Phewie – what a scorcher it was. I eventually decided against a corset – thought I would pass out.
We hit town about 11am., dressed in aaargh best. Walked down exchanging ooh arrghs with all and sundry. As ever, all of Hastings was out, most dressed up in their finery. Pirate dogs, pirate babies, pirate grannies – all excellent.
Philosopher has a very tasteful new hat with long Jack Sparrow dreadlocks attached – we got it from a shop in Bridgnorth, would you believe.
Started off with swashbuckling coffee at the Land of Green Ginger – breezed in there with ‘Aaaaargh, me hearties – two Americanos with a bit of cold milk, please, and a slice of your vegan parkin….’ (Not that eating vegan stuff has any relevance for us, that particular cake just tastes good). Just sat down when in came Marcia and David – Marcia has just started at the Writing Group, and by an incredible coincidence, David is Herr Wagner from All Saints Street. Battleaxe encountered Buster Wagner and speculated about it in a post back in January..
Then we went to the beach to watch the Pirate sky-divers, sat about having a not very nice sandwich at the Old Customs House caff, which always promises more than it delivers. I think hard tack would have been preferable. Then watched the procession in the Old Town. The pictures can speak for themselves. How Hastings people love to dress up!
Last night we had an enormous thunderstorm. It was
incredibly hot – rain crashed onto the roof, thunder cracked, lightening flashed, seagulls screeched, dogs barked, curtains flapped…..we scarcely slept a wink. Came down this morning and said to our neighbour ‘Blimey, what a racket’. She said she had slept all through it, and the only storm that had ever disturbed her was the Great Storm of 1987! Later, at the bus stop, we encountered another neighbour who said she hadn’t heard anything either. It feels like we have a long way to go before we become proper Hastingas. We still have nervous, uptight city ways….
Talking of nervous, yesterday evening I went to a Hastings Writers’ Group Committee Meeting – it was at the home of one of the other members – I won’t say where. We sat outside, and granted, there was a full moon and a thunderstorm brewing, but I swear it was the spookiest atmosphere I have ever felt. Positively chilling.
Battleaxe is a sensible woman but I can sense spookiness. No way would I have ventured into the dark depths of the house or the garden by myself. Anyway, at the end of the evening the house owner told us that the place was haunted and asked if we had we felt anything. Apparently there are benign ghosts in the house and some unpleasant evil spirit hanging about in the garage….I will not be spending the night there in a hurry…..
When we were house-hunting we went to see some big old place
in St Leonard’s that felt very bad as well. No way would I have considered buying it. Strange……
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