Menoffagainorrhea [me-noff-again-or-rhea]; the condition of the endless traveller

On Sunday 29th December 2013 - only last week! - the day again dawned bright, but with a very hard frost to begin it.  Aitch had it in mind that we would go out geocaching. Aha.

Why not indeed?!  Lady Victoria was interested in all the preparatory behaviour and was particularly excited to see her bed going into the car; even at 10:30, the frost was clinging on to the bonnet of the vehicle.

copyright Yamini Ali MacLean

Wrapped up well we headed a short way along the road to Claydon.  Parking at the bottom of a hill, we then attempted to use the geopositioning instrument Aitch purchased for this activity alone.

It is like a glorified paperchase combined with treasure hunt and orienteering.  Provides hours of entertainment and material for argument...

Hehehehehe.  Little Ladyship was not so keen on the trekking up the hill bit.  Once we got to the top and the churchyard though, it got a bit more interesting for doglets.  Aitch decided to go back for the car whilst I enjoyed the now quite warming sunshine and the surrounds.  There was another dog for LV to say hello to and a fellow for me to chat with. He was one of the Friends of the church - which is now 'redundant'.  For all that, I would say that it was the best kept church and yard in the area!!!  

copyright Yamini Ali MacLean

The Church of St Peter itself is of, perhaps, similar size to Baylham St Peter's, but gives the impression of being larger and grander by virtue of its more ornate architecture - much of which, again, was added at later dates than the 14th century nave.  The tower itself was added to; those battlements at the top are Victorian. The history of this place was fascinating and I will make a separate post for it.  

This one is about the pointless exercise treasure hunt.

...then again perhaps I will leave LV to tell the tail tale of this place tomorrow...




There was more than one cache on the menu you see.  Next stop was a short way down the lane from here and that clue got lost on us too.  Sigh.  We just kept driving and ended up at the place I called home for my high school years; Henley.  (Nowhere near being 'on Thames', totally different place).

After a brief drive-by of the old home, we headed to the next cache; can you guess?

copyright Yamini Ali MacLean

Yup.  The church yard!  The grass here was so long and wet I told Aitch she was on her own. I lingered in the sun again and took some piccies.

This is the Church of St Peter (I warned you!) in which I joined the choir and learned the wonderful technique of plain chant.  Sooooo many years later, having learned Sanskrit chanting, recognizing the similarities in place of differences in worship is joy beyond words.

As I stood with camera poised, a voice enquired as to what was my subject.  The lady turned out to be sister of a lad Aitch and I went to school with.  She remembered me quite well, but of course YAMster's recall was dull to backward...  We had a great natter, though, whilst Aitch continued her search.  She was approached by a man walking on the outside of the yard who said, perhaps look in the lane instead.

Success!!  After this, we resorted to using the satnav from the car instead and that proved a deal more accurate in pinpointing the caches.  Within a mile radius, we located three more.  Now it was getting exciting.  There is no actual treasure of course.  Majority times it is an old plastic 35mm film canister containing a page upon which the finder notes their name and date of find. One was in a tree's nether regions, another tucked behind a signpost and the third, inside a metal pole.  By this time though it was nearly 2pm and we were hungry.  No more geocaching.  Home for lunch and some telly movies. It had been both a satisfying and educational day.  

Three happy ladies slept well that night.