The Hi Life

Lorraine  off to Basingstoke this morning to see family and collect Beth. I sloped off to the Christmas Fair at St Nicolas Church. Janet had a stall the first one you saw on entering selling some of her fabric work. Spent an hour or so lurking with her and Ken, and catching up on gossip, drinking tea and nibbling at a star-shaped biscuit as people milled about in the church, and prize draws were conducted and a father christmas made an appearance from time to time.

Sloped down the hill into town with the idea of doing some shopping. Matt called and so instead I found myself in the Foundry drinking a creditable pint of Landlord with him. I have been avoiding boozes, however I decided to throw caution to the wind. Good chat with Matt, who is in a period of creative flux.

In the evening off to the Great Eastern to meet Anton. The pub was very crowded, but there were wafts of astonishing reek. I knocked someone's jacket from the back of a barstool as I squeezed through and picking it up I realised it had a powerfully agricultural smell. Never smelled an item of clothing like it.

Anton and I sensibly repaired to another tap room pub, where they had San Francisco's Anchor Steam Beer on tap, which was a bit of a find.  Then to the Hobgoblin, packed as usual full of studenty types, to go upstairs when the age range suddenly grew more mature to see the The Hi-Sides. Good to see John and Rick still playing, and their new bassist rather good. I like the fact that John is a head teacher and also the drummer in a punkish rock band. Lurked about chatting after the band had finished, before home to Lorraine and Betty back from college.


Comments