Mappa Mundi

Woke up in At Sue and John's in Bromyard. Whiskey the dog bouncing excitably about the place. Luckily she did not attempt to steal my watch again, as she did the last time we were together. After a lovely breakfast John drove us to see Hereford Cathedral.  Some rather glorious glass in the place -- one fairly contemporary piece, blue, but with splinters of red, celebrating the SAS, based nearby. Who Dares Wins, their motto, nearby. I didn't have enough time to view them in great detail, but had a sense of loveliness. Red and blue always pop in glass, but I love windows when the use green, which is rarer. 

We visited the Chained library, the combination of ancient tomes and chains, was visually fascinating, and was filed away in my head to be used in a horror story. The Mappa Mundi, which I learned all about from an old friend Fraser who tried a children's story about it, was fascinating. Before you got to see it, there were replicas, one translated into English, and so on. The thing itself, in a dimly lit room was fascinating, and the vellum, looking exactly like the calfskin it is, rather wrinkly but with the details still clear. Rather amazing. 

John took us a scenic route back, through lots of lovely countryside, and then we returned home. Lots of chatting. Sue still processing the death of her father recently. But also John and Sue getting calls from Harry one of their daughter's who has just bought a house in Liverpool and the builders didn't turn up and so on.

I had a glorious nap this afternoon, and so did John who was tired. In the evening, John and I went to collect some curry, and had a beer while we waited in the rather ramshackle pub opposite. I had to take John's Guinness back as the head was enormous, a new barmaid. There was an Alexa speaker there, and local lads, playing a desultory game of darts, barked the names of tracks they wanted to hear into it. Other people brought food in from the nearby chippy and sat at the bar scoffing it (unusual in most pubs). Meanwhile John and I talking lots, he is a very private person but I have grown fond of him over the years.

Home and a cheery meal takeaway curry, and then a fairly early night.  

Below the Mappa Mundi, detail from a translation (liking the man with closed mouth); two closer snaps I took, and a glimpse into the chained library. Also the SAS window, and a touch of green...