Menootanabootery Continues

First, let me apologise for being so absent in comments on your blogs - I have been reading, but logistics are still a bit hit and miss here in The Grey, and usual routines... well, what are those??!!! I haven't forgotten or ignored you, I promise.

Another post pertaining to Marlborough. It is the place I have lingered longest after all (without actually visiting anyone!)

One or two of you wondered about the 'rollator' - I know that these are occasionally referred to as 'walkers', but there is actually a functional difference. Rollators include wheels on all legs (three or four, depending on the model), whereas walkers come without wheels or with wheels on the front two legs. Quite often, the non-wheeled legs will have sliders instead. They are almost exclusively for use indoors, while rollators permit the user to wander the wide open outside!

Here's my Rolls Royce... aka Dietz... model, all tailored to my height and needs.

It has been covered in many other posts here, but to clarify for relative newcomers, I have had Rheumatoid Arthritis since childhood, and although managing to remain pretty active and cover great distances (and heights)  in earlier years, the last ten have been taking their toll and now the 'Arther' is in my spine as well. Anything beyond 200 or 300 yards unaided is pretty much beyond me now. But the walker in me still wants to move. With this beauty, I will be able to go just that bit further again, as I can now utilise the very comfy seat for breaks on the way. Any kerbs or lumpy bits can be negotiated by using the kick pads you see by the rear wheels - and note, also, that the braking is rear-wheel to minimise the risk of tumbling forward. It is possibly even slightly lighter than the old tripod one, and I can lift it in and out of The Grey with one hand - which is saying something as my back would usually protest! Oh yes, I am well-chuffed.

To celebrate, on my last day in the town, I wandered around some of the residential streets admiring the variety of housing, over the River Kennet main bridge and around to St Peter's, now decommissioned as a church but serving the community still. It had one very interesting piece of history I will share here, and other pics will appear later, as is the fashion of this blog!

There was a wee cafe at which I had a delicious cuppa with a slice of gluten-free raspberry slice. Mmmmm...

Then back along the main street, simply enjoying the ambience. At one point, a smallish but nicely put-together fellow was walking towards me, and I could not help but consider him - with his dark glasses on, I couldn't be 100% sure but did rather take it to be a quite famous actor. He caught my eye and doffed the glasses, flashed me a smile and a nod (clearly having accepted my frank gaze and seeking to acknowledge it), which confirmed it for me. 

Denis Lawson. Fellow Scot, a fine actor in his own right, uncle to another by the name of Ewen McGregor... Sigh. A pleasant little moment.

Finally, I had to leave the place. On the morning of departure, the heavens opened. It has been raining pretty much non-stop since... I headed for a night stop in Royal Leamington Spa (just another carpark, same price as Marlborough, but no toilets, no bins, and definitely no charger!). From there, it was on to Beeston near Nottingham, where my brother, Mac3, lives. He and Wizard the Viszla made me very welcome. I provided the evening meal, and we watched some Star Trek. I still slept in Grey. No point in Mac3 having to think about sheets for just one night. Sunday, I indulged in a long shower (the flannel washes are working fine, but oh, how delightful to be watered head to toe...) while Mac3 went and did some exercise. In the arvo, we watched the Wimbledon final - one of the best in years! Thus it was early evening before we set off again; Grey and I parked under a bridge close to the village of Bakewell.

As the rain continued, I didn't avail myself of the opportunity to go buy one of the true and original Bakewell Puddings or tarts - besides, it took over 45 minutes to get through the village that Monday morning, as it was cattle and sheep market day! We headed over to Ashton-under-Lyne, part of the Greater Manchester area. 

That's tomorrow's post!