The Red Arrows come to town

Every year the War & Peace Show takes place at the nearby Beltring Hop Farm. Military vehicle enthusiasts come from all the over the country to display their vehicles, attend exhibitions and see famous guests such as Dame Vera Lynn and former cast members from Dad’s Army. Even if you don’t visit the show (and [...]

4 Comments Posted in: encounters, photos

7 Days: Day 6 – Rainy day

I went to Tonbridge today and was accosted by a very nice Friends of the Earth man who talked to me about factory farming. He knelt down to talk to me on the wet pavement, which I found very chivalrous. He asked if it was ok to do so and I told him that he’d [...]

No Comments Posted in: 7 days, being me, encounters, photos

Forgetfulness and/or denial

I went shopping with Suzy today and we had a marvellously successful day, coming away with half the stock of H&M. In a funky shop called Apricot, where I found myself a long overdue new winter coat, I was perusing the clothes when a little boy appeared next to me. “Hello,” I said. He looked [...]

3 Comments Posted in: being me, encounters, friends

Ballet and afternoon tea

My Christmas present from Suzy this year was a very posh one: a ticket to The Nutcracker at the Royal Opera House and afternoon tea at The Milestone Hotel. We took a packed train to Charing Cross, meeting up along the way with some of Suzy’s work colleagues who would be joining us. Suzy spotted [...]

7 Comments Posted in: celebrate, encounters, food, friends, photos

Parcel delivery

I open the front door to a lady who has come to deliver a parcel. “Hello, are you Mrs Marchant?” “No, daughter, but close enough.” “Yes, close enough,” she agrees, handing me the console to sign. “You work down the road, don’t you?”, she asks, adding, “I’ve seen you.” “Ah, no you’ve seen someone like [...]

6 Comments Posted in: being me, encounters

Good service

I chose not to have a dessert at the Napoli Italian restaurant last night. I was so full of garlic bread, caprese salad with amazing mozzarella and the strascinato pasta with chicken, ham and cherry tomatoes. The idea of adding two or three scoops of ice cream or sorbet on top of the rather large food [...]

No Comments Posted in: being me, encounters, food, friends

I bet Laura Ingalls Wilder never had this trouble

Not interested, but if you wait here an idiot pony will be along shortly

I had some weedy little turnips that I thought might be a nice treat for the Shetland ponies and goats that I occasionally walk past on a wander in the fields, so I dropped them into my rucksack along with my camera and cycled up the little hill to feed them. On one side of [...]

No Comments Posted in: being me, encounters, walks

La soirée

Having pretty much done our sightseeing for the day we headed to the shops to spend a few Euros -and even though I came away with a very nice top from H&M, I’d completely forgotten that we’d gone shopping when it came to writing this post. So I when I saw that there was a [...]

1 Comment Posted in: encounters, friends, photos, travels