a plan
3rd September 2020
I got to all my friends’ houses and dropped off the Welsh Cakes I’d made.
I didn’t knock, because I’m unsocially distancing.
But Lopsy and Ted waved through their window.
And Ruffy came out onto his doorstep.
I hope that’s not against the rules.
He said he and Points and Funky went to an event organised by Extinction Rebellion.
There were gravestones for species that have died out recently, or that are very close to dying out.
Oh dear oh dear.
Ruffy and Points made a gravestone for the horned dung beetle, which became extinct in this country in 1974.
Ruffy says that dung beetles were very useful creatures, who improved the soil and protected other animals from parasites.
And anyway they were peaceful creatures, who were quietly living their lives until we started poisoning them and wrecking their habitats.
I couldn’t find a beetle badge, so I’ll wear a butterfly one today.
I don’t know what species it is, but I’m sure it needs to be carefully guarded.
If I ever have a garden or an allotment of my own, I shall fill it with beautiful weeds to make it hospitable to insects.
As I arrived home, Strawberry was just wheeling a courgette to my front door.
She’s very generous with her produce.
I shall have a nice courgette supper.
It’s quite a big courgette. I’ll probably have a nice courgette breakfast tomorrow as well.
I’m definitely getting better at the cycling.
I hardly fell off at all.
As soon as I got home, I washed my paws very thoroughly, and then I got out the bagpipes.
It’s true that they’re not very easy to play.
But if I wear a kilt it will help me to get in the spirit.
I thought this was Mackay tartan, but it’s not. It’s Wilson Number One.
But I think I really belong to the MacMathan clan, because they’re Sons of the Bear.
Now I’ll work a little on Scotland the Brave.
I’m very glad that I’m going to be a bagpiper.
The triangle often gets overlooked, but no one can ignore bagpipes.
Practice makes perfect. I hope.
There where the hills are sleeping,
Now feel the blood a-leaping,
High as the spirits
Of the old Highland bears.
Now that my spirits are so high, I think it’s time I started to plan a serious bicycle expedition.
I’d better hurry, because summer may end at any minute.
Where do I want to go? Mountains? Forests? Seaside?
Because Teddy’s learning French, he’s immersing himself in French culture..
Since I’m learning Welsh, I could ride to the Welsh mountains and immerse myself in a Welsh lake.
But I don’t think I’m quite ready for cycling up mountains yet.
And in a forest, there’d be the danger of getting lost.
Anyway, there aren’t many forests left. That’s part of the extinction problem.
A good thing about going to the seaside is that as I live on an island, I won’t need a map.
I can just keep on riding and whatever direction I go in, I’ll definitely get to the sea.
Besides, it’s years since I’ve had a seaside holiday.
Of course, I’d keep well away from other people.
I’d take a mask, and some hand gel.
But is it irresponsible to travel while the virus is still around?
And what about my duties at home?
I can phone my friends, and send them postcards, so they won’t feel neglected. Memorandum to self: take postage stamps.
I’ll get ahead. I’ll practise my triangle now.
I’ll play for twice as long as usual, and aim to be twice as silvery.
While I’m away, I can play both instruments in my head, like Bimbo when he was in hospital, so as not to let my technique backslide.
I really should be trying out my key on lockable or windable things.
I’ll have to rack my brains while I’m cycling, and come home with lots of new ideas for things to try the key on.
And I’ll write out some Welsh vocabulary to learn while I’m on the road.
Dw i’n mynd i ddysgu geiriau yn Gymraeg.
When I come back, I’ll be reinvigorated.
Perhaps I’ll even start volunteering to make masks, as Teddy suggested.
But first, the last ride of summer.
I wonder where my swimming trunks are?
packing and going
12th September 2020
We had a Book Club meeting last night, on Zoom.
I wanted to get an early night, ready for my expedition.
But I missed the last meeting because of being asleep, so I thought I should attend this one.
I didn’t have time to tidy up, so for my background I chose a place I don’t usually sit, and wore one of my Puffin Club badges.
There’s nuffin, nuffin, nuffin like a puffin, nuffin like a puffin book to read (yes indeed).
Ah, the good old days, when you could buy fine literature for half a crown.
Or even two shillings, if it didn’t have very many chapters.
The topic for the meeting was Pancakes.
Teddy read us a story about a pancake machine.
I wonder if I could build one?
It seems to be made from things that one has around the house.
Walrus read to us from his book of Russian fairy tales.
It was a bit too exciting for me, but it had a happy ending, with everyone eating pancakes together.
Except the witch.
Perhaps that’s why she behaves so badly, because she’s not invited to join in the friendly gatherings.
Teddy asked if our next meeting could be about French books, or books set in France, to help with his immersion in French culture.
Everyone liked that idea.
Gibbs recommended The Red Balloon, but I think that’s much too sad.
He and Ellie went to Paris a few years ago, to visit all the places in the book.
That set Didcot off about a holiday he’d had in the Marne, and he recommended The Greengage Summer.
What with pancakes, and everyone’s reminiscences about French holidays, the meeting went on rather late.
I’m sleepy this morning.
I hope I haven’t left anything off my packing list.
Ruffy said I must take my telephone, so as to be able to ring my friends often, and reassure them that I’m all right.
But it’s rather big and heavy.
I think I’ll leave it behind.
I’m sure to be able to find a phone box.
I said goodbye to the people who were at the Zoom meeting, and I can ring all my other friends before I set off.
I might leave the barometer behind too, though it’s a handy thing to have at the seaside.
Now, let’s think about this list.
Oh dear, my handwriting isn’t getting any better.
I can barely read some of this.
Of course I won’t be able to blog while I’m away, but I have a portable little book which I shall use as a journal. Also to write my Welsh vocabulary in.
(Better remember to take a pencil. And a pencil sharpener. And maybe a rubber.)
I used to have some dear friends called Great Stuffed Doll and Rubber Doll.
Gone long ago, I’m afraid.
But a relation of theirs got in touch the other day, and sent me this very useful book, just the size to take on holiday.
She also sent an interesting book about My Fundamental Rights in the European Union.
I don’t think that can have belonged to Rubber Doll or Great Stuffed Doll, so I’m puzzled as to where it came from.
It’s all in French. I’ll ask Teddy to read it to me some time.
Oops, that’s the phone.
(I don’t have a dressing gown.)
It probably is a good idea to relax a little before setting off.
I didn’t quite finish my packing.
I should have hurried across rather sooner.
Ted and Lopsy had been waiting for a while when I got there.
They had everything laid out ready.
They’d set my place at the far end of the tablecloth.
I hope that was distant enough.
Teddy had baked some croissants.
I asked how he’d made them.
Lopsy said she couldn’t bear to watch. She has a rolling-pin phobia.
She had brought a hot-water-bottle full of cocoa for our picnic.
She has a special talent for keeping hot drinks warm.
I wonder if Reindeer has tried that? He has some of the same characteristics as Lopsy.
Cocoa is what French people drink for breakfast. They drink it out of bowls.
That’s quite tricky, with a big bowl. I had to lap mine.
It’s also good to dunk a croissant in the cocoa.
Teddy said I mustn’t call it cocoa. In French it’s called Shocko Larsho. Very tasty.
I believe it was the best breakfast I’ve ever had.
I put aside all thoughts of my packing, and my plans for an early departure, and enjoyed the moment.
What could be better than to spend time in the park chatting with good friends over croissants and shocko larsho, even if it does mean I have to change my plans a little?
We discussed the Book Club.
Teddy’s very pleased about French books being the next topic.
I told him about the French book from Rubber Doll and Great Stuffed Doll’s friend, and he’s keen to borrow it, even though we don’t have fundamental rights in the European Union any more.
Lopsy told me about the delicious casseroles that Teddy has been cooking.
I think they’re the same as stew, but Ted puts a lot of wine into them.
I enjoyed our cultured conversation.
We met someone at the park who was just setting off on a Health Walk.
I shall think of my expedition as a Health Bicycle Ride. I’ve been rather short of fresh air and exercise lately.
Ted and Lopsy are going down to town later for a Black Lives Matter demo.
I wonder if I’ve been using the Lockdown as a bit of an excuse for not doing very much at all?
Oh well, I’ll just have to come back energised by the sea air, and throw myself into the issues of the day.
There are quite a lot of them.
Very kind of Teddy and Lopsy to organise such a nice occasion.
They urged me to take a croissant for my journey.
I won’t take any drink with me, because I don’t have any way of carrying a hot-water-bottle.
As long as I have my Sierra Club cup, I’ll be able to find water wherever I go.
I’ll leave it out when I go to sleep, and it can be filled overnight with soft refreshing rain.
It’s useful for cooking too.
My bicycle panniers are nearly full. Perhaps it won’t be possible to fit all of this in.
I won’t take my strategy suit. I’m not likely to need a jelly pocket on holiday.
And one t-shirt is probably enough.
I’m taking only the healthiest food.
Condensed milk does have all the goodness of fresh milk, only more so, but the tin makes it very heavy.
I’ll have a spoonful or two of it just before I set off, and leave the rest behind.
I’ll pop my face-mask in one of the panniers for easy access.
I’ll just wear it when I’m going through towns or villages.
I can tie the sleeping bag on the top, with my bucket and spade.
I’ve got my helmet, and my hi-vis jacket.
There isn’t really time now to telephone all my friends.
I’ll send everyone postcards while I’m away.
Keep watching your letter-box!
the first postcard
15th September 2020
(Tom’s away. I’m his sister Jenny, letting you know that he’s arrived somewhere with a post box.)
A postcard! I expect it’s from Tom.
He did promise to phone before he set off, but he’s so disorganised.
Yes, it is from him.
Oh, really!
Couldn’t he have written some news?
And signing it “Best wishes”! He’s my brother!
Why can’t he say “love from Tom”, like a normal person?
But I expect he was tired from all that cycling.
And it can be quite hard these days to find postcards to send at all.
So I shall stop complaining.
It’s a nice picture, and I’m very glad he sent it.
I wonder where it is? It looks a bit familiar.
I’ll ring Bimbo and see if Tom’s sent one to him too.
He may recognise the place.
I’ll put the card on my wardrobe.
Yes, it looks good just there.
I wonder where Tom will go next.
And where he is now.
And if he’s got enough to eat.
I hope he’s not finding it all too chilly and lumpy.
the second postcard
19th September 2020
(Tom’s away. This is Ruffy here, with the latest news of his travels.)
I happened to be in Tom’s part of town this morning, when someone called out to me in the street.
(There aren’t many very small pink bears around here, so I thought it was a safe guess.)
I decided to go down to the river myself, for a swim.
I saw a rhubarb-leaf raft go by, but I couldn’t see if Strawberry was aboard.
She is very small.
It was a good swim.
Of course nothing like swimming in the sea, with waves and sand and seashells, and the far blue horizon.
I think I must get myself a bike.
the third postcard
21st September 2020
(Tom’s still away. Lopsy and I thought you’d like to hear about the postcard that he’s sent us. I’m Teddy.)
I’ve been totally immersing myself in French culture, and French baking.
As a result, Lopsy and I have been eating rather too many croissants and other patisserie.
My trousers are getting tight, and Lopsy has hardly got room for a hot-water-bottle any more.
We’ve decided to have a month of living healthily, starting now.
While we were enjoying our muesli suisse and jus d’orange this morning, a postcard arrived.
Oh dear. We definitely do need to get fitter and healthier.
Sad. I’d finally mastered the art of croissant-making.
a parcel, and the fourth postcard
28th September 2020
(Tom is away. This is Bimbo, letting you know the latest news of our friend.)
A parcel has come in the post.
A pot of clotted cream. Someone’s forgotten that I don’t eat animal products.
No, I’m wrong. It’s the vegan option – mashed potatoes. Lovely!
There’s no message, but it must be from Tom.
I don’t know of anyone else who could have sent it.
I think it confirms our theory that he’s in the West Country at the moment.
If he wanted seaside, he’s certainly gone to the right place.
I’d better ring and tell Ruffy.
.
I’d better think about what I’m going to say, while I practise my bugle.
It’s all thanks to the NHS that I can play it at all.
A Cornish tune today, I think.
Nice to think that Tom’s actually got to Cornwall.