Saturday 17 March 2012

The field at the end of the footpath...

Having reached the top of the hill, I turned round and walked back down.
This morning, around a quarter past six, I heard the rain falling on the flat roof of my conservatory. Looking at my phone, I considered sending Andy an 'abort' text, but then the rain stopped and there were no signs of raindrops landing in the bird bath.

Later, as I headed along the Limpsfield Road towards Warlingham Green, it rained again, but not for long and by the time I reached the green, later than usual because I forgot the golden rule – get ready before going downstairs – the rain had stopped and, to be fair, it was so little that I wasn't even wet.

Right now, however, as Jonathan Ross interviews Sugar Ray Leonard on the TV, it's hammering it down out there, which is probably a good sign as it means it won't be raining in the morning. Or perhaps it will be, who knows?

Before leaving the house this morning, I oiled the Scrap's rusty chain as last week there were a few gear-changing problems. But everything was fine and Andy and I set off for the Tatsfield Bus Stop, although we changed our minds and headed down Ledgers Road, then Washpond Lane and then a small track that led down to a field. We've been here before, last June to be precise, and to be honest, there's not much at the end of the track: just a cattle gate, or a sheep gate, I'm not sure what it is, in the middle of an open space. There's not even any cattle – or sheep.

Somewhere to rest our cycle helmets.
We rested our cycle helmets on what was nothing more than a redundant post and unpacked the tea and the cereal bars.

"I wonder what's over the hill?" I said, wandering off to find out.

Andy was messing around with his camera.

There was nothing over the hill apart from another hill so I headed back to where Andy was waiting and we drank our tea, chewed the fat and then headed back up the track towards the road for the journey home.

The last (and first) time we were here was Sunday 26th June 2011.

By 0930hrs I was home and Jon called from Woodmansterne Green. Later we went to a garden centre, had a wander round and then went over to see mum before returning home and having a roast dinner (cooked by yours truly). I've just wiped it up too and now I'm in the conservatory. It's still raining out there as the ten o'clock news begins. I'm tired so I'm going to call it day and get some sleep.

Just heard on the news that footballer Fabrice Muamba collapsed during a game this afternoon. He's currently in intensive care in a Bethnal Green chest hospital, but in a criticial condition. For more details, click here.