Author: peterb51

26th March 2024

I visited my friend Rob to fit the wooden box frame I had made for him. He had cut the hole in his living room wall, the other side of the stairs. I had to adjust the size a bit for my box to fit. He wanted a modification done to it making it flush both sides, that entailed cutting three quarters of an inch off the back, and as would happen it was exactly the place where I had nails, which made a simple job a bit harder.

It was soon done and he was happy with it.

Next I had a meet arranged with my old school mate Steve, to wander around Charmey Down airfield, which was close to where I grew up. I had checked the weather the night before, and felt it was a bit risky with rain forecast for most of the day. By the next morning it had changed to rain towards the end of the afternoon, so we forged ahead with our adventure.

When it was time to leave Rob to meet Steve, there was a bit of fine drizzle, so Rob lent me a rainproof mac, which was just as well.

We both met up outside the small village school that still operates, and that still looked familiar.

There was an extra classroom built, but the playground was the same.

Steve slung a rucksack on his back and we headed along a lane heading for the manor.

There was always a chestnut tree covered in carved initials at the entrance, but it was no longer there. All that remained was the stump, it was disappointing. We walked further along the lane and stopped to look up a very steep hill.

This had been the place where all the surplus soil was dumped when the new section of the A46 was cut through back in the late fifties.

Why this place was so significant was there were three pairs of wellington boots buried in the mud. It was so coincidental that both of us had the same misfortune, but at different times, and not knowing about it until now. There was me and my friend Phillip. I brand new wellington boots, and my friends were much older and difficult to get out of. We decided to climb the steep mud hill until we started sinking

Steve and his sister. It was crazy. I remember walking home in my bare feet.

Our walk continued up the steep lanes past the rectory. Steve remembered that the Rector had one built-up shoe, and I remembered he had a large hooked nose, it must have been frightening for young children in those days.

We crossed the duel carriageway of the A46 and followed a footpath that joined another lane that took us up to the airfield.

Steve was prepared, he had a map with all the positions of all the original buildings, bunkers and hangers marked. Today there is little left, the only building that can be recognised was the control tower, and even that is starting to decay.

By now the light rain had set in, and I was grateful for the mac from Rob. We followed round one of the runways, it was still recognisable although covered with lichen. There were still the mounds where buildings used to be, and red bricks could be seen sticking out from the undergrowth.

We laughed at all the similarities we shared, the fascination with matches and building dens, the innocence we had, thinking nothing of being out all day playing, getting back home for tea.

There we were, two old duffers, soaking wet laughing hysterically remembering our past, it was great

.

On the way back we visited the cemetery, there were names from the past that triggered even more memories, a lot of the graves were overgrown, waiting for some volunteers to come and rescue them.

The church was much smaller than I remember, there were many harvest festivals that I donated tins of pineapple chunks or peas. We laughed imagining the Rector clumping his way to the alter.

“ Do you think he had built-up slippers, or did he just limp significantly?” Added Steve, as we closed the heavy church door.

“I definitely think that would scare the kids” I replied.

We walked back towards the school, hoping that we could go inside. That wasn’t possible, the place is like a high security prison with coded entry and exit, the only place we could enter was to look at the playground.

It was so small, still covered with asphalt, but with more modern climbing frames.

It was a wonder that the school can still survive, there aren’t any new houses in the village, so maybe the children still are brought in from surrounding villages.

Suddenly it was the end of our wondrous journey back to our roots, my socks felt damp, we were both soaked but we didn’t care we had discovered that were did so many similar things, we were grateful that we found each other again, finally remembered the names of the other chums that are out there somewhere.

25th March 2024

I drove the two hours fifteen minutes to Whitney on Wye to see my friend Martin. It was dismal, with constant drizzle the entire way. I wasn’t sure that I wanted to make the trip, not that I didn’t want to see my friend it was the distance, and the cost of the fuel to get there. The shogun is a big beast with a thirst, I put seventy pounds worth of unleaded in it and I had a bit to spare when I got back. These are things I have to factor in these days, I had already made the trip once, and I had guilt that it might be the last time I would see him, although I have said that for the last twenty years, one day it will be true.

It was good to see him, even though he was drugged up on Tramadol, an opioid painkiller that he swallows in some quantity.

It is their dogs that bother me, he has two Newfoundlands that are the size of small horses. They barge their way around making it uncomfortable. They frequently send great blobs of slobber in every directions. It has got to the point when Martin, and his wife Liz are not capable of handling them anymore. Not that I’m sitting in judgment, I like dogs, normal size ones, not giants.

When I leave, I’m never sure if I will find large strings of goop stuck to my clothes, fortunately I never wear anything precious that’s for sure.

24th March 2024

Nicola and Colin took me for breakfast at the Hartley farm shop at Winsley. The quality of the service matched the food. It is pleasant to be served by someone who appears to enjoy the job. There have been many instances when the atmosphere has been tainted by the lacklustre attitude by the server. In America service is a little over the top, but there is a not so subtle agenda going on. I have covered this many times, waiting staff are actors, performing in order to get money. With card based payments you get handed a tablet that has a number of gratuity options ranging from 10 up to 30 percent. This of course is applied to the total cost of the meal, which can be significant.

The action of the staff is the same, whether the serving is a sandwich or a fillet steak.

It is a form of slavery, I feel sorry for them, but I hate the whole system.

Now I need to calm down, the breakfast was great, just enough to satisfy, and not bloat, a wonderful start to the day.

After that we spent time weeding and planting a few plants Nicola had brought with her. This will be a colourful addition to the garden that I will not get to see, unfortunately.

I walked to Ryan and Louise’ house for a Sunday roast, I needed the walk back to settle my tummy, phew!

23rd March 2024

I had every intension of getting to the tip early, but as I arrived there was an ominous line of cars at the gate.

“Did it open at 10.00?” it was 09.35, “I’m not bloody waiting” I muttered under my breath.

An alternative plan was brewing in my head, I had to go somewhere else to get some paint, and there was a tip there, so I could kill two birds with one stone. However that meant driving to Wiltshire’s anus, Melksham.

“How bad could it be?” It’s been ages since I went there last, how has it changed?

The tip was close to the Herman Miller factory, a dull architectural blot, its only redeeming features were it was near the tip.

Firstly I nearly missed it, I should have noticed the queue outside. So I started the wait.

I hate waiting, one by one a car would leave, so the queue would shorten, finally it was my turn, I reversed into the available slot only to find the garden waste was at the far end, and as I had loose pieces of tree it took many trips, but once finished the feeling of accomplishment came over me, now to get the paint.

That was another waiting experience, roadworks slowed everything down to a snail’s pace.

As I continued to age, I arrived at my destination, quickly finding the colour paint I wanted I was out of there as quickly as I could.

I still had more crap to dump back at the cottage, but it then started to rain.

Thanks to my weather app I only had to wait twenty minutes for it to stop then I loaded up the truck heading for Trowbridge.

I was disappointed, there were no queues to moan about, so the whole thing took no time at all.

There was a bit of painting to tidy up some of the walls, and a great opportunity to play my old git music, bliss.

I decided to eat at the The Dandy Lion as a treat, this would be only the second glass of beer this whole trip, mmm, I must be slipping.

22nd March 2024

I didn’t bother even to change into my work clothes, because my friend Dave was visiting again.

It is interesting, because the conversation goes in many directions, at once, if you could generate energy from his jaw movements it could power a small village.

We talk about our history, clients that came to the studio, any that are still alive? There were alway stories about the jokes we played on them.

We we turned into the town for some lunch. We alway end up at the same place, I suppose he likes the fish finger sandwiches.

The cafe is an odd place, it closes at three in the afternoon, we will be talking and then notice that the place is deserted and the staff are putting the chairs on the tables. Even for Dave that is a hint that we should be leaving. Having finished our food, and squeezed the life out of the teabag in the pot we left, heading for the train station.

A train to Warminster was due, the small platform was packed with schoolchildren who would be fighting over the few available seats in the three carriages.

We talked about the inevitable time when trains will not have a driver, it’s probably much easier to have driverless trains than cars.

On that thought, Dave disappeared into the crowd, I expect looking for someone to talk to.

21st March 2024

The bloody tip was closed!

I was there early, and met with large gates across the entrance. The opening times are still the winter timetables, that changes in April.

That was annoying, so back I drove with a truck full of logs.

I got on with clearing the old cladding, bagging it up ready for disposal.

I also used up some feather board offcuts to fill in areas of the shed that is planned for my next trip.

As my time in the UK is coming to the end, I have to prioritise tasks in order to leave the place clean because there are guests due the day after I leave, no pressure then.

I had to drive the truck, complete with logs, to Ryan’s as he needed to use it on Friday, and as I had Dave coming over again, so it worked out well.

Kelli continues to exceed all expectations for selling furniture while I’m away, I daren’t suggest that I spend more time away, but her monthly sales are running higher than when I contribute.

She has to deal with many issues, but dispute working in the cold, she continues to forge forward with amazing energy, she’s my hero.

20th March 2024

I returned to actually making and repairing things, which made a change.

Louise had given me a small round table base that had a broken leg. It had been repaired badly using nails and a kind of building adhesive. It took several hours to remove all this muck that just filled rather than glued.

I had to use tools that were easily available (most were stored away).

Once all that had been chipped away I could see what was left of the joint.

I used an epoxy to bond it together and fill gaps.

Whilst that was curing, I got on with Rob’s box.

Now this is nothing smutty, it was a box that will be fixed into his living room stud wall.

I managed to do all the machining with what I could cobble together. Back in the US I have more tools and tables that would make doing stuff easier, but I battled through.

The next job was loading the truck with the trunk and branches from the cutdown trees, intending to take to the tip tomorrow.

19th March 2024

The online timetable for Firstbus sucks. I needed to go into Bath and decided to take the bus. I found a time that suited me, so I walked down into the town and got to the bus stop on the town bridge at 09.40 to catch the one at 09.43.

I noticed there weren’t any other people waiting, which concerned me a little. I looked on the display and saw the next bus due at 10.51, WHAT!

I then looked on the timetable board and it showed the arrival time of 09.33, so I missed it, bugger!

My only hope was the train. Fortunately there was one that I could catch, thank you GWR.

I was due to meet up with my old friend from infant school, Steve.

I got to the Boston Tea Party early, so I ordered a breakfast, I think I deserved it.

Steve arrived six minutes late, as usual, but we were soon reminiscing about our early school days, and Steve is an expert about Bath history.

We gassed on for over an hour, our single coffees lasted well.

We made a tentative time to meet again to explore Charmy Down Airfield at Upper Swainswick, another day out for a couple of old duffers.

Next I had to visit my friend Rob who wanted a wooden frame made to mount inside a stud wall in his house. I didn’t get round to it last time, so this time I made a plan to do it.

Rob had already marked out the size of the hole on the living room wall, and also where it would emerge by the stairs. Something was not right, the marking on the stair wall was not in the same place as the living room wall.

What followed was an hour of positional adjustments, until finally he was happy with the placement.

It was late in the afternoon when we set off to buy the timber, hitting rush hour. He wanted to go to B&Q in Bristol, an hour later we were there.

Having selecting a suitable piece of the correct width we set off back. He dropped me back in Bradford on Avon after what seemed like a hectic day.

18th March 2024

My second visit to Wickes, and still I wasn’t tempered by the breakfast bun from the food wagon. Instead my intent was two packs of weatherboard and a pack of battening.

With that loaded onboard the Shotgun I headed back home.

A frantic cutting and drilling ensued as all the remaining strips were stacked ready to install.

There was excitement as the last piece was fixed in place, the main objective of the trip had been achieved. There was just the finishing battens to be fixed to hide the joins and there it was done.

Now there is just the clearing up left to do.

I cannot start to celebrate, I will still have to force my work boots on for a little while longer.

I did treat myself to a fish and chips dinner.

I walked into the town to get my treat.

It is one shop that only accepts cards which is sad, I think they are being lazy, or is there more sinister plans ahead?

17th March 2024

I went really mad and completed another two panels of the shed side. The weather started damp but warmed up.

It still took me ten minutes to put my work boots on, even loosening the laces. I sit on the step grunting like an old pig, I will be really glad when I don’t need them anymore.

I cut up all the lengths into the strip I needed, and drilled all of the holes, it was very therapeutic covering the walls, I was a little short of material because the lengths come in metric and the shed panels were imperial, so more wastage then I wanted.

In the evening was invited to Ryan and Louise for a roast dinner and apple pie and custard.

A great ending to a good days work.