Getting outside
Up early and working on some words for Helen for the opera. Then I donned my walking gear and walked down to Brighton Station to meet Anton. It was a cool but sunny day, perfect for walking. Lots of police about at Brighton Station, as some idiot had tried to set off a improvised bomb on a train at Parsons Green in west London.
Anton saying he felt in better shape than ever, and bounded off like a young gazelle at Balcombe. We did a circular route, through the lovely lanes then across country fields and through a few farms to the Ardingly reservoir. Anton shared his lunch with me there, as I mysteriously hadn't brought any food. We walked around it and then back up into Balcombe.
A lovely walk, and a perfect day for walking, although we had to skirt the edge of a field full of noisy cattle. Anton let me go ahead as a decoy, then sprinted past me with some alacrity to safety. Ardingly reservoir quite full, and with signs about poisonous blue green algae in the water.
I was a bit tired at the end, but luckily we ended up at the Half Moon Inn where we had a cheeky pint before wending our way back down to the station. The Half Moon used to be a bit grim, but it is now a community owned pub, and suddenly is much better. In Brighton, we sauntered up to the Battle of Trafalgar for some more beers. Nice to be in the Batty again, and it was here Anton pulled his chessboard and chess pieces out of his rucksack, and we had a few games of chess. Anton came second. Then we remembered The Caxton which also served beers, so we went for an absolute bloody final there.
Just as we were finishing up I had a call from Mas on my mobile, and he told me that Mum was in hospital. After fond farewells with Anton I hurried home. Mas had told me she was in Barnet, but it turned out she was back in the Royal Free. When I spoke to them, they told me she had been discharged from A&E at four. So a couple of calls to Mas to find out if she had returned home yet, as this was a few hours later. But she had not. Repeated calls to the Royal Free and eventually I found that she had been discharged from A&E to a different ward. Why the bastards couldn't have made this clear in the first place is a mystery. Eventually I was able to speak to her, and found her sounding quite cheery. She had severe stomach pains in the night, but was in no pain now. It seems these were adhesion pains after her last operation. She was in no pain, but was very bored.
Meanwhile, Lorraine cooked for me, and then Dawn came around and they went to the pub. After I'd spoken to Mum finally went off to the Preston Park Tavern for a final beer or two. A cheery hour or so with Lorraine and Dawn, before Dawn headed home and Lorraine and I sloped home to sleep like logs.
Below an ominous sign. Ardingly Reservoir, and the obligatory under the viaduct shot.
Anton saying he felt in better shape than ever, and bounded off like a young gazelle at Balcombe. We did a circular route, through the lovely lanes then across country fields and through a few farms to the Ardingly reservoir. Anton shared his lunch with me there, as I mysteriously hadn't brought any food. We walked around it and then back up into Balcombe.
A lovely walk, and a perfect day for walking, although we had to skirt the edge of a field full of noisy cattle. Anton let me go ahead as a decoy, then sprinted past me with some alacrity to safety. Ardingly reservoir quite full, and with signs about poisonous blue green algae in the water.
I was a bit tired at the end, but luckily we ended up at the Half Moon Inn where we had a cheeky pint before wending our way back down to the station. The Half Moon used to be a bit grim, but it is now a community owned pub, and suddenly is much better. In Brighton, we sauntered up to the Battle of Trafalgar for some more beers. Nice to be in the Batty again, and it was here Anton pulled his chessboard and chess pieces out of his rucksack, and we had a few games of chess. Anton came second. Then we remembered The Caxton which also served beers, so we went for an absolute bloody final there.
Just as we were finishing up I had a call from Mas on my mobile, and he told me that Mum was in hospital. After fond farewells with Anton I hurried home. Mas had told me she was in Barnet, but it turned out she was back in the Royal Free. When I spoke to them, they told me she had been discharged from A&E at four. So a couple of calls to Mas to find out if she had returned home yet, as this was a few hours later. But she had not. Repeated calls to the Royal Free and eventually I found that she had been discharged from A&E to a different ward. Why the bastards couldn't have made this clear in the first place is a mystery. Eventually I was able to speak to her, and found her sounding quite cheery. She had severe stomach pains in the night, but was in no pain now. It seems these were adhesion pains after her last operation. She was in no pain, but was very bored.
Meanwhile, Lorraine cooked for me, and then Dawn came around and they went to the pub. After I'd spoken to Mum finally went off to the Preston Park Tavern for a final beer or two. A cheery hour or so with Lorraine and Dawn, before Dawn headed home and Lorraine and I sloped home to sleep like logs.
Below an ominous sign. Ardingly Reservoir, and the obligatory under the viaduct shot.
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