News Of Our No. 1 Fan – Jan The Fan

Well, Darrell will have to be making a serious  amendment to our address book in the next day or two because we’ve finally got news that our much beloved No.1 Fan, Jan the Fan is now firmly ensconced in her new home with Mr Jan the Fan ………

We knew is was all systems go a while back, but yesterday we got the official confirmation on a very posh announcement card.

Let’s just say it was emotional for us, let alone Jan the Fan.

Nigel duly volunteered to go into town to find a suitable card to wish Mr and Mrs Jan all the very best on this momentous occassion, but knowing that Darrell has very high standards in taste where cards are concerned, the responsibility of finding “the right one” weighed just a touch heavy on the little fellas shoulders.

……… but he “dun gud …….

……. his card past Darrell’s exacting and scrutinising mustard muster, and was duly signed by us all with lots of kisses.

…….. and then Nigel was off yet again, to get said card, post haste, in the post …..

What would we do without him?

Darrell Finds And Is Sorely Tempted.

It’s usually Nigel that does most of our “finding”, but this morning it was Darrell’s turn in the guise of a free, gratis  armchair outside one of his favourite Evesham charity shops.

He was sorely tempted, it was proper timeless leather, easily cleaned and restored with a wet wipe and a few a squirts of Pledge. He tried it out from every conceivable angle and bodily position in his renowned relaxing repertoire  ……. it was indeed very comfortable and a real bargain seeing as it was free …….

…….. but sadly The Towers being as bijoux as it is, if he’d got it home, by some method or another and then found that juggling things around a bit, to just “fit it in” wasn’t possible, he’d not only have to face my wrath, but also have the burden of getting rid of himself again ……. for free!

So regretfully he had to leave the chair where it was, however I did happen to notice him having a sneaky jiggle about with the furniture in the lounge area with tape measure in hand or round his neck just in case another such opportunity should manifest itself again ………. ohhhhhhhh, heaven help me!

A Most Romantic Form Of Shared Transport ………

Nigel has spotted, what he says is the most romantic form of shared transport he has ever seen …….

……. to wit a real life, fully functional, shiny blue tandem ……

…. and if his and Darrell’s legs had just been a tad longer, he’d have been straight in the Georgian Shop in town to make a serious cash offer.

Oh, the adventures they could have had together in the saddle he mused, Darrell at the front forging the way, the wind gently tousling his hair  and Nigel at the back, taking in the ever changing view and helpfully reading his map, giving the odd direction or two   ……. what is he like?

If We Should Ever Be In Need Of A Gate ……..

We have no need for a gate whatsoever  ……….

…….. but if we did ………

………. Nigel’s spotted just the one he would have ………

Though I have to admit, it is rather cute, but what is he like? ……. Nigel, not the man at the gate!

A McVitie’s Chocolate Digestive Muse

It’s not usually me that takes to musing on such a large scale as Darrell and Nigel, but the other day I spotted something that really tickled me (and Lu) ………

…… to wit a mahoooooosive McVitie’s Chocolate Digestive tanker.  Now, I know it was probably filled with some sort of molasse, crumb or perhaps, though highly unlikely, molten milk chocolate ……..

……. but, what if it was filled, with a giant packet of humungous chocolate biscuits, like the novelty tins of biscuits you get at Christmas but on a more massiver scale? As we drove along Lu and I couldn’t help but speculate just how long it would take to eat a single biscuit of such gargantuan proportions  …….. what are we like?

Chez Towers, it would probably only take one day, what with all the constant nibblage that would ensue ……… but what a glorious and of course delicious prospect should dreams ever come true!

Nigel Gets Another Full Bill Of Dental Health

It has to be said that despite several Covid meltdowns  and all their ensuing restrictions, in all that time Nigel hasn’t missed a single one of his dental appointments.

He’s continued to wait patiently, at a safe distance and with no magazines to read in the Waiting Room, to marvel at all their riveting invisible brace and implant displays ……….

……..while listening for the call to climb those three flights of stairs to the hygienist for a good scrap and polish …………

…….. followed by a cheeky swill and rinse with the pink water ……….

…….. before his check up.

Unsurprisingly, a full bill of dental health, no treatment needed, only an appointment to see them again in another six months time.  He returned to The Towers jubilant, clutching three holiday sized tubes of toothpaste, one for each of us, with restrictions lifted the huge jar of Oral B samples is back by Reception and ready to plunder just in time to cover all our trips away, what is he like?

Back Home, Bearing Gifts ……

It goes without saying that Darrell was totally overwhelmed……..

……… with the holey stones I bought back for him from Crosby beach.

Within seconds he’d turned them into a pair of erm ……. unusual but perfectly functional candleholders………….

……. inspired, he told me knowledgably,  by the urbanly reclaimed industrial school of interior design!

Well, I never ……….. from Neptuniun flotsam to must have brutalist chic

What is he like?

A Return To The Homeland

Instead of heading straight back to Evesham from Southport, Lu suggested we do a detour with an overnight stay back at hers ……..

……. taking in a Chinese,  of which, despite trying every similar  establishment in Evesham, nothing comes close to a Jade House take away, they are to die for!

Well, it would be rude to refuse such as kind invitation, but I knew it would feel a little emotional being “back home”. 

I have to say that even after five years it all felt so right. I had a feeling of knowing and belonging that I’ve still yet to feel in Evesham, does that make sense? And the buses …….. I can’t tell you how much I  miss those every 15 – 20 minutes buses.  In Evesham, we just don’t use the bus, it’s always quicker to walk than wait for an hour to go anywhere ……… and then you’ve got to get back ! 

Everything felt so familiar and comforting, even if The Woodman was looking a little tatty round the edges.

Naturally, Nigel’s beloved Motor World was still there ……. still smelling exactly the same, with memories of Nigel’s little face, his nose stuck up against the window during those halcyon Nativity Days ……. happy happy days.

We’d driven past Castle Greysquirrel, it’s looking good, new windows and paintwork  …….. and we still exchange Christmas cards with “the new people”,  but I didn’t want to walk those extra few yards round the corner to see it up close, there would have been too many memories, it was best to leave them where they were ……….

Mon Repose At The End Of Southport Pier

Time to take in a few last lingering breathes of bracing Southport sea air before Lu and I, laden with sticks of seaside rock,  head for home ……… it’s all been quite lovely.

Sadly, the sea at Southport goes out an awful long way, so to be honest we haven’t caught  as much as a single glimpse of a wave ………

…… let alone been able to roll up our trousers legs for a cheeky seaside paddle!

However, we did walk the entire 1,000 metres to the very end of the pier because we could …….. and without the aid of one of the pier “Noddy” trains.

We took the time to wave heartily  and call across the sands to glamourous Blackpool and its resplendent tower, as I know Mums Monkey have quite a few “fans” who live in that general direction ……. it was emotional.

Lu had bought her flask, so we found a bench to enjoy an early morning coffee and Hob Nob biscuit ……….

……. each lost in our own thoughts …….

……. of sea, sand, fresh air, arcades, fish and chips, ice cream, seagulls and a taste of FREEDOM without restrictions (and masks, if we chose) as we dunked.

Again, it was emotional ………