27 May 2024 (Monday) - Wardy Hill

Morgan was stomping about at four o’clock. I took him for a widdle, then went back to bed. He went straight to sleep; me not so.

 

Over brekkie there was a lot of checking weather forecasts going on. In the end we decided on a shorter walk for today, and with brekkie scoffed we set off on a short drive to Wardy Hill to walk it. The route was flat, and alternated between dry terrain and knee deep swamps. It was a good walk; it was only a shame that the puppies disappeared into so many thickets.

As always our route followed a series of geocaches. Having been put out some time ago this geo-series was somewhat old-school; there were twelve geocaches where I would have put twenty-five. I don’t want to sound critical, but the hides could have done with something better in the way of hints. “On the ground” or “Not on the ground” isn’t really enough if the difficultly is going to be set at “easy” level.

 

With beer supplies running low (actually run out) we came back to base via a farm shop in the naïve hope of getting some rather good local beers. Sadly the farm shop didn’t do beer; like all farm shops it was selling massively overpriced stuff to people who won’t spent a quid if they can spend two. If you want to pay over the odds for Arse and Dandelion cordial then this was the shop for you.

We drove up the road to the local Spar and got more beer than sense.

 

We came back to base, had a light lunch and sat in the garden for ten minutes until the rain hit before retreating in. Jigsaws came out, and I slept through the entire assembly of the jigsaw; eventually waking in time for a rather good dinner,

 

With dinner scoffed we got out the Infinity Table again and played “Ticket to Ride” until it was long past my bed time.

I took a few photos during the day. I’m worn out now…

26 May 2024 (Sunday) - Lazy Day

Yesterday had been rather full-on for the dogs, They slept well last night, and consequently so did I. We all slept well last night. Yesterday had been spent being constantly surprised at how early the time was as we’d had a very early start. Today with a rater late start we were constantly surprised t how late it was.

 

We started the day with a rather good bit of brekkie, and then the morning was rather odd. We slobbed, and played “Whack-a-mole” on the infinity table and waited until shortly after mid-day when the weather forecast reckoned we’d have some dry weather.

We then took a little walk up the road hunting out a couple of geocaches there, We found one, didn’t find the other, and Bailey rolled in something disgusting.  We then walked the other way down the lane and found two more geocaches. No one rolled in anything, but by then the damage had been done.

 

We came back to base; the plan had been to have a short walk before the forecast storm hit. We scrubbed the dogs then sat in the garden having a crafty drinkie until the storm hit… the storm never did.

Eventually we wandered inside where having scoffed a very good bit of dinner we then played all sorts of games on the Infinity table as some of us set about the port and cheese.

 

I took a few photos today. The plan is for a more eventful day tomorrow. If nothing else we’ll have to go out for beer… we’ve run out.

25 May 2024 (Saturday) - Fulbourn and Ely

There’s no denying we had something of an early start today. So much so that when I went to make the bed there was a minor earthquake as Morgan was still in it.

We’d got the car mostly loaded up yesterday evening; we got the last of the luggage into the car and were only ten minutes late getting away. We made good time up the motorway, and soon met up with Karl, Tracey and Charlotte at Duxford McDonalds where sausage and egg McMuffins went down rather nicely. For most of us. Having had the sausage Treacle then refused manky old egg.

 

From Duxford it was a short up to Fulbourn where we had a rather good walk. It was a shame the grass was wet; it was a bigger shame I’d left my gaiters at home. But we were soon out of the wet grass and onto

drier ground. It was good to go on a rather epic walk; I quite miss those. It was only a shame the rain started rather earlier than forecast. But we were only ten minutes form the pub, and as we scoffed a rather good dinner so the rain dried up.

 

We drove on to Ely to get supplies. Karl and Tracey went into Teco; the rest of us went for a little wander to find the Ely Giraffe. And with giraffe found we made our way back to Tesco. Whilst some of our group spent a small fortune in Tesco, I needed the loo. I asked the security guard where I might find the gents. He told me outside; it was a supermarket and not a public convenience.

I told the manager we'd take our custom elsewhere in future...

 

From Tesco it was a short hop to the Old Red Lion; out home for the week. We’re staying in a converted pub. It’s rather good. It’s a shame there’s a hole in the garden fence big enough for me to climb through, but the dogs have only gone out once. Hopefully I’ve bodged it closed.

We had a rather good dinner of various pizzas, but the early start and twenty-two thousand steps took their toll. I spent much of the evening fast asleep on the sofa.

 

I took a few photos as we went about today. Mind you being Saturday I rather missed Dog Club and Steve’s competitions on the radio. 

 

24 May 2024 (Friday) - Dinner with Darcie

I slept rather well. I made toast and peered into the Internet. An ex-colleague was having a birthday today. Someone with whom I worked very closely for over twenty years, and who I’ve only seen twice in the last ten years. I can distinctly remember meeting him in the town centre once and my mother taking an instant dislike to him. When I used to work with him another colleague had the same birthday; a particularly lonely, vicious and nasty woman who eventually moved away to the Midlands. I wonder whatever happened to her?

There was an interesting post on the local newspaper’s Facebook page about how the local outlet shopping centre has put up parking fees. Judging how people queue up hundreds of yards just to get into the car park it looks like a license to print money. Among the squabble was a comment from a local Green councillor mentioning how expensive local council-run car parks are. Rather odd; bearing in mind the local council is run by an alliance of the Greens and independents.

 

I got the leads on to the dogs and set off to the woods. As we drove the pundits on the radio were interviewing the leader of the opposition. He looks set to be the next Prime Minister for the simple reason that he currently appears to be the least crap option. However for all that he kept on about having a plan, he didn’t want to commit himself to very much.

 

We got to the woods to find the car park was heaving. Apparently loads of teenagers were setting off on their Duke of Edinburgh Award hike this weekend. I would like to have had a go at that. When in the Boys Brigade we were always told that what we were doing was “D of E standard”, but no Duke of Edinburgh awards were ever forthcoming. Presumably D of E didn’t have enough god-bothering for the Boys Brigade?

As we walked we saw two separate herds of deer. Or that is I did. The dogs missed both.

We had a good walk; the wildlife was really active today, Birds, deer, squirrels…and then the young mothers and dogs running group came through, Spaced out over a couple of hundred yards with those at the front bellowing a conversation to those at the back they were making enough noise to wake the dead.

We didn’t see anything wildlife-related after that.

 

We came home; a quick cuppa and I set off to Folkestone for a cheeky Subway with “Daddy’s Little Angel ^TM” and “Darcie Waa Waa ^TM”. And with Subway scoffed we went to McDonalds for McFlurries.

I came home via the Folkestone Tesco where again everyone seemed to think they were the only person in the place. How do these people manage to blunder around utterly oblivious to everyone else around them?

Once home I did the monthly accounts. Could be better (am I wrong in wanting to have far too much money) but they could be a whole lot worse.

And then we for ready for next week...

 

The bags are packed, Bailey’s had a shave, the house-sitter is in place… early start tomorrow. If there’s no wi-fi in Cambridge I shall be back in a week or so…

23 May 2024 (Thursday) - At The Doctor's

I slept reasonably well last night. The CPAP machine still smells funny, but you soon go nose-blind. I made toast and had a little look at the Internet. It was still there. A pub in Hastings Old Town is closing, and on one of the local Facebook pages was a rather bitter and nasty argument about whether or not that pub was welcoming. I’ve only ever been in there once, and at the time it was all but empty.

The same Facebook group was having a rant about a statue of Hastings which had a road cone on its head. The statue of Queen Victoria in Warrior Square has regularly had a road cone on its head for as long as I can remember. There’s quite a few very vocal people in Hastings Old Town’s cyber-community who’ve only just moved there.

 

I woke “er indoors ^TM” and the dogs, and took the dogs out. As we drove the Prime Minister was being interviewed on the radio. He was trying to defend his government; I felt a little sorry for him. He’s trying his best to do something about illegal immigration, and inflation has come down massively during his government. But his government is just one year old following thirteen years of Conservative disaster. People still remember Liz Truss’s comprehensively and deliberately bolloxing the economy and Boris Johnson’s constant stream of lies. To be fair to the Prime Minister, he would have done so much better on the radio this morning had he not ended every utterance by saying just how crap he thought the opposition would be.

We got to the woods and had a rather good walk. As we went we met three other dog walkers, and each encounter passed off without episode, which was something of a result.

 

Once home I popped up to the corner shop for pastries.I sorted a cuppa with those, wrote up a little CPD then set off to see the GP. My left knee is a worry. I can and do walk four miles without issue, but it *really* hurts when going up or down stairs or getting into the car.

I got to the surgery and sat in the waiting area, and it soon became clear that I was the odd one out. Everyone else going in to see a doctor or nurse wasn’t alone. Most people seemed to be going in as part of a group of at least three or four. When I went in I apologized to the doctor that I hadn’t brought the entire tribe along. She chuckled, asked me a few questions, had a poke and a prod and asked if I wanted her honest opinion. Expecting the worst I said that I did. She said that she was sending me for an X-ray to be sure, but she thought that my knee was giving me gip because that’s what happens when you get old. She also gave me pain killers for free – free because now I am old, I don’t have to pay for prescriptions.

 

I popped to Tesco for the shopping I’d forgot to get on Tuesday, came home, and I got the lawn mower out and mowed the lawn. And then spent the best part of an hour connecting an outlet to the bath I got at the weekend. I hope it’s watertight. Then bearing in mind the doctor’s advice not to overdo it, I sat by the pond reading for a bit, then watered the plants, and played “Candy Crush”.

I resisted the temptation to put the bath into place – I shall do that when I’ve got more time to spend on it and when I’m not taking it easy

22 May 2024 (Wednesday) - At Work

Another frankly dreadful night. I spent much of the night hanging off the edge of te bed with only six inches of bed space, and when I did manage to nod off I was having nightmares about taking a cousin to afternoon tea; said cousin demanding to have an “earl grey latte ya fukker”.

I made toast, watched an episode of “Catastrope” and had a look at the Internet. I sent out birthday wishes to my nephew’s four Facebook accounts, reported some adverts for prostitutes to the Facebook Feds (Community Standards, eh?), and got ready for work.

 

Having completely forgotten to make myself a sarnie I went to work via the petrol station. I could fill up the car and get scran too. I waited to pay for an inordinately long time; the chap in the queue in front of me would seem to have been some long-distance driver who had driven hundreds of miles overnight and was quite clearly desperately lonely. He just wanted someone to talk to. And as he jabbered on at the po-faced harridan behind the till so the queue grew and grew. He must have been desperate for company - the woman behind the till at Sainsburys in the mornings isn't someone I'd want to exchange pleasantries with. She scares me.

 

I set off up the motorway. As I drove I was conscious of the car behind me getting closer and closer. Far too close. When it got to about six feet behind I pulled over a lane and it just kept coming forward. As it pulled level so I saw the woman behind the steering wheel was engrossed in her mobile phone. I beeped the hooter; she looked up in surprise as she found herself overtaking on the inside, gave me the V-sign and sped off.

I should really have squealed her up, shouldn't I? But I soon forgot her car's registration number.

 

As I drove the pundits on the radio were talking about the recently released inflation figures. The government was saying that the lowest inflation rate for three years was a vindication of their policies; the opposition were claiming that it was nothing to do with government policy. Surely any decent independent economist would be able to say which was right? Or so you might think. According to the experts that were wheeled on, this would not be the case. Economic theory is something of a dark art; akin to betting on the horses. There are apparently as many economic theories as there are experts to expound them. It would seem that economists are on a par with weather forecasters; they have a go, but no one really expects very much from them.

Again I realised I picked the wrong career.

 

I got to work and did my bit. Not being the only one in the place made for a much easier shift than the one I had the last time I was there. But there's no denying that I spent far too long looking out of the window and a not-rainy day wishing I'd gone into work yesterday and been home today when I could have done stuff at home.

 

I wonder what the weather forecast is for tomorrow?

21 May 2024 (Tuesday) - Rain Stopped Play

I didn’t sleep that well; the new CPAP machine has a very funny smell, and the hose pipe is totally inflexible.

I peered into the Internet as I scoffed brekkie as I do most mornings. Two friends were having birthdays today. Friends from the good old days of kite flying. Really good friends… such a shame they live so far away.

Another friend was griping about getting so may adverts for funeral plans. Some people get rather upset about the thought of their own croaking. Me; I get more upset about the thought of having a eulogy blathered by some vicar who had no idea who I was (as actually happened with my father-in-law and brother-in-law), to say nothing of the dogs being put into a dog orphanage. I’ve left instructions… and my own eulogy too.

 

I got the dogs onto their leads and I took them up to the woods. The sky was overcast as we started, and as we walked along the top of a rise we found ourselves going parallel to some strange woman in the valley below. This woman had two dogs at which she was constantly shrieking and blowing a whistle. I have no idea why she was shrieking at the dogs; they seemed to be minding their own business. It strikes me that half the trick of getting dogs to do as they are told and to come when called is to leave them be for the most part. They aren’t daft. I only call my three back when there is a reason; usually because there is a Forestry England lorry or a horse coming down the track toward us. The dogs see the lorry or horse and seem to understand why I’m calling them. In the past when I was constantly calling them back they soon tired of it.

Just as our walk took us to the furthest point from the car so the heavens opened. According to the weather forecast the rain was due to start just about when we would have got home after the walk. Clearly the weather hadn’t heard the forecast. We were all soaking wet by the time we got back to the car.

 

We came home for warming showers and dry pants. I made a cuppa for me and for “er indoors ^TM” who didn’t want cake. What was that all about?

With cuppa guzzled I popped to Tesco for milk. The shop over the road from us sells milk, but I watch the stuff get delivered before six o’clock on the mornings when I am up silly early. On other days I see it sitting in the morning sunshine as I go to work an hour or so later. And on other days I see it finally get taken into the shop when I take dogs for a walk at nine o’clock. It’s hardly surprising that their milk never lasts more than a day.

I got to Tesco; it was heaving. Having narrowly avoided some silly old git’s trolly a dozen times, his wife apologized to me, snatched the trolly from him and told him that he couldn’t push the trolly any more as he keeps crashing into other people. It was only at that point that the old git seemed to realized there was anyone else in the shop but him.

I got milk, wine, port and cakes… and completely forgot all the other stuff I’d gone to Tesco to get.

 

With the rain showing no sign of letting up I spent an hour or so solving geo-puzzles. As I puzzled I had a message. Favourite oldest granddaughter had passed her driving test. Having recently changed her instructor as she was fed up with constantly being told how bad she was, she can’t have been that bad.

I then cracked on with the ironing. As I ironed I watched a film on Netflix. “Billy Eliott” was rather good… but was strange in that whoever had actually put the film together had ballsed up with the sound. Sometimes I couldn’t hear it and had to crank the volume up. Other times it was deafening.

I wrote up a little CPD, and then did the “Feed The Fish” ritual with the dogs. Or with Treacle at any rate. With the rain not letting up the other two weren’t going outside.

 

“er indoors ^TM”  boiled up a rather good bit of dinner which we washed down with the plonk I’d bought earlier. At just over three quid a bottle, it wasn’t bad really.

 

Today was a tad dull. The rain started at half past nine this morning and didn’t let up all day. There was so much else I could have done.