Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Bestwood Park - Old Spot Daybrook

We managed our little adventure to Bestwood Park without getting drenched although it was a close thing. Joan was ready and waiting and when we arrived at the country park the ladies set off immediately on their ramble while I went into the Hotel for a coffee and a look at the crossword. I had just gone outside again to take a snap of the following tree when Bungus arrived.

Equipped with my wheels we ventured quite a way into the woods but the rain was a constant threat.

The 'wheels' are a mixed blessing. They make a tripod of 'wheels' and one's legs, and thereby confer a great feeling of stability. The downside is that some people react to you as if you are mentally disabled as well. Sandra tells the story of being in a shoe-shop in her wheelchair when her pal was asked "What size does she take then?"

Y advises its use during an actual activity like a walk, but to use a walking stick in pubs etc. And I suspect she may be right. If I fall over in a pub they will just have to pick me up again won't they?

When we met up back at the car we decided against sandwiches at the Hotel (there was obviously a conference of 'suits') and we didn't really fit in. So instead we went to The Old Spot in Daybrook which used to be a favourite watering-hole where Fletch, Dai Jones, Steve Bowley and I used to meet regularly. People used to call it the Home Brewery Tap because it was just on the opposite side of the road from the brewery. Legend had it that a pipe under the road connected directly from the brewery to the pub's hand-pumps.

Next door is the old Daybrook Laundry, due for demolition. So some time ago Bungus came over to photograph it. Although mere mortals consider the building ugly it is apparently an important example of 1930's industrial architecture. If any of that sentence is incorrect I feel sure that I shall be gently corrected. Instead of sandwiches we all decided on the 'scampi and chips' at 2 for £5 and jolly good it was too.

So as not to be anti-social I am watching this in the big room, where Y is watching and enjoying the big match. I've just noticed a Barcelona player with 'DECO' on his shirt. Would that be Art Deco by any chance?

Comments.....Bungus ...... I think now you have actually seen my 'wheels' you will realise that pillion is not a possibility.

You really must keep up with 'tree of the week.' Weeping-willow was last week, Silver-birch this week, and by next week it will no doubt be Horse-Chestnut. I always love the 'candles' but can never remember whether the red ones precede the white or vice versa?

anonymousrob ............Thanks for the research which yielded a meaning of 'sough' (pronounced suff) which wasn't wildly at odds with my boyhood understanding as a drain. My mother's family were all miners living in the Stonebroom. Morton, Stretton Top, Clay Cross areas and it was there I learnt the word.

I'm really enjoying the old radio show correspondence. And I am old enough to remember the BBC being The Home Service, The Light Programme and the Third Programme.

My Dad used to think himself very witty when he used to call it 'Sing Something Sinful' on Sunday night.

Reg ...... Thanks for the 'nickle' jingle. And re your comment 2 days ago, not only do I remember Much Binding in The Marsh extremely well, when we next meet I will sing you the opening phrases of the theme tune.

I tried to track down a YouTube of Much Binding ...... Someone might have had some archive footage - but no luck!

The big match has just finished and my lady wife says it was good, and a RESULT. More detail can be expected tomorrow I'm sure, from The Sports Desk.

I've decided against WoW-ing tomorrow. I'm in a mess with my mobile phone and need to go to Carphone Warehouse. It will be cheaper to go to Nottingham than to use their 0870 number. The problem is that I topped it up from my phonecard, but WRONG phonecard, and I am sure that whoever stole my phone in February, will be pleased to find that he/she has just acquired a £10 top-up. I realise that I can't recover that, but I can't work out which top up card fits which phone. Y has an identical model.

But we are both definitely going to EPS on Thursday night for the Presentation Evening - plus buffet !

...... I hope I haven't forgotten anything....... Catch you tomorrow..!


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4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mixed feelings in this part of the Sports Desk. Elated at United's victory after a very tense and nervous last 15 minutes. Personally I would have preferred not to have an all Premier League final as the teams know each other so well it could prove to be a mundane game. Nonetheless we're there and hopefully, 3 weeks today, will be lifting the trophy.

Very sad that, as Chester got the point they needed last night, the Stags are down. There is always next season though and let's hope they come back better and stronger. But Mr H has to go, go now and take the rest of the rag, tag and bobtail with him (didn't Dennis Skinner say that about Thatcher?)

I'm also old enough to remember the Home Service, Light Programme and the Third Programme. I remember it as serious radio, entertaining radio and classical music in that order. Workers' Playtime has just come to mind, maybe because it's about lunchtime and I'm typing this instead of working. I can also remember the start of Radio 1 which, although fresh and exciting for its time, still wasn't as sexy as pirate radio. I also remember, on moving to Nottingham, Dale Winton was on Radio Trent.

It seems to me, RG, you need a couple of adaptations to your wheels. One would be a device for holding a brolly so rain, and indeed sun, would not be a problem. The other, of course, is some sort of clamp with a tripod screw on so you can attach your camera to it. Armed thus you could get any number of interesting blurred shots as you dashed through the countryside.

Fancy County being in the old 3rd Div North and Forest in the old 3rd Div South. Was that because of their geographical position on either side of the Trent? It certainly seems to fit with Bungus's interpretation of southerners.

Rob

Anonymous said...

After a good Tuesday start,with a most enjoyable trip to Bestwood Country Park with fine company, things deteriorated in the evening.
Just as the Man U / Barcelona game was about to begin, I got a fierce baking-tray shaped pain in the chest (it was the pain which was fierce not the baking-tray). It lasted about five minutes and then disappeared completely.
All went well, until this morning when I woke with not toothache but full mouthache – not something I have ever before experienced. I got up to go to the bathroom only to find Stephanie and Jessica in there doing things with a nit comb. I cursed them roundly and turned to return to the bedroom. I took a determined stride and walked into the wall at the side of the door, my head being the first thing to arrive. After more swearing, I staggerd back to my bed where I remained until one o’clock (only getting up to visit the abandoned bathroom and go downstairs for my porridge).
I now feel rather better.

Nice crusty tree.

I don’t think the tripod has quite the demeaning effect of a wheelchair (and I think attitudes have improved somewhat too). The "What size does she take then?" persuaded Sandra to abandon the wheel chair altogether as soon as she could manage to walk a few yards.
Yvonne’s advice seems sound to me. I suspect you would have handled the steps at the Old Spot better.

I too have memories of the Old Spot.
When I was a member of Arnold Round Table we used to have our monthly dinner meetings there. Daybrook Laundry has been a favourite building of mine since the 1950s. Rare in Notts, it is, as RG says, an important example of 1930's modern (not just 'industrial' architecture, gentle correction). A partner in the firm I worked for through the sixties owned half of a highly regarded and much illustrated house in the same style; High and Over at High Wycombe (home of G Plan).
I enjoyed my 'scampi and chips' and the house red wasn’t bad either.

I have had the same thought about Barca's Deco. Probably Arturio?

Pillion not a possibility? What is this lack of imagination and lateral thinking?

It would help to keep up with 'tree of the week' if you gave a clue or two.
In the garden at Farnsfield we had a horse chestnut (white) in the front garden (and a sycamore) but the neighbour behind us had a red one. That was nice.

I thought 'sough' was a drainage term. How odd that my dictionary, which is generally so exhaustive, should not include it.

What about Radio Luxembourg and Hilversum?

Reg ...... RG and I did a duet of the Much Binding theme tune at the Bestwood Hotel. Another reason for not eating there (and the price of the not very good coffee, served white without option).

What a bummer that whoever stole your phone has acquired a £10 top-up. When you have sorted things will you please let me have your number (the one you inserted into my phone on Tue appears to have only 2 digits!)

Rob:
Yes, well done Man U, even though Barcelona were the more skilful side.

I cannot think that Haslam will get more for the Stags now they have been relegated. He seems foolish not to have accepted the recent offers from the local consortium.

The brolly and tripod sound great additions to RG’s trolley. Perhaps a small outboard motor for floods?

I think perhaps accountants, rather than Monty Python, are to blame for the boring image of accountants.

Reg:
I like the jingle. I suppose the ‘nickel in’ would be to pay Lawton. (Does any one else remember the words to ‘You May Not Be An Angel’? my favourite song of about 1944/5).
Around about the same time as Lawton at Notts (I think), in 1949 to 51 Stags had player-manager Freddie Steele at centre forward.
He would no doubt have gained more England caps had it not been for Lawton. He was the same typical style and arguably a better header of the ball. At Mansfield, he trained up a right winger, Billy Coole, who would cross the ball beautifully on to Freddie’s head for a certain goal. In 49/50 Steele scored 19 goals from 24 appearances; in 50/51, 18 from 24; and in 51/52, 7 from 13. They also had the talented goal scoring left winger Harry Oscroft (3 from 12, 13 from 42, 16 from 41, 12 from 2) who, on his transfer to Stoke was succeeded by Sid Ottewell from Chesterfield. Also, at that time, they had other classy players who took them close to promotion to Div 2 and to the 5th round of the FA Cup in 1949/50; in particular, full-backs Sammy Chessell and Don Bradley, right-half Antonio and centre half Johnny Grogan from Leicester.

Anonymous said...

On R Nottm website. A n article on innuendo of which the following is an example referring to 'I'm Sorry...'

Samantha is the show's fictional scorer, and has an active social life. She once trained opera singers - "having seen what she did to the baritone, the director is keen to see what she might do for a tenor," as Lyttelton put it - while her baking instructor "popped her bread rolls straight into his mouth and he's promised to try her muffin next week". Of a builder, "she was pleased to see his tender won, but was startled when it suddenly grew to twice its size".

The Fanatstic Five said...

We have now a bird house and nesting in is ..... great tits !!!!!