Thought for the day:"Someone who throws money into a crack in the ground is generous to a fault"
And so we have had a road trip through the storms created by Storm Eric...
Order of Athelstan and the installation and proclamation of the New Master Colin Roberts who turns out to play guitar ans about to go into the studio to cut his first CD - and at about my age too so there are a few of us around....
So the journey was at first delayed by prudent pre-planning... I had taken the opportunity of disconnecting the battery while it was sitting unused for a few weeks. On connecting - the bothy started immediately and purred so let it run to warm up ... Sadly, the handbrake was not on - I usually leave it in gear - and when I took it out of gear it did not move - she often seizes on the back brakes when standing for a while..
So as I rummaged in the back - I suddenly saw that the Bothy was moving forward slowly ... It is too heavy to stop from the side and I clambered into the passenger seat and pulled the hand brake on - but too late - she had already bumped into the gates sadly bending the pin which holds the middle in place - jamming the doors completely and forcing the lock !!!!
After 20 minutes of banging with a hammer - I managed to free the lock enough to undo - and that allowed me to get out to the little Suzuki and pop around to the Garage to see if I could borrow a cutting tool to cut the pin and free the doors...
As Paul was committed for at least 1/2 an hour changing some wheels for another customer - I went back to find Susie doing what she does best - hitting things with a hammer!! As we struggle - she finds a decent sized crow bar - and despite my opinion that it will not work - the powers of leverage manage to straighten the pin sufficiently to free the gates.... The pin is going to need straightening - but at least I got on the road ...
In fairness I get two calls from Paul checking that we were alright - though I texted immediately to cancel his visit...
So Bothy travel up through Wales and as we get to the Sugar Loaf - the rain is falling so hard that I am down to 15mph and not just because I am going up hill!
But by the time I get to flint at 8pm - it is time for a G & T and 10 minutes of death in Paradise before I realise that twenty minutes is as much data I have on my phone - I have never used it for that before but that was fun ... I go to bed listening to folk music through my bluetooth..
3am and the van is rocking violently - and that is not the music - the weather is foul outside and though I am in a car park - the Bothy is buffeted - the cups on the hooks are rattling and I am sure from the outside it looks as though there is "nooky" going on inside...
But I was warm and cosy - well wrapped up. The gas cooker allowed a small amount of heat just before I went to bed and the mink blankets have always been cosy...
I will confess to having an early night !!!
So - Morning and a welcome Cup of Tea and ready for the installation. I will confess that I was aware that I would be doing the Grand Lodge Certificates, and had practised the Installation address as there was a good chance I would be called on - however as I chatted, the Master mentioned to me that the PGM had told him that if he wanted some of the ceremony covered I would be able to help !!! This is of course true - but normally I ask for a couple of days to work on the Ceremony - not a quarter of an hour!!!
But - he was working hard and knew what He could do - so I grabbed a copy of the Inner Working and traditional history - three pages of ritual, and grabbed a can of diet coke and shut myself in a corner of the bar... and twenty minutes later was comfortable to do the Ceremony !!!
Well - I must admit I was pleased with my efforts - when I get t right - I think it sounds pretty good - and this was under pressure so doubly happy!!.
And so - A couple of glasses of wine with dinner - to relax and a couple of hours in the Bothy before the journey back - and thought the weather in Flint was glorious - the journey back brought me back into the rain... Home at 8pm and time to check my emails - write this blog and post my birthday wishes for the day ....
An enjoyable weekend - and off to Bangor on Wednesday !!!
Ho Hum
Cheers !
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