Sleeping Angels?

So then, to the Priory Theatre last night for a second dose of culture in two days, but earlier, due to yet more diabolical weather and the sense of gloom that it brings, we made a snap decision to get out for a pint at lunchtime. Nithered by the wind and drizzle, that Nice Lady Decorator said she needed a pie and a pint to cheer her up. Whilst getting cold on the beach near Middleton I found the subject of my photo today. The sea defences down there are made up of some wooden groins which have been eroded into some interesting shapes over the years and yes, that is as interesting as it gets today.

A wooden performance

We ended up at old favourite, the George and Dragon at Houghton, where they were serving Ringwood, a recent discovery, and it was there that I can identify the beginning of a scenario which culminated in loud snoring during the performance of Entertaining Angels at the theatre.

We dutifully turned off our mobile phones to ensure that the actors’ performances were not disturbed by unpleasant electronic noises, however there was little I could do to control more naturally occurring sounds. For once, it was not I who was to blame, and trying to keep my partner awake for the whole play proved impossible. Keeping her from snoring was an ongoing task, and one to which I applied maximum effort, but it is fair to say that those efforts were not entirely successful.

Let me explain. After several pints at lunchtime, I suggested that before we went out for the evening, perhaps a couple of hours kip in the afternoon might be a sensible idea, however, whilst I sensibly retired to regroup, that Nice Lady Decorator and her new friend, the lovely Fiona from a few doors down the street, deciding to lower my stocks of decent St Emilion somewhat, some of us did not rest at all before leaving for the theatre. With Fiona retiring hurt, we went in search of some lubrication (as if it were needed) which we found in the slightly unsatisfactory surroundings of the St Mary’s Gate pub beside the cathedral and close to the Priory. No Currencies Direct customers here.

As I said, the play was called Entertaining Angels and was actually very good, well, the parts where I was able to concentrate. In the circumstances perhaps a better title might have been Sleeping Angels.

Sunday morning and it is grey and cold again. As as I write no plans exist for today but I sense a big pub lunch in front of a roaring fire is a very real possibility. Talking of the depressing scenario of cold weather, my trip to the frozen north of England is looming. We are due to head up north at the end of the week on an expedition to find electricity. Yorkshire beckons to that Nice Lady Decorator but it has not been satisfactorily explained to me why me presence is required. We cannot take the Merc as it is not possible to fit bull bars to keep the marauding wild animals away (I expect the locals to be very hungry at this time of year) and I think it is forbidden to take automatic cars north of Birmingham due to the unsuitable terrain, thus we will be spending a few days travelling around in that Nice Lady Decorators 4 x 4, smelling of wet dog, although that is preferable to the aroma if wet northerner. Talking of wet northerners a I am looking forward to seeing John “Chuckle Brothers” Surtees and Steve “yeah yeah yeah” Jackson.

Chris France
@Valbonne_News