Eccentric Amblings and Ramblings From Gnat Bottomed Towers

 So here we are at the tail end of Autumn with the abscission [new word alert...if I don't use it I'll lose it!] almost over. If it's a sunny day and I'm not working then I'm going out...these hours of bright light are too precious to lose and if I bank them with positive experiences it helps me through the ones which are grey. A week ago I wouldn't have been going to the Wynkcoombe Arboretum because a week ago I'd never ever heard of it. It's been going since the mid 1970s and has a mere 800 trees so not small nor insignificant then...it's the life's work of Nicholas Smith and is in the Sussex village of Fittleworth which is less than half an hour's drive from me. Perhaps it's because it's free and mainly known to locals that it flies below the radar. With so many different varieties of trees I think it's a place which would merit a visit whatever the season and one to keep in my back pocket for when I need to get out of the hous

It was at TYM's first graduation last year that I saw this He made it absolutely clear that he wanted nothing to do with it so no photo opps there then. However, it ignited a secret desire within me to sit in one should we ever encounter another huge deckchair. If you ask for it the universe will manifest what you ask for. As soon as I clapped eyes on an empty one in the park in Maldon I went for it....... The only thing I hadn't appreciated about such a huge chair and you are hobbit sized is that you have to sit a long way back. That's not the issue....the drawback is there is no leverage and with nothing to push against getting out proved much trickier than I had anticipated😆 I now understand why toddlers would shuffle themselves backwards on their tummies to the front edge of the seat, but nobody needs to see a 57 year old attempting such a feat when they're quietly enjoying an icecream in the sunshine so a rather inelegant exit it had to be! Had my exertions worn m

 Matthew Bourne has done what he does best and left tradition at the door. Instead he's reimagined The Nutcracker ballet in his own inimitable style with costumes to match. May I present a small selection to you....it's going to be one of those Marmite moments where either you love them or hate them. They're difficult to ignore or be indifferent about💟 Marshmallow girl. Allsorts girl. Knickerbocker And last but not least the main attraction.....the Nutcracker. Part of Monday's shenanigans when out with friend E. Arilx

With a recent tweak by a client to our arrangement [related to other issues not connected to me or my business] I now finish every Monday at 12.30. That arrangement will definitely stay in place because I stopped taking on anyone new or extra hours at the beginning of this year. Whilst I may not be able to get that far distance wise it has opened up the possibility of a few local trip on some of those afternoons. I was quick to take advantage of the new free time and sort out a local adventure with my friend E. Lindfield it was....20 minutes from home and am not sure that I've ever driven through it! Originally derived from the Old English 'Lindefeldia' meaning open land with lime trees the village sign pays homage to its arboreal roots. If you were to have a check list of everything a good village should have I would suggest this place would meet every criteria....village pond tick, parish church tick, large common tick, beautiful houses from different eras tick [you'v

 It has long been my ambition to find something worthy of the "Crap you find in charity shops" FB group, but the shops in town have very rarely yielded anything which would meet the standard required. From tales my son told of his time of volunteering for Oxfam they received some cracking donations, but these never made it onto the shop floor. All the ones here are tasteful with carefully curated shelves of bric-a-brac and colour coordinated racks of clothing. I had almost given up ever unearthing any treasures [unlike Chippenham earlier this year where I photographed some perfect examples!]. This past Monday my luck changed.....with a clothing rail of Christmas jumpers I spotted a sleeve of one which stood out as totally different to all the others. It piqued my interest sufficiently for me to bother to pull it out just to have a quick look........... I knew in that instance that it was mission accomplished and yes that is a hairy torso complete with belly button you can see

 Reporting from our recent visit to Colchester Castle which houses the town's main museum. A few highlights for your delectation...... 1. Exhibit one plus facial close up [you know me I just can't help myself!] This is one of the so called Grey Face pots. They were cremation urns associated with the Roman army. I'd rather like something along these lines I think! 2. Exhibit two. Supposedly this is a fragment of 'human' skin found in Copford church. Essex has a bit of a tradition of flaying Viking invaders as punishment for their raiding of our churches. The skin was then displayed on the back of the church door. The most famous example of the so called "Daneskin" is at Hadstock church where fragments were found under the hinges. Modern tests have proved that this is complete twaddle and that it is infact cow hide and used during the Medieval period as a means of keeping out draughts and making it a little less chilly inside. 3. Exhibit three. A replica Med