An idiots guide to an Idiot: Wedding Day Ambush.

An idiots guide to an Idiot: Wedding Day Ambush.: This is a blog of two parts really, first and most importantly we were invited to the wedding evening do of a young man we've known sin...

Wedding Day Ambush.

This is a blog of two parts really, first and most importantly we were invited to the wedding evening do of a young man we've known since he was about 2 years old. Alec's best buddy Sparky. Alec was to be one of the Ushers and we were very touched to be invited as well.
The boys were all there for the whole day so we came along in the evening bringing all the girls with us, it was lovely hearing them all chirruping away, all obviously getting on well and excited about the evening.Who doesn't love a wedding? We very much enjoyed their company and if I'm honest regard them as the daughters we never had. We love them all.
  It was a long journey there but we got there eventually. I wanted to get a photo of everyone before we went in but all needed the toilet by the time we arrived and rushed in, so my photo opportunity was missed. Bugger! The very hot weather we've been having finished yesterday and it was quite chilly and then wet, not that dampened any spirits. Good to catch up with some great lads , many of whom we have known since they were little chaps. James, Darren, Big Man, Sparky of course, Liam, Ben,Dan, Lee to mention but a few. It's a funny thing to reminisce, thinking of sleep overs the boys had, the football matches & tournaments we watched them play, it is truly touching to see what fine young men they've all grown into. It warmed the cockles of my heart.
Sparky & Emma make a lovely couple, if they are as happy as Tara & I are then they'll be doing alright.

The ambush? Ah yes. It is of course traditional to try to embarrass your parents and our boys, & their friends it turns out have been able to do it with aplomb. A question to me whether I prefer flats or heels & a comment heard by Olly about 'lying down shoes' led to much mirth at our expense. It was however very very funny! 

An idiots guide to an Idiot: Away again

An idiots guide to an Idiot: Away again: New job, new gig and away in a different part of the country. Stayed near Arundel in a delightful part of Sussex, it was called the Roundab...

Away again

New job, new gig and away in a different part of the country. Stayed near Arundel in a delightful part of Sussex, it was called the Roundabout Hotel & without reading the blurb properly I expected a motel type place on, obviously, a roundabout! Wrong! It was in a village called West Chiltington which itself was the brainchild of a Reginald Wells, he built an estate of houses in this part of the world in the 1920' calling them the Roundabouts, this hotel ,although older than that harks back to an old coaching inn. Not a roundabout to be seen! It was a rally pleasant stay with of course a couple of refreshing golden ales. Namely Horsham Brewery's Hophead,  at 3.8% definitely a quaffing beer. An excellent dinner of seafood salad and then lamb  made a very good end to a long and hot day. I'd stay here again!

     

An idiots guide to an Idiot: Redbournestoke Morris

An idiots guide to an Idiot: Redbournestoke Morris: Met our dear friends Kas & Stan in Toddington last night. The Morris side that Stan & Dan first belonged to were doing their annual...

Redbournestoke Morris

Met our dear friends Kas & Stan in Toddington last night. The Morris side that Stan & Dan first belonged to were doing their annual tour of Toddington to dance outside each pub in the village. This gig was different as it was to be their last hurrah as the side is folding due to lack of new members.

We took Kevin along as well who proved he wasn't a Morris fan but was a cider fan. We took Ida of course & also this weeks guest Charlie. There's a great like micro pub opened up called The Cuckoo, it was very friendly and served good beer, essential on the warm evening that it was. It was nice to see that a number of other sides had turned out to  see Redbournestoke off in style. It was a grand evening.

An idiots guide to an Idiot: All Peaks and no troughs

An idiots guide to an Idiot: All Peaks and no troughs: Found a living history type museum that was very good called the Tramway Museum. Not the most inspiring name I grant you but stay with it! ...

All Peaks and no troughs

Found a living history type museum that was very good called the Tramway Museum. Not the most inspiring name I grant you but stay with it! It's one of these places that has moved local buildings of historic interest brick by brick and re built them bringing them back to their former glory, there's a few places that are similar across the country, but this one had the addition of trams!
There is of course trams to ride on and lots of others to see all restored to working condition. Had a pint & a scotch egg (obligatory) in the Red Lion & as you can see here Ida did her impression of Fred Scuttle (google Benny Hill if you know him!)

  Weather again was brilliant and we had a really nice day. Wednesday I think it was Tara was abit washed out by now and elected to stay in so Ida & I went off to Derwent Water to seek all things Dambusters as this is where the 617 Squadron practised their attack on the German dams of the Ruhr Valley.
There's a small memorial to the squadron & once a small museum that's been closed for a few years and that's it really. Not sure what I was expecting , but abit more than this anyway. You can't get onto any of the dam itself which is a shame, hope my photos here show the two towers that the bomb aimers had to line up with  to drop their bouncing bombs at the right place which records state was 60ft above the water, though the last surviving Dambuster, Johnny Johnson, who was a bomb aimer, said it was more like 30feet!
Incredibly brave men everyone one of them. On the 19 Lancasters who set off only with only 8 returning.53 aircrew were killed.

Another glorious walk on Thursday brought our week to a close. This time a 3 miler which probably ended up 4 miles. We drove to Birchover and walked to the Nine Ladies Stones, an ancient site along with the king stone. Legend says they were dancing on the sabbath & got turned to stone. On route was the Cork Stone. Just one massive stone on its own, quite impressive

though. You'll notice I have no photos of the Nine Ladies themselves. It was summer solstice about a week ago and some pagan types had camped near the stones and as at least one of the girls was wandering around topless I thought it probably best not to take any piccys! Carried on our walk down through woodland and passed some old workings of some kind.  There were some stones that appeared to have been cut into millstones. Unfortunately somewhere on this path we managed to take a wrong turn and were about a mile & a half  away from where we wanted to be so a trudge along a very quiet but very hot road that kept on going up & up again until we got back to Birchover to find the first pub shut & the second, although open for drinks wasn't serving food, but the cool tap room and cooler beer made it a worthwhile stop anyway.

It was a delightful little cottage we stayed in, it was tastefully furnished, nothing like the usual house clearance crap that holiday lets of years gone by were like. Really couldn't fault it & with the added good weather we all had a really really great week.