MR. HCB IS A STAR!

I was helping a friend out this morning who had the gas man coming between 8 and 12 but who couldn’t get time off work, so was out of the house before 7.30.  Mr. HCB told me the best way to go, only we didn’t know it was “Bin Day” and the rush hour obviously starts earlier than when we were working!  However, I got there just before 8 o’clock - time to have a quick chat before my friend went to work.  

N hadn’t had any hot water or heating for 4 days so she told me to dress up warmly because her flat was cold.  I took my electric throw and once she had gone, got myself ensconced under that and prepared myself to wait.  However, I had hardly got my iPad out when the bell went at 8.35 - the gas man had arrived!  It took him just over half an hour to do the job and having tested the radiators and the hot water, he was on his way.  I waited another half an hour to make sure everything was working and then I left to have a mooch around our town centre.  However, I was rather disappointed and as we have no longer have an M & S in the town centre, decided to come home.

Mr. HCB, meanwhile, had been out for a walk around Coate Water with his friend, but we had both forgotten that his walking boots were in the car, so he had to use his old trainers.  On my way home just before 11 o’clock, I rang to find out if he wanted a lift home, only to be told that he was already at home because his feet were very wet - oh dear!  Whilst speaking, he did ask if I had a Blip and when I said I hadn’t, told me that when I got home we would go straight back to Coate Water, where he had seen some fly agaric toadstools.  I was delighted, so quickly put on my walking boots when I got home, as did Mr. HCB, picked up JH Ted and Reeth and off we went.

He knew just where they were - near the Pitch and Putt course - and said that there was some orange webbing around the toadstools, which were under the birch trees - the most common place to find them in the autumn - and this had obviously been put around to protect them.  There were lots more, but many of them were just lying on the ground, possibly where dogs had knocked them over, but I was happy that I got this shot.  We walked a little further and found a few more, but none quite as good as the ones in the main shot.  

I made a collage of some of the other toadstools and also put a shot of Mr. HCB - although he was grumbling about that!  I said he needed to be in today because he had found the toadstools, so he agreed as long as it was his back view - see my extra.  

We were surprised that the leaves haven’t changed colour that much yet, but I guess another couple of weeks and they will look amazing.  Whilst walking through this magnificent avenue of trees, I wondered how long they had been there - Mr. HCB told me that he used to come out to Coate Water fishing when he was a boy, and they were there then - so that’s well over 70 years - and many more, I’m sure.  At least it wasn’t raining so we sat and looked out over the new diving board, that had at least 100 pigeons on it - so it’s a good job it’s no longer used for its original purpose - and the lake, with lots of swans and mallards, but it soon got cold just sitting there.  Apart from getting up so early, what a lovely morning and I got a good Blip out of it too - Mr. HCB is definitely a star!

You know what to do by now, I’m sure - so thank you so much for continuing to CLICK on this LINK, so that those who cannot afford to pay may have a free mammogram.  M xx