Robespierre's Velvet Basement

Saturday in Didcot

Arrive in delightful Didcot (bet you can't tell I'm a Wallingford boy!) and its straight up to sort the Old fella's mp3 player. Not as straightforward as it should be but we cope OK I think. Meanwhile Cal plays with lego that used to be mine and cars of a similar and in some cases older vintage. He's happy but figuring he needs to blow some cobwebs away the old Drear on request drags us up to Old Mother Dunch's Buttocks (Wittenham Clumps). Climb Castle Hill first and Cal denies that the ditch is big until he stands above it and looks down. It always impresses me because it is frankly huge and must of been a hell of a job to dig out. Presumably they didn't sub-contract to Amey's. We're losing light fast and it is chilly up there as we wander round Round Hill too. I guess it's kinda predictable I end up here, if I'm home I usually do. We pass Saxons Teeth in Long Wittenham, still find it kinda bittersweet.

Sunday

Wake too early, wander downstairs and end up watching 'Michael Collins' from someway in. It's a film I've seen before but enjoy. Return to bed when it finishes, the consequence of this is that Cal wakes before I do.

A day for Pooh Sticks down at Day's Lock, we wander down by the river avoiding cow pats. We don't go into the pill box for a look, last time the old fella was down there he found it full of used needles. Dunno why any junkie would head their to jack up but I guess it takes all sorts. Again the cobwebs are blown away. We return home for some sort of brunch before the travel home begins.

Lift to Oxford Station where we catch the train. It's running late, apparently the power is down at Rugby buggering up trains out of Euston so everything is being sent this way. This means that the train is over crowded, the seats we have reserved are full and the train's staff have told everyone reservations are off. It's also running late. Luckily someone offers Cal a seat, I stand until Leamington Spa (er... I'm to egalitarian to include the Royal) and then get a seat. The situation by Brum is so bad that they make us change to a double sized train. We're late by the time we get to Stafford but the bloke from the Navy who has to get to Glasgow is completely stuffed - his ship shuts at 21:00 and it looks like he won't be there by then. I like this concept, presumably it's some sort of peace time thing but how convenient would it be in a time of war. The Navy stops then because it's time for bed, the Army probably has an eight o'clock bed time and the RAF as the junior service around 6'ish. Mind you in a time of war presumably the Service's Mum would tell them off for playing with the naughty boys.

Arrive at Lime Street and a quick dash to the next platform drags us back to South Parkway. Grab food en route to home, feed Monst, get her to work and Cal has a bath. I catch up on shite TV.