Remembering the Riders

I had a  roundabout  journey to Cheltenham today. Hearing about the roadworks on the A46, I decided not to take my usual bus, but to catch the train. I got to the station in plenty of time, but sadly there was a hold-up caused by horses having been struck by a train on the line at Standish. No one could say when the trains would run again, so I took two buses, via Gloucester, Churchdown, Staverton, Imjin Barracks, GCHQ, etc. Arrived just in time to see the Mayor or some other fellow in a chain of office, shaking hands with some awesome bikers! They had stopped posing by the time I got off the top deck of the bus, but I got part of the story:

This is a member of the Royal British Legion Riders' division. He kindly agreed to pose again on his Triumph Thunderbird. We were in Cheltenham's promenade, marking the unveiling of the fabric poppies on trees, put there to mark Remembrance Sunday, 11 November. The poppies seem to be crocheted, or felted and wrapped right round the tree trunks. There's different!

I had agreed to meet up with Dave, my Cheltenham friend, but he wasn't around yet, so I went to L'Occitane, and then Costa coffee. Everywhere was crowded because of the half term holiday. Dave and I finally did a touch of light shopping, then had a lengthy lunch in Brasserie Blanc, which was fabulous, as usual. We might even go there for a pre-Christmas lunch, we've decided...

Dave went home afterwards, because he was feeling hot-and-cold, so I took three more buses home, and got down to sorting out more washing! There always seems to be so much, even after a short break! Bomble is growing a thick winter coat, but unfortunately it's causing furballs when he grooms himself, so I've had to wash his bedding and the carpet, and give him a thorough combing. He seems none the worse for it.