A New Year and all change

 

Yesterdays 6 mile walk in the mist from Alvechurch

A new year and all change. We packed up Big Ted last Sunday to head south on Monday. 

We got as far as The Metal Bridge Inn, just into England where we planned on spending the night. After much deliberation though, what with Queen Nicola closing down Scotland, and Boris due to make an announcement at 8pm, we decided not to stay. Brian got his head down for a nap, we ate the delicious pre ordered take out dinner from the pub and set off again. 

One of the first Blue/Great Tits to visit the new bird feeder. Watched by Geraldine the giraffe

Not even straight to Alvechurch, but via Fiona in Kenilworth to collect the car. We finally arrived at mums almost 15 hours after we set off, but with a huge sense of relief. We only had one more moment of uncertainty, would we get Ted back into storage? They knew we were coming, but are generally closed on a Tuesday and Wednesday, however very kindly we were allowed in on Tuesday afternoon to drop Ted off, so all is safe and secure before lockdown came into place. We do seem to do these things by the skin of our teeth.

Views of Alvechurch (our home village). This is at the top of School Lane, the entrance ahead leading to the lovely St. Laurence Church (just out of view)

Wednesday we had to lock Brian in the loft to sort out all the stuff we had just dumped in the spare room on emptying Ted. I let him out before going for a very muddy walk along the towpath with John. I think I then had two days where I didn’t set foot outside, with B only going down the shop with mum, it was very icy! 

Views are nowhere to be seen! Beyond should have been a nice view back to Alvechurch (maybe another time!)

We weren’t idle however, the bird feeder mum got for Christmas is now firmly established and beginning to be discovered by the local birds. A new TV has been selected, ordered and delivered (we can recommend Richer Sounds) for a ‘real person’ to talk to, good advice, and prompt delivery. New broadband has also been selected and ordered, though changeover doesn’t happen for a month. This was slightly more painful, trying to talk to Talk Talk was like pulling teeth, but Plusnet seem much better to deal with, only time will tell!

It was cold enough to freeze this pond, which doesn't even have a name on the O.S. map. Its at: 52°21'00.8"N 1°55'19.4"W 

Yesterday we went out for a good two hour stomp across muddy fields to blow the cobwebs away. We walked from the house, which was great. Tomorrow we move into a furnished flat, in Headless Cross on the edge of Redditch, we have rented for a month, so we’ll be looking for walks from the door from there.

Brian keeping warm