🎶Didn’t we have a lovely time, the day we went to Bristol 🎶

I’d been stuck in the house for such a long time I was going stir crazy, cabin fever had well and truly set in and I was gnawing the skirting boards working out an escape plan.

One of my Wid friends took a gamble and came to visit shortly after my last operation and kept me company for the weekend with lovely cake and cups of coffee.

In return, when I was able to, I was invited back to experience Chippenham, Bristol and Avesbury.  I was asked if there’s anything I didn’t want to do, and I said I’m up for anything (except long walks due to my predicament), I’m trying to get out of my comfort zone and push/experience things I wouldn’t normally do…  (more on that later!).

Being on both crutches at the time I couldn’t walk very far, I was looked after very well once I was able to travel (albeit slowly because of the pain and my leg locking up).

After a coffee and refreshment in Chippenham (look how beautiful the River Avon is) …

First up was a play called DEAD! (well widow humour can be slightly dark!) actually it was called Fred, Ted, Jack and Harold.  We arrived at the theatre in plenty of time and one of the staff signposted the lift for me to get to the theatre level.  My two friends accompanied me when the same bloke shouted.  “I can see why you need the lift but those two can walk”. Without I thinking I shouted back “They’re my carers!”…

That shut him up, and gave us all a bit of a giggle.

The play itself was extremely funny, I don’t want to spoil it for you, though its based on famous serial killers in history.

The next day included a tour around Bristol, there’s so much to do that we couldn’t fit it all in that afternoon, and besides me with my gammy leg can’t be much fun for the host, but they were very patient.  Turns out a street fair on at the same time, I didn’t get the chance to take a look around, I was given a choice, but it would have involved a bit too much walking on my bad legs so I wussed out…

We managed a bit of a boat trip around Bristol Harbour… My friends narrative was hilarious, there’s an alternative career in stand-up comedy for her.

I love being on a boat, something about it is calming, relaxing, maybe it’s just being so close to water, I don’t know….

The day had been brilliant so far, in addition I was given a guided tour (via car) of Bristol with various landmarks, and stories from a childhood long gone.  Since I had my camera with me, my friend said there’s a great vantage point that shows all of Bristol below the hills.  Great I said, as we drove there.

Gorgeous Sunset isn’t it?

Tog Hill – Bristol, Should really be called “Tug Hill 😳”

As I’m bent over a landmark plaque thing trying to line my shot up, my friend was giggling away to herself, and I was unsure why… well…

By day, it’s a beauty spot for family picnics, by sunset however, it appears that it’s a place with more “Dog Walkers” than dogs…🤔😳😱

I did think it was odd the number of blokes in vans loitering around somewhat, a young woman and her partner in an Audi with discarded tissues getting Sh!t faced (presumably before the start of her performance), and I guess the next clue was when I pulled my camera out of the boot of the car a number of men dove into their vehicles and drove off sharpishly…😈

At the point I realised/found out, let’s just say I was keen to get out of there.  In the words of my friend “He shat himself”, that is of course a gross exaggeration… I was merely protecting her honour/integrity/modesty by jumping in the car and non-chalontly shouting “drive, drive, drive”.  On an unrelated note I was mildly relieved there was a change of underwear available in my overnight bag, but that is coincidental, nothing more, nothing less…😳🤔

In my haste to get away, I drove up the wrong bit of the carpark, where a car was coming towards me down the dirt track, I was about to flash my headlights to signal them to go by when my friend grabbed my hand and sternly said “No”, how was I to know that this was code that meant I was “Up for it”…😱

Anyway, long story short, and 10 miles later I’d calmed down enough to see the funny side…🤪 To be fair, I did say ‘Take me out of my comfort zone” I’ve since learned to be more careful what I wish for!

To cap the weekends activity’s off, a trip to Avesbury to see the stone circle and picnic with fellow WAYWoC’s, which translated to me going to the boozer whilst everyone walked in the heat before settling down to a picnic where I’d enjoyed some of the best sausage rolls I’ve had in I don’t know how long.  More on that in another blog post!

Finally, as Zebedee once said…. Boingggggg……… Time for Bed and the long journey home.  This was the best weekend I’d had since my wife was diagnosed with Cancer, and I’m grateful to the people that organised and made this happen.  It was bittersweet because I would have loved Janice to experience this, but then again I would never have met such a wonderful group of people either.  Conversely its highlighted my desperate need for a holiday/break one of which I can’t see happening for a long time yet.