Derelict in December

Please excuse the hiatus in my journal entries. For the past three days my only photos have either featured children's faces and art projects; or products that I sell on my stall. I can't blip the children because they're not mine (nor are they my grandchildren, as people keep asking). And you've seen the stall before. I've been to work, several times, been to a party (took Lateral Flow Test first), and held my last market stall of the year. Hurrah!

This morning GG and I went out in light drizzle to the Fromehall Mill industrial estate. This is a Victorian estate, od the type so common around Stroud. There's a working mill, Lodgemore Mill, that makes cloth, possibly for tennis balls and snooker tables, and the seriously dilapidated Fromehall Mill, parts of which are rented out to small businesses. In between is a large pond with numerous ducks on it; several cottages, a few other small business premises such as a storage centre and an MOT centre, and the Sea Cadets' HQ. Some larger houses are also situated there, with evidence of new building taking place. Plenty of old industrial archaeology to explore, too, and some abandoned driveways like the one above (the house and garden are occupied, it's this entrance that has fallen into disrepair, because the way down to the house is on a steep slope; perhaps it wasn't always thus, a landslip may have occured). I imagine that many people in Stroud have never visited this Quartier, because it is tucked away between two major roads, and if one did not have business there, or friends who live nearby, why would one go there? GG had driven to the pond once before, but didn't know about the rest of the area and she's been living near Stroud since 1978.

Our circular walk finished us back at the pub where we'd parked (real Christmas trees for sale, all £45). We'd intended to have coffee there, but feared getting parked in, so drove to town, and Costa's. Considering I boycotted it for years, it's ironic how seem to have taken up residence there in the past few weeks! It's a great place for people watching. A little light shopping followed, GG wanted a nightie in case she has to stay in hospital in January. I found her one with broderie anglaise for £12.

Back at home, CleanSteve and I watched the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ( I was not happy), then went on a walk/drive to Hope Mills business park (another industrial estate, not quite as eerie as the former) to find the mysterious Studio 18, where there was an exhibition of photography. The studio turned out to be right by the canal towpath, where I used to walk when I taught at the rehab. The photography was good in places, but the aircraft-hangar feel of the place took away some of the delight of viewing for me. Still, it was handy to chat to the owner and find out what's going on there, and about forthcoming events.

We walked back to the Stroud Brewery car park, drove home. I changed the sheets on the bed, hung up the ones I'd washed earlier, and promptly went back to bed and fell into a deep sleep. I hope this is simple exhaustion or the onset of a winter bug, not anything more sinister.