Reply to Sandyballs' suggestion for April Ramble date

Sorry, Harry. I can only do 17th and 19th that week. I know the following week is out for you but the week after that is still technically April.

Charlie.

April's Ramble first arrangements

Hi,

This month there is a problem choosing a Wednesday, for me anyway. Anybody have a problem with Tuesday 16th?

Harry

April 1st 2024

 

Towards April

 

                                         So: March 17th - St. Patrick’s Day Ramble - Non Event!

                                            Oh to be in England 
                                            Now that April 's there,
                                            And whoever wakes in England
                                            Sees, some morning, unaware,
                                            That the lowest boughs and the brushwood sheaf
                                            Round the elm-tree bole are in tiny leaf,
                                            While the chaffinch sings on the orchard bough

                                                 

                                             In England—now!

We all hope April’s ramble will be much better with participants, perambulation and the weather. I don’t think that it will be on All Fools Day, but who knows what Sandyballs will arrange? Froggy should be back from the far east should the arrangements be later in the month.  Our local flock of sparrows are busily feeding on the bird balls preparing for their parenthood.

Here in southern France the apricot, cherry and pear trees are in full blossom

and one can hear the bees busily collecting nectar from the flowers. Our local vines are still just sticks 

jutting out of the ground but will soon be putting forth green shoots and hopefully the wine this year will be fantastic. French Catalunya still has water restrictions as we are in the third year of a drought but it is not as bad as in Spain. I’m sure Paco has more up to date information on that score.

Saint Patrick's Day Gathering 17th March 2024

In lieu of a Ramble this month, Charlie and I plus a Mystery Guest

will be celebrating St. Paddy in Brighton this Sunday. Meeting in Wetherspoons - The Post and Telegraph in North Street - at about 11.15ish. Then to The Fiddlers Elbow for traditional music and the wearing of silly hats.

All are welcome.

Harry

2024 March Gathering of The NERDS

 

Hi all,

This month we are not walking anywhere (so what is new, I hear you cry). Instead we are joining forces with the millions of people throughout the world who identify with the Irish diaspora

( Joe Biden for example) and celebrate St Patrick's Day.

In Brighton. The day - March 17th - falls on a Sunday but that should not detract from the fun.

I am envisaging meeting for lunch in Wetherspoons

at lunchtime for a spot of grub and then moving on to The Fiddlers Elbow

for some Guiness and didlee-dee music. I am not expecting a huge turnout for this event but there may well be one or two non-NERDS to boost our numbers.

Back to normal next month. Whatever normal means these days,

More details to follow.

Harry

Budget Day 2024 for the NERDS

Budget Day and the NERDS

Not such a good day for us, as none of us are actually working and would be eligible for a National Insurance payment reduction! All the other adjustments do not effectively mean anything to us. We all have our own homes, cars, children, pets and alternative lifestyles!! So; until next month, when the increase in the OAP and CSP come into force we will just carry on and keep calm! Froggy is off to the “Far East” but has a return ticket! BT is complicating travel to Laos and Cambodia if the conflict abates otherwise will continue drinking wine and Calvados in the South of France. Harry will probably be chauffeuring his children around Sussex and Charles will hibernating in his “man cave” leering at the scantly clothed wenches on ‘Vevo’. Paco will be recovering from his latest holiday in the Mediterranean being cared for by sultry NHS district nurses! The Admiral will be covering his back in the light of the problems with the RNLI. The Bish will be drumming up money to pay for the slavery reparations of the CofE

The NERDS will continue and make the best of the UK except BT who is immured somewhat in Pyrénées-Oriental.

Regards

BT

February's 2024 Ramble

Yes. it was wet and ultimate very windy!.

Seaford station ticket kiosk was closed. So usual old git struggles to work out R/T

to Cooksbridge. Train delayed by 6 mins. Thinking about a kraken in Steamworks

when El Almirante appeared looking decidedly wet and bedraggled,

quickly followed



by the Bish,

with tales of woe about passport and the entire contents of his fridge theft

from outta Hilary's bag in Lisbon. Their trip to Cabo Verde was consequently cut short.

Delayed train at Newhaven took on board Steve and we 4 met Harry on platform 2

as arranged. Stepping out at Cooksbridge into light but insistent rain.

Timed the

walk along the noisy road to 12 minutes to the Rainbow. [That is 5 miles per hour!]. Somehow I don't think

that this is anywhere near a mile (though it felt like it in days of yore).

So, table for 5 in the backroom together with another group of 13 at another table. Noisy

enough to out-shout usual Nerds volumes but not enough to be in the face as was the

last lot next to us in the Rights of Man for Charlie's 77th birthday ramble. All plumped for the carvery.


No wine, only Harveys and Long Man. And no dessert. Quick walk back and thence to Lewes.

Parted from Harry, who had grandad driving duties

as none of his family cared about the

fact that he was on a ramble, and as such the sacred "allowed all one could drink and excused

of all duties" adage went truly out the window! Not that Harry or any of us seemed to care anymore.

Missed Charlie and Paco and Matt. And had they came, we would have had the maximum attendance

of modern day Nerds, at 8. The cords have a similar maximum number, so we must count our blessings

for such modest maximum turnouts and not worry too much when the average attendance dips to 3/4.

Sadly Brian, I never once thought to take any pics. It wasn't the kind of ramble to encourage it. Sorry!

Froggy