Haggis and Daisy at Balls Cross

One of the great things about a Senior bus pass is that you can - on local village routes - flag a bus down and get off where you like - well within reason. Certainly on the Horsham, Petworth route the drivers are very understanding.

Well, every other month Mike and I meet up at Balls Cross - its convenient for Mike and its convenient for me because the bus from Horsham stops there. Also, the Ball Cross pub, is, in its own way, provides, good food and lots of character - all the things that a local pub should be.

Well, today, I got it wrong. Quiet, it was not. Well, perhaps not so much lacking in quiet but more lacking in appreciation as to what a local pub is about. There we were- just the two of us and Daisy- sitting by the bar, near the open fire and at peace with the world when BANG - in came the walkers/ramblers.

I do not have a problem with ramblers, but is it possible that on, say, a ramblers inductions course, they might be instructed in the basic arts of entering a pub. Simple things, like, shutting the door and shutting the door and shutting the door, and not asking for coffee at 1pm. God help us, its a pub after all. So the ramblers have learnt to put Tesco bags on their dirty boots but shutting doors is more important - especially when its cold.

Balls Cross is in the middle of nowhere, yet from nowhere, somebody from my past appeared - Vince - from my Loxwood days. One or two "Hellos and How are yous" - it only takes a few moments to catch up with twenty years happenings.

And all the time Daisy was asleep under the bar stool. Balls Cross is an idyll - somewhere to take, or meet somebody special. As usual Mike and I put the world to rights and left feeling satisfied.

Yes and the haggis was good too. Middle of West Sussex and haggis - what a pub.

The 14.30 bus arrived on time, and I expect, given a fair following wind, we could well meet up again in March. Doubt if the haggis will still be on the menu. Pity.

Worthing Beach

Sometime last week a vessel carrying 3000 tonnes of timber sank in the Channel. A few days later its cargo started to arrive on the beaches of Sussex - Worthing in particular. Although most TV local news stations had covered this item, nothing quite prepared me for seeing the results first hand.

I do not especially like Worthing, but on Tuesday, when I drove down, there was quite a buzz about the place. More visitors, obviously, and interestingly, no longer a smell of the sea, but the smell of timber. Unsually, for the time of year, beach cafes were open and I suspect that the shops have sold out of digital cameras.

I am not very good at distances but I would think that from say Marine Drive to the far east side of Worthing pier is about a mile. Well, this mile was covered with piles of timber - not just small piles. Piles that tower over a person.

Supposedly the clearance will take about three months and things should be back to normal by Easter(ish). Hope so.

What Next

Whilst the local NHS is still in navel gazing mode as to its future delivery structure it seems that village/sub post offices are the next target for modernisation.

Village post offices do a great job, unfortunately that can not be said for the main post office in Horsham. Visited the Horsham post office yesterday afternoon and joined the usual queue - sixteen of us waiting to be served by four counter staff. Not a bad ratio I suppose. But, why is it, that every time a customer is served, it seems, the counter staff then make a dash for the back office before serving another customer? Do they need a fag or sip their tea? Whatever it is, the queue gets longer, and we all waste more time.

Its not just the lack of customer service that is irritating. Why does the post office have to be cluttered with so much merchandising tat? Who wants outdated CDs and the like? Use the space to provide a proper service. Perhaps that is too radical.

Another matter which puts into perspective the total lack of interest or understanding by local post office management concerns the kiosk selling lottery tickets, stamps and tat. Yesterday, I went there to buy some stamps and asked if my letters could be weighed so that I bought the correct stamp, only to be told that the weighing machines were on the main counter and that I should join the queue. Whoever thought that one up deserves a bonus.

And another thing. Posted a letter, first class recorded delivery on 2nd January, since when I have tried to track the item, only to be told by the Royal Mail web site to "try again later" Seems to be a goner.

Its just a thought, perhaps the main post office should be closed, leaving the sub post offices to continue their excellent service. But what to do with an empty building in the middle of Horsham? Well, why not another estate agent, mobile phone shop, charity shop? Better still what about another Italian restaurant? We only have five at the moment.

What next? Well, I expect with all this rain there is bound to be a hosepipe ban.

GSOH

Probably lacked a sense of humour yesterday after the incident of the electric kettle and the Aga. See across the results of the plastic/rubber bottom of the kettle in contact with an Aga hot plate. Anyway, at least we found a sure fire way of getting rid of the burning rubber smell by making rock cakes.

To make amends it looks like a trip to Scott and Sargent's (or whatever its called now) in East Street to find a replacement.

Friday night at HBC went reasonably well thanks to my partner. We are still some way below the much better players but we came in with a score of 46% which I think was quite good considering the company we were keeping and the short time we have been playing.

Friday is also the day when the County Times goes on sale. Not much of interest but it would be helpful to get a feel for what is happening locally as regards yet another NHS reorganisation. Expect we will be subjected to the usual political unjoinedup thinking, plus PCT managers talking about commitment,concerns and feeling passionate about local issues. Yeah Right. In my experience no news is invariably bad news.

Have also read that the West Sussex County Council is throwing its weight against the closure of local post offices. Is that the same "weight" that was used to reduce the number of new homes that West Sussex is expected to deliver? Why do I not feel assured?

Birds

For some reason I have recently developed an interest in birds. Why I have no idea, but they are fascinating to watch and allied to an existing interest in photography the combination is ideal

From one bird feeder, which was usually left in the garage over winter and brought out when I thought about it, we now have three, all of which are in constant use - with me filling them and then the birds emptying them, whereupon the cycle starts again.

I now have a small library of bird books plus CDs of bird calls and songs and although the latter are helpful its still nevertheless going to take some time, to say, differentiate between calls of the blue tit, long-tailed tit, great tit etc etc..

In the garden we have two types of birds,(a)those one hears and does not see that often - like the green woodpecker and (b)the everyday garden birds.

Whilst the garden birds are obviously the most common, our crowd seem to have a certain pecking order. In terms of seniority there is the nuthatch. Stylish, sleek and fast, spitfire like, with a dull RAF blue upper parts. When the nuthatch is around he is allowed unhindered access to the feeders. Similar respect is shown to the spotted woodpecker, but his visits are not so frequent, but it does amaze me, that for a bird of his size, he seems able to attach the feeders and grip them in a similar way to the tits.

The only birds that appear to operate as a twosome are the goldfinches. Their colours are so striking but why so many colours? The tits operate in amiable gangs. I get the impression that they have all been to Tescos, taken a ticket, and then wait amongst the trees for their ticket number to be called before heading for the nearest feeder.

Fortunately we have in and near Horsham two first class venues for bird watchers. Warnham Nature Reserve (WNR) and the RSPB at Pulborough. Both are well worth a visit.

Tip of the Week. Woke this morning and went down stairs to make the tea. In a senior moment I put the electric kettle on the Aga and then went into the garden to chase a squirrel off one of the bird feeders. On returning to the kitchen there was vast amounts of smoke and and a rubbery smell coming from the Aga. Helen took it all very well. TIP whilst opening windows helps to eliminate nasty smells in the kitchen the effect of baking rock cakes is better.

It still Rankles

Off to Bucks Green village hall this morning for the monthly meeting of NADFAS. Speaker Douglas Skeggs - the talk "Peter the Great" Quite riveting particularly when its easy to slip into the idea that history starts and ends with England The NADFAS speaking "season" runs from October through to July and provide a comprehensive lecture programme on art and related topics. The speaker today was one of the best.

There was an item on BBC Radio 4 Today programme just before Christmas that still rankles with me. It seems that the whisky producers of Scotland have become concerned that other countries throughout the world are producing whisky and calling it "scotch". I can understand them being peeved. However, and according to the spokesperson for the the Scottish Whisky Producers Association, the way round the problem is for detailed protective legislation to be passed through Westminster, and this is what will happen. Frankly I am not against protection being sought, but why Westminster? What is the Scottish Parliament for?

Lewes would not be the same without Bills.

Rain and wind have gone. Sun at last this morning. Eldest son returned from Amsterdam a few days ago and was this morning getting his things together before going to Bray to complete a photo shoot which has been going on longer than he would have wished. There is usually something obscure that he needs, invariably at the last moment, and this time it was an adaptor to convert European electric plugs to UK format.

Yesterday evening at HBC turned out reasonably well - thanks to my patient partner. One or two mistakes which cost us the chance of a top position. However we finished third and earned some points. Onwards and upwards. Still its a little galling that the odd lapse cost us two places.

Despite the sun this morning I had no motivation to get into the garden and sort out the rockery. Its a rockery that was designed/built in about 1985 - long before we arrived - and looks it. If I had any gardening courage I would get a digger in and level the area but the thought of the mess that would be generated puts me off.

On a whim Helen and I decided to go to Bills in Lewes. First went to Bills last summer. Its a lovely mix of Italian Mama and Papa New York deli , plus a hint of Partridges from the Kings Road, softened by being situated in a quiet market town, by the river and across the road from Harveys brewery. Vegetables and fruit piled high in baskets. You eat on long wooden communal tables - almost club like - which when we arrived were filled with office workers, visitors, students and recovering shoppers. I had -scrambled eggs, smoked salmon and a glass of wine followed by a coffee - just watching the world go by. Bills just has that happy buzz. Comfortable style, good simply food, colour and young staff who could not be more helpful.

Here Goes

Usually, at the start of a new year I do two things, sort out the domestic filing, and join an evening class. So far, the filing has been reduced and, as in previous years, I suspect that come February something will crop up that makes me wish that I had not been so dramatic with the shredder.


As for evening classes, there does not appear to be much time, given that I started playing duplicate bridge at Horsham Bridge Club (HBC) after completing a basic bridge course in 2006. Additionally a small group of us meet locally and play once a week in the mornings.


Well, with the filing done and no need to join an evening classes there was nevertheless an urge to do something, but what? Ideally something that did not involve going out in the evenings but would present a challenge and develop a new interest; perhaps also provide an opportunity to vent my spleen ,which as I get older, seems to require more and more venting. After seeing Gordon Brown on the Andrew Marr show on Sunday last I am not sure I am more angry with: Gordon Brown for not answering any of the questions or Andrew Marr for letting GB off the hook.


I suppose at some stage all blogs have to provide a little background on who is behind them. Here goes - am the wrong side of 65, married with three grown up children, one daughter-in-law and one grandson. Interests range from bridge, tennis, sailing, photography, reading, gardening - all the usual things. However, the older I get the more interest I take in politics. Or should it be, the more frustrated I become with politicians - national and local.


That's possibly enough for a start. Forgive any howlers as it will take me a little while to sort things out. As its Tuesday its bridge at Horsham Bridge Club so I must get ready. Will update the site tomorrow with the result.