We had a
terrible night with Pogo and Treacle stomping all over us pretty much all night
long. I wish they would settle down and sleep in the small hours like I would
if given half a chance..
Over brekkie
I peered into the Internet. Yesterday evening I posted to Facebook telling the
world I’d defriended someone because I was sick of seeing their constant
posting of nasty hatred. Overnight twenty-odd people had sent messages of
support. I was pleased about that; it is *so* easy to spread nastiness
on the internet. Just one click and more hatred circulates. Is it *really*
that difficult to take a few seconds to realise that just because someone
wasn’t born within five miles of where you were born doesn’t make then a
child-molesting anti-christ?
I spent a few
minutes posting out birthday wishes to friends. Whenever Facebook prompts me
that it is someone’s birthday I send them a video that I made. It is getting a
tad old now; I really need to make a new one. Between clicks I saw that babies
born in January and February are more likely to grow up to be rich
and famous. Didn’t work for me…
With the dogs
and ourselves organised we set off in the general direction of Royal Tunbridge
Wells. For all that I have been working there (on and off) for the last
year, I’ve not really explored any of the area. We thought we might put that
right today. Pausing only briefly in Goudhurst to clear up dog vomit (Pogo
“blew”) we were soon at where we’d been told was free parking. We’d been
lied to; we had to stump up seven quid for a day’s parking. A tad steep? Well,
we were in Royal Tunbridge Wells.
We soon met
up with Karl, Tracy and Charlotte, and we set off on a little walk mapped out
by sixteen or so geocaches. It was a really good walk; just right for a brisk
winter’s day. Mind you it wasn’t that brisk that the dogs didn’t want to play
in the stream. Pogo’s not overly fussed about water, but Fudge and Treacle love
it. Treacle particularly gets over-excited in the water.
After a while
we found ourselves back at the car. As we scoffed sandwiches we were approached
by a passing vagrant. We could tell we were in a posh area. Usually the passing
vagrants ask if you’d like a sip of their brasso before starting a fight with
an invisible opponent and then pissing themselves. However this passing vagrant
asked if we would like to buy some gin which he assured us wasn’t stolen. When
we declined his polite offer he then offered razors or raisins (we couldn’t
determine which).
With
sandwiches scoffed and tramps politely off bothering others we walked up the
hill to Wellington Rocks. There was a minor fracas when Fudge hopped on the
back of another dog. Usually dog people laugh this off this sort of thing as
being what dogs do. This dog’s entourage wasn’t impressed though; it clearly
wasn’t what polite dogs did in Royal Tunbridge Wells.
We got to the rocks where there
was an Earthcache for us to do. For the uninitiated an Earthcache is a bit like
doing your geology homework. You go there, read the questions that have been
set for you (on the app or website) and then email your answer (blah
blah sandstone) to someone who gave up the whole idea of geocaching several
years ago. Some of us did the geo-thing, others played on the rocks.
We made our way back to the cars
along a route which led us past a few more geocaches, and then (once changed
out of boots) we walked in to the town centre. As we walked we went past a
geocache the instructions of which said it was up a tree. We thought we’d have
a look. We looked and saw it pretty much right away. About twenty metres up. We
decided not to bother with that one, and walked on to the Sussex Arms.
The Sussex Arms – what a find!
No food nonsense. Just a proper pub selling beer. We sat in a corner on rather
comfortable leather sofas drinking our favourite tipples. I had a couple of
rather good pints before it was time to move on.
We fund time for a quick
geo-resuscitation before heading homewards. As we drove Pogo was rather
fractious. He wasn’t settling. We stopped in Goudhurst for him to have a little
walk and to get some air, but he “blew” again just outside Bethersden.
It is as well that "er indoors TM" had mats
covering the back seat of her car; he “blew”
rather impressively.
Once home I posted up an album
of photos
of the day, and then "er indoors TM" made some tea.
We scoffed it whilst watching this week’s episode of “The Orville” which was surprisingly good. Both the TV show and the
tea. The walk had worn out the hounds and it was good to eat tea without a
furry audience…
