The January 2022 Ramble

 

Last January 4th was Lafayette's BIRTHDAY RAMBLE but nobody cared and he cancelled it in a sulk.
                                                             

On the second attempt it didn't look any better when Laf. met just Froggy on the train. "Ou sont les autres who had promised to come?" sobbed Lafayette as he held back a tear.


Surprisingly at Lewes three more NERDS got off the train - The Bish, The Captain and Paco, all of whom had been in a different carriage hiding from Froggy. Matt had remained at home with his head down the toilet trying to avoid the Grim Reaper of Covid.

When Sandyballs appeared at Lewes Lafayette cried for joy and the NERDS' Quorum was increased.


We travelled to the Berwick Inn which was chock-a-block with aged cyclists all resplendent in lycra and making a hearty breakfast. No-one ever found out where they were from or where they were going. It remained one of the great mysteries of the universe.


The NERDS were shoved into a side room where Paco entertained us with tips on how to survive a massive heart attack and end up in a jacuzzi with 16 Spanish dancing girls.

Maybe he should write a book and become a famous author like the other two members of the NERDS' Literary Society.


We then proceeded to The Cricketers

where we were met by an excitable and voluble barmaid

who jabbered at us and took our orders.

The food as usual at The Cricketers, was good and

The Bish bought a bottle of wine to go with our mutually ordered cheese course.


We lurched back to The Berwick to pay our respects again before playing "beat the train to the level crossing."

- a sort of drinking game we often play when ending up in this neck of the woods.


Then we got home and Lafayette opened all the presents and cards which nobody had bothered to give him because it wasn't actually his birthday any more. Never mind it's Sandyball's birthday tomorrow ( the 20th) so maybe Lafayette can covertly go round and pinch some of the cards and presents his
daughters will be leaving in his porch.


Bye bye for now .

Lafayette.

Ramble One of 2022 Update

Hello NERDS,

Postponed ramble is next Wednesday 19th Jan.

It will be the same joining instructions as previously ie. get the Seaford train at 10 25hrs arriving 10 41 at Lewes, then we take the 10 47 ( ie only 6 mins between trains ) getting to Berwick at 10 58.

Berwick Inn opens at 1100hrs for drinkies and we are booked thereafter for The Cricketers at 13 00hrs.for lunch.

See you next week.

Lafayette.

Rescheduled January 2022 Ramble

 

Dear NERDS,

New date for the next ramble will be Wednesday !9th January.

Let's hope you can make this one. 

Lafayette.


Dear NERDS,

A number of NERDS are unable to make the ramble next Tuesday for a variety of reasons. I regret to say, therefore, that l have decided to cancel the walk and hope to reschedule at a later date.

Apologies for the inconvenience.

Lafayette.

2022 Ramble in January Joining Instructions

Dear NERDS,




For those attending the ramble on January 4th joining instructions are as follows:

Seaford lot get the train at 10 25hrs arriving in Lewes at 10 41hrs to pick up Sandyballs.

Make sure you have already got your ticket (remember Paco's problem last time) because the train to Berwick leaves at 10 47hrs ie. we have only 6 mins and no time to visit The Runaway.

Arriving at Berwick at 10 58hrs

we thereafter loll about in The Berwick Inn for a while and subsequently make our way to The Cricketers 

for lunch at 13 00hrs.

What can possibly go wrong? A Happy New Year to you all.

Lafayette.

2022 Ramble in January

 

Dear NERDS,


I hope you all had an amazing Christmas and are now recovered. 

The next ramble will be on Tuesday January 4th which coincides with my being 75 - I know, I know, no applause needed.

Provided that we are still allowed to mingle on this historic date, we shall go to Berwick for a snifter and then on to The Cricketers for lunch.

Firm joining instructions will appear in due course.

Love.
Lafayette.
P.S. Keep praying for Paco.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS

 Happy Christmas to all our readers.

BT

The Christmas Ramble 2021

 

It was a lovely day on the 8th December 2021with the weather  bright and crisp, and the NERDS all travelled to Lewes to meet Sandyballs. The Bish had gut rot

from too much pre Christmas indulgence, Paco was in werewolf mode having failed to find his razor Laf was a bit tired as usual and Froggy

was....Froggy.

S. B. was late but met us in the cafe opposite The Gardeners (handy!)

where all the Lewes Yummy Mummys congregate to drink their lattes and eat their vegan sandwiches. Paco had a mulled wine with a flake

in it which he found was actually a cinnamon stick - don't chew this!

It seemed a shame to bypass the Gardeners

so we didn't. A kind man gave up his table for us so we could spread out and drink our pints.

Off then round the corner to get the bus to The Halfway House

where we woke up the landlady as usual this time of year and had a pint of Old while sitting round a round table. Froggy and Paco drank rum

.

After this over the fields, a very pleasant short walk although somewhat wet underfoot (luckily S.B.. had his wellies on) to the Laughing Fish where we met The Captain

who generously bought us all a drink.

                                                                                     

Then we had a good Christmas dinner with lots of Rioja and Malbec. We were stuffed.

Luckily we were near a bus stop so got the bus back to Lewes.

S.B. dropped off at home and the rest of us went to the station where Froggy gave us his Christmas gift of ten minutes silence during the train journey. What bliss!


Lafayette.

Christmas Ramble 2021 joining instructions

Hi all,

We walk (a bit) on Wednesday December 8th. Lunch will be celebrated at The Laughing Fish in Isfield with a pit-stop at The halfway House when we step off the bus.

If the Seaford lot take the 10.25 train I will meet you at Lewes station. There will be time for refreshment in the Cliffe prior to taking the bus. This could be at the posh coffee shop, full of Lewes Yummy Mummies or, alternatively, at The Gardeners Arms full of old gits. Take your choice.

See you on the day

Harry

Good news (especially for Froggy) - we will not have an odd number for the meal on December 8th. We will be 6 at table as Mike T

has agreed to join us! I have to confirm the choices later on this week so I will need the menu choices from Mike and Paco in a day or so.

I am also going to pay the deposit of £10 each so on the day I would be obliged for a crisp tenner from all of you. Unfortunately I do not have one of those tap cash machines yet!

More info on train and bus times to follow.

Harry

Christmas Ramble Arrangements 2021

Anyway, to talk of the Christmas Ramble. It has been agreed that we reprise the lunch we had before at The Laughing Fish in Isfield. Along the same lines - train to Lewes, bus to the Halfway House for a pint, then a short walk across the fields to Isfield.The date is Wednesday the 8th.

The only slight problem is that the previous long-term landlords have retired and a new (younger) couple have taken over. To sort this out Charlie and I (accompanied by Mrs. Sandyballs) visited there recently for lunch. Lunch was good and the quality of the grub was fine. The pub hopes to be offering a Christmas Lunch but has not yet finalised the menu. We have made a booking anyway for the 8th and I will check back with them in a couple of days.

In the meantime I would be grateful if you could confirm that you are able to attend -or not.

Malcolm - I hope you can join us. Taxi job?

Harry

The November 2021 Ramble

Today's ramble started in Newhaven where Laf, Matt, and Sandyballs all met up with Froggy at the station. The latter had decided to walk all the way from his home to Newhaven, and arrived all sweaty and in a terrible strop

about something or other about which even he was not sure.

Laf took everyone to the Sidings,

the new, trendy Newhaven cafeteria and bistro which unfortunately turned out to be closed. Bummer! so we then rolled out Plan B and went to the Newhaven Coffee House

at the top of Newhaven High Street (which was open). Here we lounged around for a while watching Matt as he spilled tea all over the table.

Thereafter we did the rambling bit through NHN and towards the river in the direction

of Piddinghoe but not that far. The route meandered through some bushy, semi rural parts which were quite pleasant and mostly public free. The weather was mild and cloudy.

Shortly after we pitched up at one of Laf's favourite pubs of yesteryear, The Jolly Boatman.

This turned out to be ideal for everyone - there was no draught beer, we had to drink bottled stuff.

SB wanted Guinness but the Guinness was off,

and after a visit to the toilet there was no paper to wipe your hands. BUT in mitigation it was a very friendly pub and atmosphere goes a long way to creating a fun time.

Titch had rung Laf to say he was awaiting our pleasure down the road at The Ark

so we went that way in the hope that the Bish might treat us all. Not likely, but with time not being on our side we hurried off to the Luna Rossa

for lunch.

Rosario was pleased to see Laf

who spends a considerable amount of time , (and money!) in this place. The food and drink were excellent and the service was very good.

NERDS don't often go to restaurants because they're usually too classy for us but this one managed to put up with our engaging presence.

Afterwards we made a trip to The Ark for a pint of Harveys

and because it was on the way home for all of us. Froggy decided not to walk back this time but to get the bus, and Laf nonched back up the road to Lavender Lodge.

Next ramble is the Christmas one which may be to The Laughing Fish - we'll have to see......

Love to you All.

Lafayette.

November 10th Ramble Joining Instructions

Dear Fellow NERDS,

Next week's ramble will take place on Wednesday 10th November.

Meet at Newhaven Railway station at 10 30 hrs approx.

We shall be doing a brief tour of the delights of Newhaven and will be having lunch at the Luna Rossa restaurant by the marina.

Can you please let me know if you are coming so that I can make a booking at the restaurant.

See you on Wednesday.

Lafayette.

November's Ramble Expectations 2021

 November's Ramble will take place around the Town of Newhaven .

The routemaster will be Charles .

Further information to be arranged!

The Continuing Tales of the NERDS October 2021

Yesterday for the ramble we were four, a good number to get round a table. There was S.B. moi, Froggy and Paco. My muse had gone back to Denmark on a secret mission,

The Bish

had a cold

, Matt was off cruising

and Imogen couldn't come.

The weather was bright, sunny and warm so S.B. marched us off to The Depot for expensive coffees and where we wouldn't get too sunburned. We made a fine looking band
in our scruffy rambling gear

amongst all the Lewes Cognoscenti with their fine clothes and posh laptops all pretending they were not just DFL (Down from London)but also WFH (Working from home).

Then we began rambling through Lewes where we were held up on a pavement by a crocodile

of very polite school kids

going off somewhere to play footy. Lafayette stood aside to let them pass and they thanked him and called him "Sir" - very proper.

We did a bit of country walking

and got a bit disorientated in South Barn Farm where we bickered over the location of The True Path. Eventually we found it and went over the fields to the back of Kingston and thence into The Juggs.

As the sun was still shining we opted to eat outdoors (but under cover)

and started to lay into the Harveys.

Food was pretty good and coffee was augmented by the addition of clandestine brandy.

Lafayette had got a double hip flask given to him by his thoughtful daughter but S.B. provided the lunch brandy from the miniature he had nicked from a shop.

When it got cold Paco and Laf walked up Kingston High Street importuning hapless females by saying they were lost and enquiring about the time of the next bus. Since we established this was hours away we decided to walk back to Lewes instead. Half way along the road S.B. hailed a bus to Newhaven for Paco who was flagging.

Unfortunately Paco had forgotten his bus pass but the driver said he'd let him on as long as he promised not to drive his car back from Seaford station while under the influence. (Ha, ha!)

The other three managed to make it to The Swan where a discussion with The Black Barmaid about vinyl (wots that? )

ensued. Froggy promptly recited to her all the records he had ever owned and those of Curly Clarke too until she eventually expired of boredom.

Nothing much else happened in the pub; we were all too tired from the unaccustomed walking so we had a last pint then went home.