Merry Pranksters Picnic in Ironbridge

“Baby, you can drive my car. Yes, I’m gonna be a star”

I’m reliably informed via the weird world of Twitter that this absolute beauty is a hand made Morgan 4/4. Stunning isn’t she? 26th July 2024 (Author’s Collection)

“Uno” Result:

Lad 1
Dad 2

Well it was a humdinger of a game today!

3 tightly contested games all going down to the wire with game 3 all square at 94–94 in our oh so exciting race to 100 points for a game win. A rare win over the lad who was of course, not best pleased!

Then again, he still leads our lifetime games score 419–272 which if you sit back and calculate the voluminous amount of hands played to achieve such lifetime scores and, let’s be honest, a dominant, never to be caught lead, the lad is still sitting pretty for many years to come.

“Oh how wonderful! Uno!” exclaimed an elderly lady to her husband as they passed the two of us sprawled out on the grass. “We remember those days fondly!” she continued as I countered “me too” before raising a final smile with “15 years and going strong”.

I usually insert “I reckon he cheats you know!” to anyone kind enough to engage in such a conversation, but not today. For today I was victorious!

And we had a rather lovely and alternative picnic as the sun danced back and forth with the clouds above.

So much for all that!

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Star Date: Friday 26th July 2024
Destination: Ironbridge Gorge
Reason: Any excuse is taken to return to my spiritual home
Reason Number 7: Alternative picnic with a young lad who cheats at cards!
Song for the day: “Drive My Car” by The Beatles
Favourite all time Beatles song: “A Day in the Life”

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A bridge with a view on a cloudy day! (Author’s Collection)

My favourite shop (and very definitely my son’s!) in all of toy town. We left today with some cola bottles and sour blue stars! (Author’s Collection)

From the Tontine Hotel (opposite the centre of the bridge) and toy town’s famous pork pie shop and ice cream parlour (Author’s Collection)

I love this view and gap through the trees. See further image below for a closer view of the railway viaduct slowly being enveloped by mother nature (Author’s Collection)

(1) Say hello once more to Fred and Mary! (Author’s Collection)

(2) Say hello once more to Fred and Mary! (Author’s Collection)

(3) Say hello once more to Fred and Mary! (Author’s Collection)

Ducklings! (Author’s Collection)

Let battle commence! (Author’s Collection)

According to Jurassic Park “Life finds a way” (Author’s Collection)

I have a fetish for reflections. What can I say? (Author’s Collection)

A perfect reminder of a perfect afternoon for the merry pranksters in Ironbridge (Author’s Collection)

The beat of my heart and “Grand Old Lady” (Author’s Collection)

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Thanks for reading. According to the ghost of Samuel Pepys the diary entries in the book below are an “astonishing collection of the finest pieces of writing ever to grace the pages of a humble book”. He also said he’s going to haunt your every move and follow you everywhere until you buy this book and you wouldn’t want that, would you?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CZKZP28D (Author’s Collection)

"Tales I Tell Myself" - link to Amazon

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CZKZP28D (Author’s Collection)

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