It is my custom and practice to spend train journeys putting words to a page. Today I have alternatives should my creative muse run dry or the lead in my pencil wear out. Before leaving the house I downloaded the first series of the Young Ones on BBC iPlayer. Not watched it since I was of that age, forty years ago, but I remember it as a classic comedy. Let’s hope that it is a timeless classic. I want the memory to remain fond.
This morning as we leave Lincoln there is a pale red glow in the sky and frost on the fields. The first of the season.
It being early I am hungry, a state exacerbated by the smell of bacon wafting from the train galley. Tis only a matter of time.
There are three of us in the carriage. Two bacon rolls and a porridge. Later, the porridge has still not arrived despite the fact that the bacon rolls have already been devoured. Right decision.
Not much moves in the fields around Newark. One solitary blackbird. The train slows as it approaches Northgate station, waiting for a favourable signal.
‘Welcome aboard this LNER Azuma bound for London Kings Cross.’ Two chatty people get on, disturbing the peace. I exhibited an early morning induced mental dullness when leaving Lincoln. A trance like state I was happy to embrace but which has now disappeared. Fortunately having settled into their seats, one behind the other, the noise has abated and they are now buried in their own distractions.
We leave Newark sliding behind, an almost empty station car park fading to the rear of the train. Large pale green fields are surrounded by water filled drainage ditches. Agricultural machinery stands. Pylons tower. Bungalows squat.
There is beauty in nature irrespective of season. In some respects there is more colour in autumn and winter than in spring and summer. Different hues. It is true that spring is more uplifting. A natural requirement of the body after winterlight.
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Just made the Eurostar and now in France. Accepted a glass of white wine with lunch at 10.45 natch. Will probs regret it. Nivver mind. Life is short. Drink wine at 10.45am. Was 11.45 really. Just depends on your zonal perspective.
The temps est miserable. I’m glad I stuck a fleece on as a last minute thought before leaving maison Davies.
Mentally sluggish again after that glass of wine. I knew it would happen innit 🙂 It’s all about attitude.
Bloke sat in front of me is a musician. There seems to be a band all on the train but mostly sitting separately. Two of them were in our seats when we got on the train and had to move. Our guy has a Pret a Manger bag containing some sort of cream cheese sandwich and something else i can’t quite see. Maybe he doesn’t like French food. Snails and frogs legs in garlic and all that sort of foreign muck. Probs doesn’t want to go down with the Delhi belly before the gig ce soir. Makes a lorra sense to me although we are not in India.
Meanhwile the train races past cars on the adjacent road kicking sand up into their windscreens as we go by.
England about to start playing football and Anne has complained that her connection to the internet has vanished. I said she should have downloaded the game onto her phone before we set off :)) Not interested myself. Rewind got time zone wrong.
The pylons are different in France. As is the electricite. It is unlikely that the difference in electricite has influenced the design of the pylons, n’est pas? What would Volt aire have said. Geddit?
Our restaurant tonight, Procope, is where Voltaire used to hang out, apaz. Published his pamphlets on the top floor. As good a place as any je guess. I have pre-ordered smoked Scottish saumon, fillet of boeuf and profiteroles. Makes a lorrasense to me. Nice drop of wine to go with it. Presumably the boef is French. Somewhere like Limoges or simlar. Hopefully they won’t overcook the boef thinking that because I live in England I don’t like it rare! Huh (contemptuous shrug and nostril twitch).
25 mins to our destination. I half caught an announcement but I happen to have Edith Piaf crooning in my phones at the same time so didn’t really listen or hear properly. Hopefully there will be a fast track for EU passport holders 🙂 Doubt it.
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Blurry start to the day after yesterday’s long lunch that lasted until 10pm. Slow boat to Lincoln leaves Gare Du Nord at 10.13am. Makes no Seines that sentence. It is all a state of mind. Reality is racing.
There’s an Irish bar next to the Moulin Rouge. O’Sullivans by the Mill. They will be open now. Last night a quickly faded memory.
The food at Au Boin Coin was a lukewarm disappointment. The wine was fine. All things come to pass. We move on. I’m glad I have memories of good times there.
We ended up at a local bar near the hotel. The French were playing the Aussies at Association Football. The home supporters were very animated. Emotional you know, the French.
It is Thanksgiving in the USA tomorrow. I feel as if I can identify with this having recently stayed opposite the beach in Cape Cod where the Mayflower pilgrims first landed and then subsequently visiting Plymouth across the water.
The age of Steven has been left inconspicuously behind us. The borough of Pete lies ahead.
Down the tracks. Wrong side of the tracks. Track twenty nine.
Your left hand doesn’t look right.
Take it easy. Easy on Wednesday afternoon. As the song goes.
Running 15 minutes late into Nuarque due to a near miss at Biggleswade level crossing. The wade of Biggles. Big Les.
Trefbash is two weeks tomorrow. Make sure you bring your dancing shoes.
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Enjoyed hiding under the cosiness of the duvet this morning. Made me think of others less fortunate.
Just two weeks to go until trefbash and registrations have been flooding in. If you plan to come and haven’t yet signed up I wouldn’t leave it too late if I were you.
Orf to the smoke again this afternoon. One of the kids is having a party tomorrow night but of course there is a train strike so we are going down today. Not back until Monday as the trains are pretty non existent at the best of times at weekends at this time of year due to engineering works. At this rate we would be better off buying a flat in London.
I do like little trips to London. The plan this weekend is to use my new Tate membership to visit Tate Britain on Saturday and Tate Modern on Sunday. If anyone wants to tag along I can take guests. Maybs a spot of luncheon. Lemme know.
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Not sure whether any of you knew this but in Middlesborough there is a proud supplier of tuna subs to the London and North Eastern Railway company.
I think everyone should consider only watching weather on the TV. Ok it isn’t always good news but it’s quite pleasant compared with a lot of the crap that gets shoved our way. A bit of rain here and there. Wind etc. It is just as likely to tell you that it will be a nice sunny day, perfect for taking the dog for a walk. Or strolling to the shops.
Mind you shopping doesn’t really do it for me. At least not down yer average chain dominated high street.
The train attendant/food and drink dispensing person didn’t get her stuff together and missed getting off at Grantham. Dashed back as she forgot her bag and the train doors closed and we moved out of the station. Oops. Felt a bit sorry for her tbh.
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Sunday was a typically wet and miserable late autumn day in London. John and I were walking between Borough Market and the Tate Modern when I saw a homeless person sitting on the floor with his hand out begging. A woman walked up to him and gave him a five pound note. As she walked away the homeless man put his head in his hands and sobbed. It was heart wrenching.