Dreaming of bicycles

Today CleanSteve and I went to the canal open day at Dudbridge lock, where we were allowed to wander in the canal basin before the water is put in. This was a historic opportunity, and CleanSteve has written about it here.We went to a similar event, closer to home, back in May. You do need wellies, and in this case a hat and gloves would have been handy too against the cold, but it is fun!

On display were some finds from the dredging: an ARP helmet from WWII, this bicycle, various bottles of different ages, some ancient anchors, and not a hand grenade, which was recently found and blown up in a controlled explosion on the playing fields of the nearby grammar school on the first day of term! I didn't get any decent pictures, so I have ended up putting the half bike in infrared, just for fun, and for art...

Later a friend, Ann, arrived from London, and after supper we went to the Crown and Sceptre with yet another friend. A blues band was playing, but we sat outside with the smokers so we could hear ourselves talk. One of my friends sat on a giraffe patterned chair, and told me of a man she knows who works with giraffes at Cotswold wildlife park. Yet another place I must go!