A Weekend
Sunday 26th March
On Friday we hired a car and tried to go to Brighton for lunch but the people bringing the car back did so very late so we were still near Luton at lunch-time so then we decided not to go to Brighton and decided to drop in on Henry and Trouty which was lovely and they fed us tea and macaroons which were yum and then we went to Bognor for a bag of chips for tea and it was the slowest chip shop in the world and we were there for twenty five minutes waiting for our chips and then we ate the chips and then we went to Winchester and then we went to bed.
On Saturday we woke up and then we went to Havant and I bought some fudge and an apple from some people on the market and then Sarah went to see one of her invisible friends who turned out to be real and quite nice and then my back hurt so I looked around the musuem instead of sitting down and I saw a real moving crab and a clock and some gloves and then it was time to go so we got in the car and went to Portsmouth and found some Thingers and one of the Thingers called Sam counted to the biggest number in the world which was bigger than one hundred and then found the bottom of a tower but the top was missing because it was cloudy but we went in anyway and went up in a fast lift and then looked at a cloud from the inside then the cloud went away and we looked at Portsmouth from very very very very high up and then we went higher and then we went back down and met some more Thingers and went to a pub which was loud and had some naughty football people who looked like they were going to steal each others dinner money and then we went to Lois’s’s pub and met Lois although everyone else called him Nigel which isn’t his name and then we ate some really nice real food and had a chat and then we went back to Winchester and then we went to bed.
On Sunday we woke up and looked at a map and saw a ‘Duck Decoy’ and went towards it but the police said we couldn’t so we went another way and found it but it was closed because it isn’t Easter yet and then we went up a big hill and found a windmill and a great dog called Dan and I asked the lady if we could take him home but she said we couldn’t and then we went to Twyford which is funny because it’s the name of a toilet then we sat in a traffic jam and then we came home.
–
So, anyway… Dan was the best dog in the world and kept pestering us to throw things. I tried to get a close-up but he wouldn’t stop nudging the piece of dry grass he’d brought for me to throw - or more accurately, to let go of and let the wind do the rest.
The tower was, of course, the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth. Anyone who has known me a while, particularly anyone who has seen me try to go up a tower will probably be quite surprised to see a photo I took of my foot on Europe’s largest glass floor, a cool 100 metres above Portsmouth harbour.
I did actually walk across the floor a few times, and once I got used to it, it was fascinating to stand there looking down and seeing all the little dots of people walking and even seagulls flying around hundreds of feet below.
And Lois’ pub, the London Tavern comes highly recommended; a great atmosphere and proper home-cooked food.
A good weekend.
Aw! We like Dan!!
Jenny
26 Mar 06 at 9:49 pm
Dan looked a right top dog Stu. Sold!!!
I started a direct debit monthly donation for the Dogs Trust and RSPCA on the weekend. Don’t know why I mentioned that, but it seemed fitting.
Stu, punctuation please, I was hyperventilating through a lot of that!
DoGGa
26 Mar 06 at 10:43 pm
You were cool up the tower cos I could see that it wasn’t your favouritest Thing but you did it anyway so yay!
JG
26 Mar 06 at 11:09 pm
that dog has a savvidge look in its eye.
and as for that glass floor. not no way ever. even looking at a photo of it makes me feel sick.
henry
26 Mar 06 at 11:10 pm
I’m with henners on the savvidgry front. Well done you, walking on top of all that air!
sweavo
27 Mar 06 at 1:34 am
Thanks for the plug, and it was great to see you both!
Lois
27 Mar 06 at 1:55 am
It was good to see you, albeit briefly. Glad you had a lovely weekend.
Rich
27 Mar 06 at 6:32 am
Woo! for climbing the tower, Stu!
The footballers were surprisingly quiet, seeing as they’re Pompenites. Didn’t even chuck any furniture. I think the lone Everton supporter may even have escaped with his teeth intact. A quiet day in Old P*mp*y Town.
And Dan looks very wolf-like. Excellent canine companion, I’d say. I’ll take two.
Omally
27 Mar 06 at 7:47 am
didn’t know you were going to be in the area… should have popped in for a cup of tea..
Mr Hedgehog
27 Mar 06 at 10:34 am
DoGGa: I give to the dogs’ trust as well. Them and the Samaritans.
Henry, Sweavo: Dan was lovely and not a hint of savagery. I think it’s the strong wind coming from behind making him look spiky.
Misc: The tower wasn’t as scary as I thought - nice and solid, and a very enclosed safe high-up feeling. More like an airplane than a crow’s nest if you see what I mean.
Mr. H: We considered phoning you, but didn’t think we’d get quite that far, and we were right. It won’t be long (once my back is better) that we’ll be down your way again for a caching trip. We’ll give you a bell then
Lois: It was a most welcome real meal after snacking for the previous 36 hours. The plug is entirely deserved!
stu
27 Mar 06 at 10:48 am
It was lovely to see you both. What a nice surprise.
I’d have walked across that glass floor. After all, I’ve crossed the Capilano Suspension Bridge in Vancouver and that’s really scarey cos it sways as you walk on it. Then, when you eventually reach the other side, you suddenly realise that, to get back, you have to do it all over again!
Hope your back gets better soon, Stu.
Trouty
27 Mar 06 at 10:51 am
I remember walking on the glass floor in the CN Tower, Toronto. That was a really strange feeling, wasn’t sure at all whether I liked it or not.
Dan looks really cute, I love Collies
and he doesn’t look savage at all.
Kate
27 Mar 06 at 10:51 am
will look forward to seeing you Stu (and Sarah also), you do know where we live????
Mr Hedgehog
27 Mar 06 at 12:51 pm
No idea actually, Mr. H. We think it’s somewhere near Bournmouth, but may be wrong
stu
27 Mar 06 at 12:58 pm
You are wrong… Eastleigh
Mr Hedgehog
27 Mar 06 at 1:21 pm
Oops. In that case *waves several times as passing through Eastleigh*
You _were_ in Bournmouth? *tries to keep up*
stu
27 Mar 06 at 1:48 pm
Was…. moved about a 9 months ago….
Mr Hedgehog
27 Mar 06 at 1:51 pm
I knew you’d moved - I must have assumed it was more locally than it was.
stu
27 Mar 06 at 2:10 pm
the bestest weekend ever?
Max
27 Mar 06 at 3:17 pm
Yes.
(The bestest one ever that I’ve blogged in the last two days, anyway)
stu
27 Mar 06 at 3:23 pm
Glad you had a good weekend, I wish I could have made it. Let us know when you have your next trip down south and we’ll try and be there!
Lisa
27 Mar 06 at 5:20 pm
Its no problem, just wanted to repay you for your kind hospitality you have shown us in the past… and you can see the garlic that you sent us…
Mr Hedgehog
27 Mar 06 at 7:52 pm