womanonabicycle .....: In praise of Bradford-on-Avon

It wasn't the cough that carried him off, t'was the coffin they carried him off in.

I've had a lovely day and met lovely people.

Daily thatch

Needs a thatch

Newly hatched

Ooh, while I type this evening there's a prog on, 'Britain By Bike' with Clare Balding. She's into loads of history, but seems to be frankly 'lacklustre' when it comes to Hobbit accessories and photo museums. Perhaps I should tip her the wink?

First things first, however, comments. Are you having difficulty in posting them? Well you are not alone (we rarely are when there's a problem, we just think we are!) I asked Daddy-O, who's in the know, and he replied with this:

You asked about Comments - Here goes:
1. Click on the green Comments link at the bottom of your blog page.
2. This opens the 'Post a Comment' text box I am typing in at the moment.
3. Type the comment!!
4. Click the 'Select profile' down arrow and select the organisation you have a personal profile with. I have a Google Account so that is my choice. The profile is needed so that Blogger knows who is actually making the comment. I think possibly people will have to register with one of the listed organisations to go any further.
5. Click the 'Preview' button, enter your personal password etc., and check what you are about to send. Type the letters exactly as shown in the 'Word verification' box, and finally:
6. Click the 'Post Comment' button. Quite a procedure, but it does not take long.
The commments have to be moderated before they appear below the post they are relating to.
Hope this helps.

Tuesday's blog:
Set off early-ish this morning and headed West through Trowbridge. A wholely unattractive place - sorry to say - though the people were friendly. It was a pleasant surprise to find a travelling man and his jodhpur clad daughter playing music in the square. As they reeled their folky tunes, the long arm of the law lurked nearby, ready to move them on. In fairness to PC Plod, he seemed bashfully aware of the high level of 'jobsworthy' behaviour he was displaying. As sense of duty battled morality he pushed himself forward to grapple with hard facts, did they have a licence?

Spot the bobby

Moving on....I'd never much rated Bradford. I always thought it was dirty and rough with not much going on. I may be right about that, but Bradford-on-Avon is a completely different kettle of fish. It has the beautiful buildings of Bath, but it's smaller...quieter...quainter...friendlier...it's just lovely. The kind of place you'd come to film a period drama or for a romantic weekend. In fact, if you ever want a romantic weekend you should come here. Restaurants, pubs, Thursday jazz night, bike and boat hire (down by the canal), a canal, tiny shops, the best hairdressing salon this side of Mold, a Tithe Barn AND a woman called Wild Mary who'll be only too happy to give you an organic massage should you fancy it.

Mary hoped that 'Wild' would entice more customers than 'Scary' had...

In fact, there is even a 'Bradford-on-Avon Social Club where - for just £50 per annum - you could be hanging with the Cool cats.

Derek was never quite sure how Roger could stand the pace..

I arrived just after lunch and decided to have a little pootle round. Tomorrow, I'm off to meet people I'll be working with in the summer. Keen to make a good impression, I thought a little spruce-up was called for.

Bicycle bird recognised the need to fix her barnet before interview day.

The dragged-through-a-hedge-backwards-backcomb is SO 80s. So I went and found a hairdresser who said she could do something with my unruly mop and could I come back at 2.30? I said I could. She was bubbly-friendly and keen to shape my barnet. I went off for a wander, visiting the tithe barn as I trickled round town.

Mid 14th C Tithe Barn

Gigantic woman dwarves little tithe barn.

Gigantic tithe barn dwarves little woman.

Got a yoke, collar, brace and purlin handy?

...Then make a roof like this...

At 2.15pm I walked a different hairdressers and had this tremendous urge to go in and ask them to cut my hair instead of first lady. So I did, cancelling Ms Bubbly-Friendly. Not only did Super-chopper Amanda do me proud and change me from mad bike riding nutter to sleek bike riding nutter but, whilst there, I got into a conversation with Top-Cat, who owns the salon, about bikes. Mrs Top-Cat was there too. I tell you, you find Welsh people everywhere and they are invariably helpful, chatty (and good-looking, obviously!). These folk were no exception. Top-Cat sorted my bike! Imagine that, fixed hair AND a fixed bike. Clock in a shoe.

Nothing badly wrong with bike, by the way, but the gears were being tricky with the movement from big wheel to middle wheel not happening. I kept having to go: big-small-middle and that's just not slick! How lucky am I, though? A hairdresser who's hobby is bike riding and bike maintenance! Additionally top-tastic-Mr and Mrs-Top-Cat had brought their two gorgeous girlies into the salon. Gorgeous girlie number one got to work combing my hair before super-chop Amanda had a go.