s as if they don’t eat where they live and save themselves for when they get back to the mothership. Not complaining. We love it.

In the meantime the shed has been filling up with Davies men, or lads as they are called when watching the darts. Last year we had a Davies lads trip to the darts at Ally Pally. Carnage. Has to be seen to be believed. You only need to go once and I won’t be bothering again. Great night out though.

THG just reminded me that Just William normally makes an appearance on the wireless at Christmas. We love listening to Just William. They aren’t books for children. They are written for adults. The writing is just sublime. I remember reading the books to the kids at bedtime to loud guffaws. Not the way to get them to go to sleep really.

Another tradition is to listen to Nine Lessons and Carols from King’s College Cambridge on Christmas Eve. The essence of Christmas. The ending of the service is usually the prompt to head to the Morning Star. We are early doors types and going early means we are more likely to find a seat. Gets rammed.

Today’s carol is The first ‘Nowell!’. A real banger that people put their hearts into. You need to hold back on the harmonies until the last verse. I’ll assume you know to sing the refrain at the end of each verse. It is quite a long one and I’m not sure we sing every verse but this version, as is the case for all the carols posted here, comes to you direct from the pages of the New Oxford Book of Carols.

The first ‘Nowell!’ the angel did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay;
In fields where they lay keeping their sheep,
On a cold winter’s night that was so deep.

Nowell! nowell! nowell! nowell,
Born is the King of Israel.

They looked up and saw a star
Shining in the east beyond them far;
And to the earth it gave great light,
And so it continued both day and night.

And by the light of that same star
Three wise men came from country far;
To seek for a King was their intent,
And to follow the star wherever it went.

This star drew nigh to the north-west:
O’er Bethlehem it took its rest;
And there it did both stop and stay,
Right over the place where Jesus lay.

Then did they know assuredly
Within that house the king did lie;
One entered in then for to see,
And found the babe in poverty.

Then entered in those wise men three,
Full reverently upon their knee,
And offered there, in his presence,
Both gold and myrrh, and frankincense.

Between an ox-stall and an ass
This Child there truly borned was;
For want of clothing they did him lay
All in the manger, among the hay.

Then let us all with one accord
Sing praises to our heavenly Lord
That hath made heaven and earth of nought,
And with his blood mankind hath bought.

If we in our lifetime shall do well
We shall be free from death and hell,
For God hath prepared for us all
A resting-place in general.

Lincoln was quiet at 5.30 this morning, silenced overnight by a two inch blanket of snow. I was awake at that time but not tempted to leave a cosy bed. The wireless went on at five past six but didn’t listen, drifting in and out of dozy consciousness. Missiles, war, angry farmers. 

Now traffic noise coincides with the magical arrival of the tea tray. Hey presto.

On the radio a farm notionally worth nine million pounds is only generating nineteen thousand pounds a year. Looking at it objectively either the land is overvalued or the farm isn’t a good business. I guess farmers don’t always do it for the money although I’m sure if they are only pulling in £19k they would rather it be higher.

…

Had a good breakfast and now taking tea looking out over the garden. Pleasing to observe that whilst I left the heating on in the shed overnight the snow on the roof has not melted suggesting v good insulation. Ditto our kitchen roof which until we redid the tiling last year had no insulation. 

I’ll be dropping THG off at the gym at 9.30 so will need to be up and have cleared the snow off her car before then. Just letting my breakfast go down at the mo.

…

Clearing the (3 inches of) snow off the car was a bit of a doddle. It just brushed off. Will have all melted by this pm anyway I reckon. I like the cold weather. I should caveat that by saying it’s nice when you are toasty and warm as is the case in the shed. My new tropical trefbash sign has added a bit of colour this morning and I decided it would also be appropriate to switch on the Lagunitas IPA sign. Normally that only goes on when the sun is over the yardarm.

The shed is a haven in the snow. The only things missing are adequate supplies for the eventuality that I couldn’t make it back to the house. There is always deliveroo I guess. Always assuming they would come down the side of the house to the back garden. I quite like that idea 🙂. Their motto should be ‘Deliveroo always gets through’. Might offer it to them, for a consideration. Not sure I’ve ever used them mind you.

Standing on the landing looking out of the window onto the back lawn this morning I was met by a confrontation of colour. Came right up to the window and looked me challengingly in the eye. ‘You can’t talk to me like that’ I responded silently. The leaf blower stays in the garage.

In the kitchen of Tref and THG a state of calm exists. The wall clock audibly reminds us that time moves slowly on. The frying pan, retrieved from its hanging home sits patiently on the stovetop. Its time will come. A second pot of tea is considered. 

With five weeks to the winter solstice a low sun streams through the kitchen window. Long shadows on the pine table. The wireless sits quietly awaiting orders. None come. Lights out.

Bacon beckons.

…

Heard on the radio there is a National Shed Association. Quite excited about this so immediately googled. Disappointingly it wasn’t quite what I had in mind. It is a men’s support organisation. Don’t get me wrong. It is a good thing I’m sure. Just not what I had in mind.

Now I think about it I did sometime ago look up sheds in relation to their use as meeting places where like minded individuals could come together to drink beer and discuss deeply interesting matters. My initiative was stopped in its tracks when I found that the idea, or at least the name, had been stolen by well intentioned individuals unknown. 

I’m sure the Lincoln branch at the time appeared to be held in a happy clappy establishment near my accountants downtown which immediately put me on my guard. However, just looked again now and that branch must have closed as they don’t seem to have a Lincoln outlet. Maybe it was some other entity based at that church.

I parked the idea but it is still a goodun. Just need to find a different name. Must include the word shed. Sheds Anonymous. Shedsrus. Sheds with a fridge.

Youda thought that a fridge was a prerequisite for any self respecting shed. Certainly is in my book. Also a bookcase 😀 My fridge does need defrosting mind you and a bit of a clean. Just a wipe down that’s all.  The bookcase probs needs dusting. The books need reading.

…

No shave today. I never shave on a match day.

…

Need to nip to a local market at some point to buy some food for tonight’s tea. THG has gone off to Sleaford or Spalding or somewhere for the day with some pals to watch an amateur production of Guys and Dolls and is having lunch before the show. One of my all time fave shows as I was in it thirty odd years ago. CAODS.

The point is as a result of the, presumably not insubstantial, lunch she won’t want much to eat tonight so I am sorting myself out. Ordinarily this is a cause for celebration. Eat what you like Tref. This would often be a steak with side salad and a decent bottle of red. I’m not in a steak mood. 

I don’t know what mood I’m in. It isn’t a bad mood. Just not a steak or chinese or curry or pizza mood. Needs some consideration. It may be the only way to sort it is to go and see what’s on offer. Check the melons for ripeness, smell the avocados, that sort of thing. Do people smell avocados? I know they smell some things. I’m sure I’ve seen Rick Stein do it when out and about sourcing ingredients.

I’m not particularly in a ‘spend a lot of time cooking mood’. Normally I quite like cooking and typically only get to do it at the weekend which actually is fine. I do need to buy some beer as tomorrow the menu includes something that will benefit from a slosh of beer in it. Purely culinary purposes obvs. 

Am thinking a salad with small spuds and a few nice bits of ham and cheese maybs. The food agenda has been complicated by today’s sporting timetable. Turkey v Wales at roundball at 5pm and then the second half of the England v Sprinkboks game that starts at twenty to six. 

The rugby has been starting at strange times and not the usual on the hour or half past. Presumably TV driven but I dunno. The point is the rugby won’t be finished til nearly seven thirty which is a bit late to start cooking. Late for me anyway, any road up, ‘appen.

This realisation is causing more anguish foodchoicewise. Wellavetowaitandsee.

A sunny morning out there. Not many walkers along the Aldeburgh sea front yet. Perhaps it is still early. Seven fifteen. A couple of smokeries on the beach have a truck outside so I imagine preparation for the day is ongoing. 

We will have gone by the time the day trippers get here. Taking in a visit to Southwold before stopping off at the Wards in Moulton for tea en route home.

A man with two sniffy dogs has arrived. He is content to allow progress at the speed of sniffy dog. There was no discernible dawn chorus, unless I slept through it, but the gulls are now starting to chatter. The tide is in and still at the place I last looked but all that tells me is that I last looked twelve hours ago.

The meal in the hotel Brasserie last night was pleasant enough. We just had a main course each. I had gammon egg and chips. Gammon was a bit on the thin side but it was ok. There was a family sat on the table behind us. Kid had a pink ipad or similar and was watching cartoons and the grandad spent most of his time gazing into his laptop and his phone whilst eating fish and chips. The grandmother eventually took the kid away to change the nappy. No sign of the mother.

Had a shower and popped out to enjoy the sea air. Met the man with the sniffy dogs coming in with a bag of what looked like bakery items. Not having breakfast in the hotel one assumes. Then sat at the bench by the petanque court and hit the jackpot.

Fishing boat LT1018 was being towed out of the sea by a tractor and then unloaded. Twenty yards from me. The sun was right behind so the pics and vids were somewhat in shadow. They had been out at oh four hundred to catch the fish. Looked like a load of crabs, couple of lobsters, lots of sole and then some large dogfish. No idea how much that lot would go for. I guess most of the catch would be sorted ready for the shop to open a bit later on.

Back in the room for a conf call. Considered doing it from the bench as the hotel wifi reached there but there was a drilling noise coming from somewhere so would have got in the way. Conf call now over and headed down for breakfast.

…

Pretty countryside. Lots of signs objecting to Sizewell C. Husqvarna dealer. Village green. No mobile signal. Westleton? B1125. Free range pigs. Spa sign in state of disrepair.

…

Arrived at Southwold Pier to a large and fairly empty car park. Immediately blew £2 between us in two pences on the amusements. Had to wash our hands afterwards, as usual. Those two pences carry the grime of thousands of tourists over the decades. Disgusting really 🙂

Walked to the end of the pier and then stopped for a cuppa in the caff. Took off my specs. Without my specs the world is a different place. Smaller. There is an element of retreat to doing this which I quite like.

Just passed a country church on the B1127.  Ancient edifice with brick flying buttresses. Couldn’t see where we were on the car sat nav and have now moved on. Possibly Wrentham? Not too far from Hulver Street. St Nicholas’ Church, Wrentham.

Anyway back in Southwold we strolled up the hill to the green. There was an Adnams pub there called the Sole Bay Inn. Made me realise I’d not had a pint of Adnams this trip despite being in the brewery heartland. Then I realised the pub was directly in front of the Adnams brewery. Was likely going to be the best pint of Adnams you could get.

No good. Far too early in the day. THG would not have approved 🙂 We bought nothing at a retro shop in the Methodist Church Hall and returned to the car. By the time we left, the car park had filled up and the seafront was teeming with people on a bank holiday day out. 

We pointed the Silver Bullet north and have now crossed the border into Norfolk.

The village of Thurton has three car parks. Two are just laybys on the edge of the village and with no footpath serve no real purpose other than as places for people to stop and stretch their legs. The other car park is handily placed outside the pub in the centre of the village. 

I mentioned to THG that Thurton was given permission to have laybys by royal decree in 1185 but I was told to shut up because she was concentrating on the driving. Clearly I am not driving and have time for a bit of banter. Bants as the kids would have it.

We are now in traffic on the A47 23mph. Who would want to drive in the UK!  We need to find a place to stop for lunch. I am in the mood for a sausage roll. Dunno if it’s going to work out. You rarely find decent sausage rolls in garages. Usually cardboard crap.

In the meantime the news has been switched on. I am not in control of this. In our car the driver decides. There is never any good news. Either that or they keep it for right at the end and it only lasts thirty seconds. 

…

We are home and it must be said things are pretty idyllic in the back garden.  Our first greenfinch  of the season is tweeting away. THG is watering. The grass, only mown on Thursday, is going to need doing again soon. It is the growing season.