My week of exercise caught up with me today and after a quick trip to Aldi – there was a rumour they had toilet roll, and it turned out to be true! – Matthew and I decided to just head back down to the river, for both laziness and old times' sake.
We were absolutely flabbergasted to see this on the way, though. Cars, on the road! Where were they going? Where had they been? Very mysterious.
Even though you've seen it quite a bit now, it's interesting to view things from different angles, so I took another photo of the ugly blue train bridge. I know that, now that you've seen it close up, you'll be feeling quite fond of it. Like a new friend who reveals their inner beauty the more you get to know them, and in the end you wonder how you could ever have thought of them as anything other than very handsome.
And I took this for you as well – your old friends, the Scandinavian houses. I know you've missed them over the past few days. I certainly have. Look at 'em, bless 'em – all uniform and alternating. Pretty little things.
So, we got down to the business of walking. We didn't have much to say today, Matthew and I, as I was a bit tired and he was just happy to be outside again after his day off. I thought about recording the sound of my feet scuffing the grass for you, but I just couldn't summon the energy to work out how to do it on my phone. I was thinking that the walk would be completely uneventful and I'd have nothing to tell you. But then!
I spotted this:
'Aha!' says I, 'I bet I can climb down there.' I'm sure Matthew rolled his eyes, because, of the two of us, he's the more sensible.
Now, I wouldn't say that I'm all that stubborn, but I'd made the decision to climb down there so I at least had to try. I could see that it was a bit muddy at the edge, but I was pretty certain I could step onto that wall there. I was right, I could. But then, out of nowhere, fear gripped me. I mean, how ridiculous is that? It's not high, the water isn't deep, and the worst that could happen is that I'd get wet and covered in mud. But what is it about a narrow wall or ledge that renders a person paralysed with fear? I'm not clumsy on my feet – I can walk in a straight line. But on that wall, all of a sudden, I was wobbling all over the place, as if it was a tightrope. Idiot.
Still, I calmed myself enough to take this, just to prove I'd done it:
And then came the business of getting off the wall. I did think I was a goner when I stepped up onto the grass and my foot slipped – holy Mary and Bride, I think I did a little wee. But it was fine – it was only a tiny slip and then I was back on safe ground. I'm sure Matthew shook his head at me in a disapproving way.
Well, after that adventure – you've guessed it – it was time for our cup of tea. We found a bit of shelter in the trees and sat on a branch looking over the river and the Scandinavian houses. The wind was getting up quite a bit, so we didn't stay long, but it was nice.
We set off across the field next to the doggers' cycle track, and I looked back and saw this. Except that this isn't exactly what I saw – it was actually a half moon, but my phone has disguised it to look like the sun, which is pretty cool.
And then I saw this, which I just thought was quite pretty. Funny how a few days ago I was imagining the Blair Witch in these trees, but today I could quite happily have camped here for the night. Obviously, my near-death experience on that wall a few minutes earlier made me braver.
Back at the road, there was no traffic again, and the impulse seized me to walk down this little island, just because no one would see me and it felt a bit naughty. I'm sure Matthew rolled his eyes again.
Until tomorrow, when we'll probably try somewhere completely different.
WQ
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