Very British

Devon on a dreary March Saturday morning. Well not quite. Swabian Bavaria on a very windy, very wet, cold, miserable March Saturday morning. So miserable that I know there won't be another Bliportunity today and I won't be doing anything exciting and I can at least try to give the most reliable Bliper of all time, Dave, a run for his money by trying to do a midday Blip.

Off to Ottobeuren to the recycling yard, then the Bannwald for our dog walk in the shelter of the forest. However the crashing together of the tree trunks was a bit scary and so it was one of the shorter routes.

Then off to Hawangen garden refuse recycling yard with birch twigs Angie had collected and packed in to the trailer yesterday. Boy had she packed it in. Parked next to me was an old Fendt trailer and old DIY wooden small trailer. I asked the man, of about my age, forking out heavy sods of earth if I could look at his (trailer) axle. He was delighted and asked if I wanted the trailer. ??. I thought he was a typical Bavarian/Swabian who is obliged to have an old tractor and trailer which will be the key item in the inheritance will. Turns out that although he has a large garden, he has at long last sold the tractor, a large farm tipper trailer and now only had this part of his inheritance from his father to get rid of. He was only to pleased to see the stuff go, they only take up room and are used once a year.

I answered no I didn't want it or rather I knew my wife wouldn't allow me to buy it. On asking what he wanted he said 50 Euros and I gulped. No chance I said. 30 he asked. No, no chance. We then got in to a very long wind and rain lashed conversation about the EU and above all Scotland. I won't repeat it here but our views were identical. We parted with him insisting I took his number ..... just in case Madam says OK.

Taking a slight diversion via the hamlet but cow capital city in these parts, Dennenberg, found my way blocked by the Bliped sight. A LWB Landrover Defender pulling an Ifor Williams cattle trailer. So I had the Blip in the can. Can't say much to the owner and history, even though I tried starting up a conversation. Rather surly livestock dealer from the Augsburg area collecting two Braunvieh to join several already in the trailer. The farmer himself was very friendly but busy running around in the stables to get the girls out of their pens.

Should really have got the dogs (Border Collies) out of the car to finish off the scene of British rural life - well if you ignore the stable structure, the church architecture, the bus stop sign, the brown grass, the lack of a steering wheel on the LR. the white rear number plate on the wrong side ...... anything else?

PS I quickly checked. Dave has already posted. Drat.

PPS I can count 6 house addresses in the core of Dennenberg but the inhabitants are not available being incorporated in Ottobeuren. In 1564 it had 59 inhabitants. I suspect somewhat fewer nowadays.