Wednesday, September 26, 2007

WoW at Butterley - Cold - Good chip cob

We were lucky with the weather for our WoW day, apart that is from the temperature being -20C with a biting wind. I exaggerate, it was 48F, but I have been listening to Ranulph Fiennes on the radio. There were 4 of us today, President Brian, Reg, Roy and me.

Mike had a dental appointment but he is back from holiday so I am excused cookhouse-fatigue at EPS tomorrow evening.

Butterley was our chosen venue, only a few miles away and loads to photograph. A farm, a Railway Museum and a tiny Railway Station please click here and then The Peacock for our chip cob which was first rate.

Brian and Reg walked further than Roy and I wanted to but we enjoyed the Farm and then the Railway Museum which was full of nostalgic images. Old fashioned leather suit-cases and banded trunks which it doesn't seem five minutes since we all got rid of them. Picture 1 was the top of some winding gear at The Brittain Pit Farm and it took me a while to get into the right position. I knew I wanted the brightness of the sun just peeping round the brickwork. But the star-shaped flare is pure luck. I wish I could claim I did it on purpose but I can't !

Picture 2 was through the glass of the carriage, sensibly locked, but oh what a shame they needed to spoil the ambience with that ridiculous 'No Smoking' sign.

There was so much to see at the Museum and we had agreed to meet the others at Butterley Station just after noon and at the bottom of the car park one could access a small reservoir. A chap directed me to a water-side bench but it was so cold I sat in the car and had a mug of my coffee.

After lunch and chat it was home and telephone calls and e-mails. Lovely e-mails from 'Aunty Etty' and granddaughter Laura (just back from further globe-trotting) and she had written me a super newsy e-mail together with pictures. I will deal with them tomorrow and also Jill's. No new news about Bungus. I managed to speak to Colin and we had a lengthy chat. He is having trouble with his eyes and seems to feel himself fortunate to have one working well ! The other, he says is like looking through jelly. He still manages a full life though with his poetry, six acres, and his sheep. A ram of his own seems to be is most recent acquisition. And Lyn is still happily small-holding.

During the night I had listened to some good radio. Matthew Parris interviewing Prue Leith about Elizabeth David (for me, radio doesn't get much better than that). And also the serilialisation of 'Villette' with Keira Knightley in the cast. she is obviously equipped with more than just looks! This evening we watched Michael Palin who has reached Turkey via Bulgaria and the programme was excellent fun again.

Just a quick quote :-

"Sentence structure is innate but whining is acquired"

Woody Allen

I think an early night is called for. I was up at 3.30am again and no afternoon kip ! Catch you tomorrow. Y at BJ, me at EPS but not till evening.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Commenter-in-chief! Can I handle such promotion? Will give it a go, tell Bungus I am just keeping his chair warm for him.

I take it a Harvest Moon is the same as a full moon, it's justat this time of the year? We saw it last night, went to Ro's music club. He goes fortnightly, I go two or three times a year. Not really my scene, country and western music, people dress up....(not us, though!). What amused me last night was that there were some people there from the Indian continent dressed as cowboys.....the club is in the wilds of Heston, quite near Terminal 4, it's Asian country out there. It was VERY cold when we left around midnight, clear skies and a beautiful moon.

Am glad I remembered right, I did drive Y to Syon. I learned to drive 22 years ago, so the timing is about right.

Do hope you have a better night's sleep. Did you read in the DTel.about monetary sciatica, men get it from having large wallets in their back pockets, when they sit down it presses on the nerve.....

We are fans of Yorkshire Gold Tea. We did have their Hard-water one, but it seemed to have an odd taste.....

Anonymous said...

Yet another fantastic photo. Just love the sun behind the winding gear. The old railway carriages are excellent aren't they and bring back a lot of memories though saying that we are very lucky here on the island as we have old railways in working condition with the Manx electric railway, The Manx Steam Train as well as the Snaefell Moutain Railway. In addition we still have the horse drawn trams on Douglas Promenade. All fantastic and working attractions.