At long last I've had several phone calls from the insurance company. The latest is that they will return Bumble, and send me a cheque to get him fixed. They won't be so convenient as to deliver him to Norwich, and the lady on the phone doesn't understand the concept of 'I am a teacher, I can't be there to collect him'. We will have to wait and see how this works out. Hopefully they are telling the truth. I have asked every person I have spoken to at least twice, they say he is driveable. So in theory I will drive him back here and the boys in the VW body shop/commercial vehicles bit at Robinsons can fix him up. Am still praying it all works out.. would be lovely to have him back for Christmas.
Sat am Chalkie took me to the Bennets HomeTech show at the Norfolk Showground. Dangerous! It started well with a nice young man offering free bacon butties in the AEG show truck. Took a rapid downturn when we found they had run out, but they did have croissants :-)
Many temptations were there to behold.. and Chalkie is not a good influence! He is however a very good giver of Christmas presents hehe. And he got himself a well cool coffee maker.
This was the coolest thing we saw.. James Toseland's Yamaha guitar..
More food at the AEG stand on the way out! We did earn it by asking lots of intelligent questions about the induction hobs though. We somehow managed to spend 4 hours at the show so I missed the Norwich game on Sky Sports. Ended up watching Star Wars instead hehe.
Mum came home too late to take me to Lesley's to see her new house, so Lesley came to us.. avec deux real French people. Remember now how bad I am at French. Blouf! More TV (Strictly) and games.
Thurs 25th Oct: Back to Norwich yet again, this time for the family dinner on Sunday. Dull drive back, but then that's a good thing. Still not sorted out the last eventful journey. Got taken out to some garden centre's Christmas shop after Nan's hospital appointment. Tea and then board games. Loving reading Little Dorrit on the Kindle.
Fri 26th Oct: Faffed too much in the morning doing the shopping to have time to do the Castle properly, so me and Ma went to the Bridewell Museum.
Having already been thrown out of one museum this week I thought I'd leave the costumes to Ma this time.
We learned that the Valentines Day tradition of knocking on the door, leaving a gift and then running away is a Norfolk tradition, but that the Dicky Valentine part is just a Leggett invention. We learned Norwich's history is full of weaving, and shoes and chocolate! We found reference to Mum's uncle Billy, and the factory where Grandad Leggett worked.
I found a bell from Loughbrough
Mum found Nan's pantry from Jex Road!
Very similar to Grandad's clock
Mum made me find our house. I am still hopeless. TGF GPS!
Speedway bike that used to race at the Fir's stadium just behind Tim's house
Old Canaries ground 'The Nest' at Rosary road. I worked briefly at Bertrams Books that replaced it.
I was in a very boring mood and refused to pose with Captain Canary!
No pencils in the gift shop.. NOOOooooooo!
Ma had to go to a leaving do, so I toddled off to Chapelfield to get Jon's birthday pressie. Managed to find some running tights in the Sports Direct jumble sale! No trainers still though. Big curry for tea, telly and board games. Must be practicing for Christmas.
Another foggy morning. Off onto campus to see where Ems presides. Mostly concrete if I'm honest. Possibly the ugliest place in Bath unfortunately. Maybe a blessing that I couldn't see much of it!!
Walked miles to get a geocache. Usual story.. get to GZ fine, then no sign of the cache. No matter.. found one in a nice garden-y bit. And there was a bouncy ball in it!!
The sports facilities are amazing. Wonder if they will best Loughborough soon? Was playing with my bouncy ball along here, then later realised that the whole of one side was a busy cafe on the other side of the glass!
Went in out of the fog... took a picture for the 'company' at the Apartments... Bath Uni still has its Olympics bunting up.. why can't I?!
I have actually swum in here.. BUSA Duathlon, second year of Uni.
Nice spot to sit and read (iPad and Bath Country Life or something) after exploring and buying my Team Bath souvenir pencil (and socks!)
Amazingly managed to find Ems office again, then off into Bath. Lunch at Sally Lunns (ginger this time) then sidetracked by Apple and Animal, then the Jane Austen Centre. Things did not start well.. ran up to the costumed man at the door, asked him a question, then ran off again! Got worse in the gift shop (pencil.. tick!) when I was rummaging through the 'I heart' badges. The woman said 'If you're looking for Darcy, I'm afraid we've run out'. Replied 'I was looking for Elizabeth actually'.
The museum was really interesting, good talk setting the scene about her family and situation in life, some stories about her life. The exhibits weren't wonderful, nothing really of hers, but kind of stuff of the time. They weren't even really sure if her portrait was hers! The best part was the costumes... we should have known that leaving us pair with a dressing up box was a bad idea!
Mr Darcy must have had a big heeeed and a fat neck!
Get me looking all dapper!
HAHAHAHAHA!
Emma is just a comedy genius...
Discovered in the evening that Somerset pub quizzes are really hard! Did alright considering that Becky, Kate and Hev just sat there taking the mick!
Woke up to a cold and foggy morning. Faffed a lot, and gave Gladis a quick bath with a mop bucket of icy water! Then set off into the gloom, mostly guessing the way as the GPS hadn't charged.
The Severn Bridge should have been awesome. Gladis' first crossing of this amazing structure. It was, however, hilarious and scary. Far from seeing a magnificent view.. I couldn't even see Wales!!! I really hope the fog had cleared by the time all the Harleys came over it later.. that being the whole point of the event!
Got lucky making it into Chepstow ok, and got lucky asking where to go, and got lucky recognising the CMA tent. Glad I had bathed Gladis when I was told to park her next to our stand. Scary moment trying to get her up the kerb with everyone watching.
Shocked to see Mike there. He is a well travelled young man. Still, think he was suprised to see me too. Lovely bloke, but then I like anyone who feeds me bacon butties on a Sunday morning!
My time on the stand was hilarious. The old gent Pete who was there had a knack for picking those people that lived in Chepstow for his attempts to hand out our map with the line 'do you know Chepstow?' Still it made me laugh, and made me brave enough to try to hand out some, and to talk to a few people. Very satisfying when someone takes a bible, or an interest.
Only a few of the bikes came past us...
Go brave girl!
So proud of Gladis amongst the other CMA rides..
Not exactly rushed off my feet in the helmet park in the church later, but good to meet CMA people. Failed miserably to find the geocache just outside the church, so had a small wander back up to the gate I'd ridden through earlier to find the one there. Social skills failed me at the end, they all went for a meal, I got left to ride home. Directional skills also failed me. Several miles before checking the phone map and pulling a U-ey.
Great evening in with Emsy.. take out (how dare the chippy be shut!!) and American Werewolf in London on lovefilm. Just as good as we remembered! Head on the bonnet still the standout moment hehe
