Morris men menaced

Last evening then to the Fullers pub, The Woodman Arms just outside Arundel, a beautiful thatched pub sadly badly affected by its proximity to the nearby A27 and its resultant noise. So after a couple of early evening pints of London Pride in the late afternoon sunshine (yes, sunshine) in their pretty pub garden, we went in search of more noise. It did not take long to find it as a party was taking place in the pub next door and the Arundel Festival Jubilee stage  just up the road was also vying for audio acknowledgment at the same time.

Deciding we might as well join them if we could not beat them, we ventured out for more aural carnage after meatballs and orange mash. That nice lady decorator has found her cook books, but either she does not know how to use them, is colour blind or we were served designer orange mashed potatoes. I was sufficiently mellow and thus unguarded to mention the orangeness, and perhaps I should not have mentioned David Dickinson, the peculiarly orange TV presenter in this context as this was clearly a mistake and she took umbrage at my comments. The meal was perfectly wonderful as long as you were prepared to ignore the luminosity of the mash, but the taste was exquisite. However, I was not allowed to express that part of my opinion. By that time I was in the stocks, awaiting stoning. Perhaps I deserved it (the stoning not the orange mash).I think the culprit was carrot.

She was a bit touchy which I think had been caused by the Morris Dancers. Amongst the street performers during the festival are a team of them. She is not a fan of the pointless stick wielding and distinctly English pastime and I think her dislike must have been evident for all to see. This picture captures the spectacle a moment after her laser beam stare of disapproval had been directed at them in Arundel High St. Turning ones back is scarcely sufficient but I guess all they could think of at that moment.

Quick, pretend we can’t see her

A rather overpriced and under attended evening of world music on the Jubilee Stage passed us by as we ended up, as is becoming increasingly usual, at the White Hart, very close to home for a nightcap and to see if I could find further customers requiring the services of Currencies Direct. On this occasion I was unsuccessful.

Sprog 2 is off to the Reading Festival today so once again I experienced a “bung removal” as the late and great Steve Marriott would have described it. This involves the removal from my wallet by said sprog of any bank notes that the nice lady decorator has not found and already disposed of. I thought she would appreciate some fatherly advice about predatory males, too much drink and drugs but her retort, that she had seen enough of all three in her own family, whilst harsh but probably fair, cut me to the quick.

The Arundel Festival becomes a little more full on today, building up to a crescendo on Monday evening with fireworks at the Castle, which we will miss because…we will be back in beautiful Valbonne! In the meantime we have a number of delights to enjoy; “Arundels Got Talent” caught my eye plus “Screaming Lez and the Mindbenders”. I might also be tempted by Dr Jam and the Funk Crumpets over the next few days. Then on Monday, joy will be boundless as I expect to be in the Cafes Des Arcades in Valbonne Square before nightfall.

Chris France