May's Ramble write-up 11.5.2022

The 11th day of May broke fine and sunny proving that the sun shines on the righteous and as it was Paco’s birthday and the day of the NERDS May ramble everything boded well for the day. Paco celebrated being three quarters of a century old and had previously promised to buy everyone Prosecco to commemorate his long-livedness. (Lafayette was becoming certain that all the NERDS were changing into girlies as the gallons of Calvados usually consumed has been usurped by fizzy Italian white wine!). The Seaford contingent travelled by train to Lewes and met Sandyballs and then everyone faffed about in The Runaway Cafe drinking coffee and giving Paco his birthday cards (no presents) while they waited for the train to Cooksbridge.


Actually the Bish was sicking to his macho side and had brought some 5o years old Calvados for everyone to try. (It had been on his sideboard for 50 years forgotten yet ever maturing.). It tasted OK, not like the stuff Lafayette used to buy off the PAF and which turned into something akin to soapy water after a couple of months! (Ed:- My experience of the PAF Eau de Vie is that it blew one’s head off even after several years in the bottle.)

And so the group of NERDS went to Cooksbridge, walked across the road and found an old red telephone box

(this is rural Sussex after all; ie: no mobile phones) but this telephone box was stuffed with old paperback books thrown out by the locals.

Since there were no tomes that held any interest to the NERDS and no original first editions worth purloining everyone trudged up the long, long road to The Rainbow pub where it was Wednesday - Carvery Day!!

For once the NERDS were the first, hurray!,

pre-empting the ‘old trouts’ so they were the first to get the pick of the food. Not bad this, a choice of three meat joints and lots of extras. Meanwhile Paco had treated everyone to a couple of bottles of Prosecco which went down very well with the food.

At this point Froggy regaled us about how he went into a pub with a girl on each arm and bumped into Dennis Waterman (recently deceased) who was with only one girl..... so Froggy had effectively out-girled a famous television star.


Following the lunch everyone quick marched back to Cooksbridge

in the rain which was just beginning descend. From Cooksbridge by train to Lewes and thence into the Lansdowne Arms where the Bish bought a complete round of drinks and then everyone dispersed.

Our thanks to Sandyballs for getting the weather half right and for organising the ramble. Also thanks to Paco for having his 75th birthday and for buying us all Prosecco. And thanks to Froggy for taking all the photographs.

Next ramble to be arranged and promulgated shortly. Lafayette.

May's Ramble joining arrangements check

Don’t forget the Ramble on Wednesday. 10.25 train out of Seaford. Matt and Mike have cried off so we may only be 5 at table.

Harry

May's 2022 Joining arrangements

This month we meet on Wednesday 11th. As discussed last month we visit the small village of Cooksbridge for the popular carvery lunch at The Rainbow. Good value at £9.99. This has also the advantage of a short walk - make that a very short walk.

The 10.25 from Seaford gets to Lewes at 10.41, allowing ample time at The Runaway Café for a coffee or whatever prior to taking the 11.27 to Cooksbridge. This arrives at 11.32, slightly early for the pub which opens at 12 noon! We will have to walk slowly!

I have booked a table for 6 NERDS. PLEASE let me know if you are not going to make it so I can amend the booking.

TTFN

Harry

The April Ramble 2022

 

This is what we got up to the other day.

Froggy was in charge so ordered everyone to meet in the Steamworks at Seaford.

This place is getting better and better and hopes to open a branch at Glynde so that NERDS can doss around there where the countryside can be accessed with the minimum of effort.

Paco rolled up with yet another grandchild

- called Lily. Well I suppose someone needs to take him by the hand and get him moving on the right day. Lily didn't look like Paco, but there again neither did Sasha. Anyway, she was young and had a phone to fiddle with so she ticked all the right boxes.

The NERDS had a few drinks then Laf was railroaded by Sandyballs into getting some chips from Trawlers (Laf may have a bad biscuit habit but it's nothing compared to S B's craving for chips every ten minutes.) 

Froggy then took us all along the seafront to admire his new Ukrainian flag atop his new place of work.Then we carried on to admire the outside of poor dead Hamish's beach hut where so many women lost their er... teabags. What a smooth talker he had been....and such a hard worker too....

We went up a hill which by God's grace was only short and not too steep.

The treat at the other end was Seaford Golf Club (specially for S.B.) where we met The Bish but not The Tubb.

It was the first shift for the blonde girly at the till, so ordering stuff was a bit slow. However she responded well to Matt's offer of help (he being a technological wizard) and managed to keep her hands on the till and off Matt.

The food was OK ish but smallish portions apart from Bish's mega ploughmans.

But most things are either going up in price these days or else diminishing in size - even the women. Finally we had a very interesting conversation led by The Bish about the relative merits of NHS hearing aids compared with those funded by the private sector. Honestly, Lafayette could hardly stop panting with excitement.

Later on Froggy lead most of us back through the labyrinth known as the back roads of Seaford, and we ended up in the Cinque Ports drinking stuff and watching the rain beginning to pour outside. 

Nice ramble, just about the right distance, and an interesting Mystery Guest. Who will Paco bring next time? Is he going to host Ukrainian Girlies? Laf can't bear the anticipation.

Watch this (small) space.

Next ramble May 11th - Paco's birthday. So Champagne and Ukrainian dolly birds. make sure you're all there - even Paco.

All for now.

lafayette.