Working in the studio, dramas with an ambulance and dinner at the Bay Tree
It was a beautiful day here in Arundel yesterday.
Felt as if Spring had arrived.
Alas, I think not, as it is grey and damp looking again today.
Never mind, I suppose we have to enjoy it when we can.
I took to the studio and my outside space to get on with some work as we have Ardingly Antique Fair in less than 2 weeks.
We have found some great vintage garden pieces at an amazing local place we came upon about a year ago.
Some of them are in the garden for the winter,
getting nice and
green and mossy.
Late afternoon, I went for a walk with
"Map My Walk"
logged in.
It really does push me to go a wee bit further,
like someone is actually watching me and saying
"You haven't gone far enough yet!"
Anyway,I was just down the road and a local
young man came along on his push bike.
Got off, looking not very well, and seemed to hurl himself,
into someone's front garden.
I ran over and he was in the tightest gap,
face down in the mud and appeared to be fitting.
Tried to get him on his side,
recovery position and all that,
but the garden was so tiny,
I could barely get in there
and then he started lashing out.
He didn't know he was, he was still, it appeared fitting.
I called an ambulance and they said to just keep an eye,
but remain at a distance if he was aggressive.
but remain at a distance if he was aggressive.
There was no-one else around until a
friend came along dog walking.
It then became a bit like a farce.
He got up and clearly didn't know what day it was .
Wove around in the road, in the path of several cars.
How they missed him we will never know.
In the distance we could hear the ambulance and see
it going up and down the main road looking for us.
it going up and down the main road looking for us.
Called back and spoke to the
ambulance guys to give them directions.
Meanwhile, the patient got back on his bike,
wove manically down the road.
We saw the ambulance pass him on the way in.
I felt a right idiot, I can tell you.
Certain lack of any patient.
Although their first words were,
" THAT was him, wasn't it?"
Then the police arrived.
Oh! quelle horror.
They were all fine and seemed happy enough
to have a bit of a breather.
The police officer was a dog handler,
so everyone made a fuss of my chums spaniel,
and went about their business.
God only knows what state the guy was in.
He had been breathing in dirt when he was
fitting and he was covered in it.
Me? Hmmm it was all most inconvenient..LOL
I had to reset my
"Map my Walk"
and dash off.
By the time I climbed the hill to the
Hiorne Tower the sun was going down
Managed about three miles, before dark.
Trying to lose the weight by September
and my lovely son's wedding in Virginia.
I met up with an old friend for dinner and we went to
The Bay Tree
in Tarrant Street.
It's a lovely family restaurant run by a local couple Val and Mike.
They have restored the place beautifully.
Food and service is good.
Above all, it has a nice, warm, ambiance and they cater well for carnivores and veggies, like me.
Sorry, I sound just like a restaurant reviewer.
Ha Ha
We had one of their February Winter warmer meals...£10.95.
Can't go wrong with that, coupled with a nice big glass,
( actually 2, but the wine police weren't in, so to hell with it)
of Pinot Grigio.
I was a very happy person!
Jean reckoned the duck was the best
she had ever tasted,
she had ever tasted,
so she was content.
We chatted on for hours, first to arrive and the last to leave.
Funny how you meet people, hey?
I first met Jean when she was working in an Arundel Estate agents.
I was going through a divorce and was trying to sell my house and was,
quite frankly,
jobless, penniless and pretty miserable, to boot.
We were just chatting .
I happened to mention I used to nurse.
Her husband had 24 hour nursing care
Before you know it I had signed up.
Stayed for several years.
Out of all the nurses she had,
there was only myself and a lovely, young girl called Zoe
who used to venture out and about with Brian.
It was no mean feat getting him in and out of the
car and wheelchair by yourself,
but it meant we went all over the place.
Brian's last years became a lot more enjoyable
than they might have otherwise been and it got us
out of the housework, tee hee.
He and I travelled the length and breadth of Sussex testing out afternoon teas and giving marks to the carrot cake ( my forte) and those
chocolate toffee shortcakes,
that Brian so adored.
We went to pubs so he could enjoy the odd pint,
and he sat out side endless charity shops all over the county,
while I dived in and out to show him different outfits and get his advice.
Zoe was a bit braver.
She and Brian often used to also take Brian's dog,
a very large, extremely strong chocolate labrador.
How Zoe managed both I will never know,
but the classic story is the one where she
was coming down Arundel High Street,
(and for those who are not familiar with it,
it's jolly steep)
with wheelchair and dog.
Bracken, normally pretty well behaved, pulled to sniff a delectable scent just out of reach.
The lead slipped and Zoe tried to grab the dog and in doing
so the wheelchair left her grasp and sailed off down the High Street.
She said no-one actually tried to stop it they all just leapt out of Brian's way.
Brian arrived safely and chuckling to himself
and the wheelchair came to a halt outside Pallant Wine.
As you can imagine, after the evening I left the restaurant weeping with laughter.
on our way home,
we spotted this in
Antiquities window in Tarrant Street
Friends,
Nothing like them to lift your spirits.
Nice little quote hey?
Have a great day.
