I think this is the longest time ever without a Battleaxe post. I’ve been busy and had some flu bug over the weekend. It is getting better now thank goodness. Last week we went all the way to Portslade to fetch a vintage filing cabinet. Don’t ask. Then had a nice stop-off in Lewes. Weather has been strange – last week’s yellow sky and red sun following Ophelia thing, then storm Brian….
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| Lewes – Cliffe High Street – from the internet. There’s Bill’s |
Oh alright, the filing cabinet. You may as well ask. Have been busying myself on Ebay and various Facebook selling pages and groups because we have had to buy a high seat, high back chair for Philosopher when he comes home after his hip replacement op. (It is actually happening tomorrow – in the Spire Hospital – via the NHS. He seems quite calm about it so far… more news later).
Anyway, I had to get rid of one of our Ercol armchairs, so being me, got rid of an art deco standard lamp, a coffee table, two Chinese floor vases and another Ercol armchair for a neighbour at the same time. In my study room here I have a little vintage green filing cabinet – one of those with ten little drawers, on legs. It is very useful and I’ve had it years. I noticed another, on sale in Portslade, near Brighton, so bought it on the spot. I thought we could have a fun day out in Brighton, but of course the weather turned out evil.
Went to Portslade and secured the cabinet no problem. It is always a bit unpredictable what you will find, and this was no exception. Knocked on the door of an inoffensive semi, opened by this terrifying looking geezer who had about three blackened teeth – I know this because he grunted, glared and bared them at us. He looked like Steptoe’s dad on steroids. However, another bloke came up behind him and said ‘Don’t worry Dad they’re mine’…. The little cabinet is fine, not quite the same size as the other, but there you go….
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| Strange angle here… |
So, we went to Lewes. We used to go there often when we were in Brighton, and have been plenty of times from Hastings, but Battleaxe has never written about it. The antique shops are exceptionally good – so many to look at, including some really big antique centres., and there are many other interesting shops as well – clothes, book shops, nick-nackery. Lots of eateries, too.
This time, we parked down the bottom of the town and concentrated on the Cliffe High Street, to save Philosopher toiling up hills. Lewes is very hilly, and quite hard to navigate by car. We parked near the old Wenban Smith wood yard. I don’t know if I have ever said, but we have Wenban Smith friends in Birmingham – Alan is a descendant of the Lewes Wenban Smiths. The yard has closed down, but you can still see the shadow of the name. It was rather poignant – sort of fading away into non-existence – like all of us, I suppose….
We parked just across the river from the Harvey’s Brewery, which was very steamy and smelly in the dank air.
For the first time ever, we decided to have lunch at Bill’s. Yes, I know they now have branches all over the place and why didn’t we go when it was all the rage in Brighton, but every time we looked in the place was heaving with yummy mummies, braying youth and shrieking ladies who lunch. Same with Lewes. But at 12 noon on a wet October weekday, it was empty, so in we went. The food was excellent, service good. Loos were a bit manky and it did get much noisier as it filled up – same crowd – is it a fashion thing for young women to wear bandanas/hair bands/wraps? Seems to be in Lewes. And it was more about well-to-do Lewes Grannies who lunch….
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| Bill’s – no head bands in this picture |
Then, off round the antique shops.
So, what else is afoot…?
Philosopher is off to hospital tomorrow. Hopefully, all being well he comes out on Saturday, but will then be on crutches for a bit and very restricted for the next six weeks. No driving etc. Battleaxe will be Attentive Wife.
In addition, there is Amber Rudd’s Seniors Fair on Friday – we have a stall – its a long story… if I get to go down there I’ll report back, and then on Saturday it is the Save Ore Library community protest, which I have partly organised. Again, if I get to it I’ll report back … Then, we are starting to prepare for the WI Winter Bazaar… have the WI News to write…. eesh.
Today would you believe we are off to Glyndebourne with old friends Bob and Alison. Last year my friend Jan spent much of the performance throwing up – I hope I do not do likewise.
Here’s a last couple of pictures of the Ophelia red sun and sky. I was driving back from WI HQ in Hailsham and kept on wondering why it was so dark. When I got home I found the neighbours out with their cameras. I couldn’t capture the red sun , but here is one off the internet. It looked just like that. Then another of the sky a bit later on which I took.
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