Sunday, 15 August 2010

Moomins in Norfolk!

Saturday wasn't really an enjoyable day, after a breakfast of bacon sandwiches we set off for the station at North Walsham. It was a lovely drive, but part of me wasn't keen to part with Robbie for two days and he seemed more reluctant than usual to spend time on the railway. It was probably more to do with replacement buses and disruptions to his journey than leaving me, but you never know. On another level I wanted him to go, there were things that he needed to do and I don't want to stand in the way of him enjoying himself.

I decided to go back and clean the bungalow from top to bottom so that I could then go out and enjoy myself. The cleaning didn't take very long, but I promised myself a nice cup of tea and sit down in the garden when I had done the washing. I had just hung the washing on the line and taken my chair outside when I became aware of a number of cars arriving in the lane. My heart sank because after last year I knew exactly what to expect. Within a few minutes six cars had arrived next door and I had already needed to get one of them to move because it was preventing me from getting in and out of the drive with my car. To be fair they moved without complaint, but I knew that parking was only the tip of the iceberg.

Within a few minutes a collection of tents had popped up in the back garden next door and the fumes from their barbecue were polluting the atmosphere (and my washing). I wouldn't be sitting in the garden after all! I wondered if I could stand two days (and two nights) of noise, loud music, constant barbecue fumes and general annoyance. Suddenly with almost no warning a dark cloud appeared and the heavens opened, it wasn't just rain it was Norfolk rain, impossible to ignore. My washing got soaked but that wasn't so important, the good thing was that the barbecue was well and truly washed out and they all retreated inside. Within five minutes the rain stopped as quickly as it had started and the sun came out, so it didn't take long for my washing to dry. I enjoyed my cup of tea inside the bungalow before going for a walk along the beach and then to the shop to buy a magazine.

Nothing prepared me for the sight I encountered on my return. The man next door (who is at least 50 and shaped like a Moomin) was cavorting around his back garden in speedos! It is not a sight that should be inflicted on anyone else! All the visitors were scantily clad too, but they did not offend the eye in quite the same way. I did my best to ignore them for the rest of the day, but even when I drew the curtains at about 9pm he was still prancing around in his speedos. He must be having a mid life crisis or
something!

No comments: