What's that brand? Cumberland.*

I knew I had my old Cumberland clutch pencil somewhere.  I had misremembered it as being in a secondary pencil case, but I couldn't in any case remember either its appearance or location, but I went rummaging this evening at Mum and Dad's and found the pencil in a drawer, almost where I had left it so many years ago.  I had also not remembered just how battered it was: the brass has dulled over time but the paint is all rough too.  All I do remember really is supergluing the brass nib/grip in place after the wooden thread gave way.  Alongside it is a random Cumberland 'Floral' pencil that was also in the drawer.  I have given it a quick going over with my Stanley knife, just because.

After some midmorning WhatsApping (we were still waking up really!) with bestie, I headed out to the shops to buy a hot water bottle, because I left Mum's behind at the cottage.  I saw it while packing, immediately forgot about it, and had then stood staring at my open luggage bag convinced something was missing, but I couldn't put my finger on it.  While out at the garden centre I had a chat with an equally tall lady who wanted to ask me about where to buy nice shoes.  Garden centres aren't generally known for hot water bottlery but I found one later in a supermarket I don't usually go to.

The rain arrived just as I rode the final mile home, so I spent the afternoon sorting out my GPS recordings, and then motored out on Madame Fidra to Mum and Dad's for tea, with a quick blast home in the dark afterwards.

* With a tip of the hat to Cumbernauld ;-)