Wednesday 22 June 2011

Locale; weekend in MK; weeds

Have now completed two weeks in so far quite agreeable new job. Walk to work involves a pleasant meander across Ouzel Valley Park (left), though I might be looking for a slightly better-lit meander come the winter months. The Ouzel is a surprisingly pretty river where I stopped to watch these cygnets last Friday evening.

Thanks to my line manager Judith, have located a cashpoint and a Tesco Express close to the flat, after initially thinking that there was nowhere that wasn’t a car drive away. It just involves nipping under the walkway under Groveway (H9, for those interested in MK grid roads) into the neighbouring suburb of Tinkers Bridge. A bit scruffy but useful to know about.

Ray drove up after work last Thursday for a visit and we went for a brief walk down the canal, before popping into The Plough for a drink. Toyed with the idea of having dinner there, but we unfortunately timed it badly and ended up arriving just behind a party of about 30 people with OU badges (a summer school?) who had evidently pre-ordered their dinners.

Travel stress on Friday evening when I drove to the station to collect Ruth from the London train in pouring rain and heavy traffic. Hadn’t managed to locate a car park close to the station, although presumably there is one, so ended up parking in one of the 15-minute only waiting bays at the front of the station, where I rang Ruth’s mobile circa 20 times without success – later learned that she had been standing packed in like a sardine and apparently couldn’t easily access her phone. Had to leave waiting bay; circled station a couple more times before locating long-stay car park at the back. Parked. Learned that minimum parking charge was £8.50. Left long-stay car park accompanied by restrained amount of cursing. Phoned Ruth and discovered train had just arrived. Headed back towards front of station; joined huge traffic jam trying to access station to pick up loved ones, etc. Illegally phoned Ruth from car (though stationary) inviting her to just come and meet me in the queue. A few minutes later she appeared out of the rain looking vaguely Heathcliff-like and got in.

On Saturday morning we caught the bus into Central Milton Keynes (or, as it appears to be known locally, ‘CMK’) to discover its delights. Meandered through shopping centre visiting assorted shops. Found the legendary concrete cows on temporary display at one end (I think usually they’re located beside one of the grid roads at the north end of town). Ruth failed to find wedding shoes, though we visited what must have been all the shoe shops in the centre (apart from the cheap places, obviously), but thankfully she had finally located a dress while shopping with Helen the day before. Stopped for lunch in The Place to Eat at John Lewis, which was a bit middle-aged of us but then it’s nice to take the weight off your feet.

On Sunday we went to Bletchley Park, which is more or less the nearest thing to where I’m living that might be classed as a tourist attraction. I think we went expecting Chatsworth-style glossiness, but hardly – despite the £12 per adult entry fee (plus £3 to park your car), it gives the impression of still being a project in development. We wandered over to visit Colossus – the National Museum of Computing is unfortunately timed-entry only on Sundays, so we passed, but it does sound quite interesting. Browsed around the rooms in the mansion that are open; then went for refreshments at the unassuming Hut 4 café before wandering back to the main exhibition in Block B (where, with hindsight, we should probably have started). Some interesting stuff there about wartime living. LOTS of detail about the Enigma and the whole code-cracking shenanigans, which I must confess to not really knowing much about.

Before leaving, Ruth squirted Resolva over the thistles and other weeds in my courtyard garden area which have really shot up in the recent rain. Suppose I should bear in mind that I am supposed to keep garden tidy. She claims that they’ll die off in a few days but if not to nuke them again.