Pull the other one
Another week passes, and while I've been "too busy to write" I've also been "not here to write". Being slightly security aware, I don't advertise in advance that I'm going away for a few days, but of course, I'm willing to share my experiences afterwards.
So quickly hopping back to last Tuesday, and the arrival of the previous thursday's Ringing World (long bank holidays and the postal service obviously don't mix), I pushed through a 2 day week. I spent the evening at the radio station, since I'd left my soldering iron there, as the kitchen scales had developed a fault on the on/off button - a simple matter of fitting a new push button.
Wednesday was also a hard "heads down" day to complete the various bits for the project milestone, before I went away. Had a surprise at Radio Witham, when I found Paul covering for Trevor. Not a huge issue, but I wasn't really expecting it. Got home early to tidy the house a little, and start packing.
Thursday was a very long day. Not wanting it to start too early, I slept in for an extra hour, allowing Shelagh to go into town to buy a few things, including more micro-pore tape that I use when doing lots of bell ringing. She also managed to get my watch strip sorted out, as it had a habit of coming off (turns out I'd got one one size too small). We made some sandwiches, packed everything into the car, and headed off to Hereford at about 13:00, arriving around 16:30, which wasn't bad considering how bad traffic in Worcestor had got. Sorted out our accommodation, group (AB - so more rounds and call changes and plain hunt... for the third year in a row), and after dinner we went to the initial practical session, on tied bells for the AB groups, to see what needed doing. No great shocks really, always a few points, but nothing too bad. Then things went a bit pear shaped. The bar. After having to drive around so much, and then not having to drive anywhere for a few days, the temptation to drink too much is strong, and after 5 pints, I was quite finished.
This made Friday morning rather interesting. I forced myself to go to breakfast, get something inside me to help sort myself out, and then I intended missing the 9am lecture (that's usually optional for helpers anyway) to wash my hair, and have a shave, as I hadn't shaved on Thursday. I found that someone (it wasn't me, honest) had puked in the sink, and blocked it. Not wanting to think too much, and go downstairs to perform some personal grooming, I though "sod it" and decided to have another hours sleep.
Ok, I went through Friday looking like the walking dead (and felt it too), but managed to ring well enough, and get through the day ok. Was down as a helper at a Grandsire conducting practical in the evening, which didn't go too badly. Stuck to drinking coke at the bar, and introduced myself to Robert Lewis, the editor of the ringing world. We talked about the recent events at Settle, where one of the bells had broken up after being retuned and rehung.
Saturday morning was much better. I tidied myself up, and bounced down to breakfast. Saturday is quite an intensive day for ringing, and I decided to use some tape on my fingers to stop them becoming too sore. I'd opted to go to Hereford Cathedral in the evening, to find out for myself how bad they were. Actually, they're no worse than Newark, except the visibility in the tower is rather hindered by the woodwork. Had a quiet evening in the bar, a couple of pints of beer, and a pint of coke to balance things out. Decided that I was going to have to do something about my own ringing career, which has been rather stalled for the last 7 years or so, and I think Robert suggested I should write an article about the tour for the comic. I don't know how serious he was. I've not written anything. Maybe I should sort out those mini-guides I started writing last year, and get them published? The pope's death was also mentioned, and the length of his term in office was debated.
Sunday didn't quite go to plan. During morning coffee, it was suggested that I go to visit Yarkhill (SO608426), the birthplace of Stedman, and what seems to be an impressive augmentation project to take it from 4 to 8 (although I think the old bells will be simply retired). Managed to get back for lunch in time to join the very back of the queue, but was still able to eat fast enough to get to the last tower on time. After some nice stately ringing, and a group photo, it was time for a goodbye coffee, and the long drive home, departing at 17:00. Had to stop to buy petrol, and for some stupid reason chose to stop at Ashby de la Zouche. What a crap town... there doesn't seem to be anywhere to eat, and ended up with grabbing something at the petrol station. Got home just before 20:00.
Monday was an expensive day. We've been thinking of buying a new sofa for some time, and now was the time to do it. So we went to Ikea in Nottingham, and ended up buying a new dining table too. So now we're £700 poorer. We had to remove the old sofa to make room for the table, which we built and ate tea at, before I dashed off to the radio station to train Andy and Howard on the use of the linux workstations. The new sofa should arrive in the next couple of weeks. We're expecting an phone call on around the 13th April to confirm a time and date. I'm dreading moving the armchairs, as there's so much stuff piled up behind them... it's all got to go.
So quickly hopping back to last Tuesday, and the arrival of the previous thursday's Ringing World (long bank holidays and the postal service obviously don't mix), I pushed through a 2 day week. I spent the evening at the radio station, since I'd left my soldering iron there, as the kitchen scales had developed a fault on the on/off button - a simple matter of fitting a new push button.
Wednesday was also a hard "heads down" day to complete the various bits for the project milestone, before I went away. Had a surprise at Radio Witham, when I found Paul covering for Trevor. Not a huge issue, but I wasn't really expecting it. Got home early to tidy the house a little, and start packing.
Thursday was a very long day. Not wanting it to start too early, I slept in for an extra hour, allowing Shelagh to go into town to buy a few things, including more micro-pore tape that I use when doing lots of bell ringing. She also managed to get my watch strip sorted out, as it had a habit of coming off (turns out I'd got one one size too small). We made some sandwiches, packed everything into the car, and headed off to Hereford at about 13:00, arriving around 16:30, which wasn't bad considering how bad traffic in Worcestor had got. Sorted out our accommodation, group (AB - so more rounds and call changes and plain hunt... for the third year in a row), and after dinner we went to the initial practical session, on tied bells for the AB groups, to see what needed doing. No great shocks really, always a few points, but nothing too bad. Then things went a bit pear shaped. The bar. After having to drive around so much, and then not having to drive anywhere for a few days, the temptation to drink too much is strong, and after 5 pints, I was quite finished.
This made Friday morning rather interesting. I forced myself to go to breakfast, get something inside me to help sort myself out, and then I intended missing the 9am lecture (that's usually optional for helpers anyway) to wash my hair, and have a shave, as I hadn't shaved on Thursday. I found that someone (it wasn't me, honest) had puked in the sink, and blocked it. Not wanting to think too much, and go downstairs to perform some personal grooming, I though "sod it" and decided to have another hours sleep.
Ok, I went through Friday looking like the walking dead (and felt it too), but managed to ring well enough, and get through the day ok. Was down as a helper at a Grandsire conducting practical in the evening, which didn't go too badly. Stuck to drinking coke at the bar, and introduced myself to Robert Lewis, the editor of the ringing world. We talked about the recent events at Settle, where one of the bells had broken up after being retuned and rehung.
Saturday morning was much better. I tidied myself up, and bounced down to breakfast. Saturday is quite an intensive day for ringing, and I decided to use some tape on my fingers to stop them becoming too sore. I'd opted to go to Hereford Cathedral in the evening, to find out for myself how bad they were. Actually, they're no worse than Newark, except the visibility in the tower is rather hindered by the woodwork. Had a quiet evening in the bar, a couple of pints of beer, and a pint of coke to balance things out. Decided that I was going to have to do something about my own ringing career, which has been rather stalled for the last 7 years or so, and I think Robert suggested I should write an article about the tour for the comic. I don't know how serious he was. I've not written anything. Maybe I should sort out those mini-guides I started writing last year, and get them published? The pope's death was also mentioned, and the length of his term in office was debated.
Sunday didn't quite go to plan. During morning coffee, it was suggested that I go to visit Yarkhill (SO608426), the birthplace of Stedman, and what seems to be an impressive augmentation project to take it from 4 to 8 (although I think the old bells will be simply retired). Managed to get back for lunch in time to join the very back of the queue, but was still able to eat fast enough to get to the last tower on time. After some nice stately ringing, and a group photo, it was time for a goodbye coffee, and the long drive home, departing at 17:00. Had to stop to buy petrol, and for some stupid reason chose to stop at Ashby de la Zouche. What a crap town... there doesn't seem to be anywhere to eat, and ended up with grabbing something at the petrol station. Got home just before 20:00.
Monday was an expensive day. We've been thinking of buying a new sofa for some time, and now was the time to do it. So we went to Ikea in Nottingham, and ended up buying a new dining table too. So now we're £700 poorer. We had to remove the old sofa to make room for the table, which we built and ate tea at, before I dashed off to the radio station to train Andy and Howard on the use of the linux workstations. The new sofa should arrive in the next couple of weeks. We're expecting an phone call on around the 13th April to confirm a time and date. I'm dreading moving the armchairs, as there's so much stuff piled up behind them... it's all got to go.
posted by Steve Caddy | 12:22
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home