The Real February Ramble 2025

This is what we did the other day.

We were quite a crowd for once; everybody must have heard we were actually going to walk ( a bit) and not just go on a local pub crawl. There was Matt, Froggy, Paco, Lafayette, Sandyballs, The Bish, The Admiral and our newish member, Dave Hackers Hack. 

It was a cold, dull day.

We went to Lewes and swapped trains for the London one, getting off at Cooksbridge. Then we had to walk..... about half a mile to The Rainbow pub 

on the other side of, and way, way up from the railway crossing.

Apparently it was cheapo carvery day on Wednesdays so everyone was hoping for a meaty lunch.
Inside we met Paco who had driven there (sensible) and the lunch was just kicking off.

The NERDS were accommodated at a spacious table in the back room.

It was not so cold in there as Froggy had feared.

Conversations sprang up and it got very noisy. There was the Football Discussion Club at one end

and the Where Are They Now I. O.s' Group at the other end.

We were served by a delightful young gel who was very short

but very efficient.

The food was OK but not brilliant unless ,like Admiral and Laf, you had the Pie du Jour which was very good . Paco had some sort of ricy prawn thing which he said was very good, Froggy bought some of us a bottle of Tempranillo - which was nice.....

After this , most people felt full and didn't want to walk back to the station. Good job Paco had his car. Sandyballs and Froggy walked back (how brave). Hackers had to leave a bit early to feed his cat

(?) WTF? Laf just used to chuck his one outside to forage on seagulls;

maybe he was a bit crool.

Anyway we all got back Ok and thanks to Paco for the lifts, to Froggy for the wine and to Sandyballs for organising a real ramble. Thanks too to hackers for injecting new blood into The NERDS. Pity the new blood isn't a bit younger cos we're all gonna die soon,

or one day (gloom, gloom) and the former Nerdlings have all pissed off to make their own way in life.

So, Brian, plenty to put on your blog this month. Keep sunning yourself in France and don't forget pictures of the fairies.

Hasta la Vista 

Lafayette.

February 2025 Final Arrangements

Calling all NERDS,

This month we meet on Wednesday 19th. As previously notified, we will dine at The Rainbow in Cooksbridge for a gut-busting Carvery roast.

The pub doesn't open until 12 noon so I have booked a table for 6 at 12.15.

This time the Seaford mob should take the 11.24 train ( bit later than usual) which arrives in Lewes at 11.41. The Cooksbridge service leaves at 11.55 -giving thirsty NERDS a chance to perhaps slake their thirst at The Runaway cafe?

Now, Mike T will be joining us as Is Dave Hack (no nickname for him yet!). Therefore if all the usual suspects turn up we will be 7 at table and a bit crowded. Can I therefore ask if any of you will NOT be attending, please let me know. Otherwise I will rebook for 7. Charlie, what about The Gorilla? If he is interested I will have to try for a table seating 8?

Harry

February 2025 Ramble Advice

Hi,
I have set a provisional date for the meeting as Wednesday 19th. Please let me know if there is a problem with the date. I thought we could revisit The Rainbow in Cooksbridge. They have recently reinstated their Wednesday Carvery, which was always good value. The "walk" is very brief ( hardly qualifies as a "stroll"). If the date is OK I will book a table , probably for 6, and then confirm train times, etc.

Cheers
Harry

The January 2025 NERDS Outing

 

Lafayette was late to The Steamworks in Seaford that day, and believe it or not, Paco (And everyone else ) had got there before him. Laf thought the meeting began at 11 00hrs but apparently they had all started without him.

So anyway, the beer was good - it was Long Man Wicked

- very tasty. We were Paco, Matt, Sandyballs, Laf and Froggy. S. B. was wearing his new Christmas present jersey.

LAf was jealous, he had only got a dozen jerseys in his drawers and nobody had given him one for Christmas.

Just then Gorilla Bown turned up for a quick pint.

He could not stay long since he had to sort out the mess caused by his car being hit by some old git pensioner in Sainsbury's car park the other day. Good job Gorilla hadn't been in it at the time.

He and Laf

told the others about their recent trip to Andy Maskell's pub at Turners Hill where they had encountered one or two names from the past such as Ian Arnott (not drinking for 11 years) And Gareth Anthony - still tall, dark and Welsh like.

The Gorilla pushed off and the rest of the NERDS rambled about 150 yards to Pablo Picasso's which is now restaurant flavour of the month in Seaford, (and not at all far from the station}.

There we met up with The Admiral and Jan as well as Imogen sans poor deceased Bandido. 

Everything was going swimmingly, the food was excellent, the wine was flowing, the conversation was sparkling until Paco suddenly became very pale

and had pains in his stomach. Bit of a bugger this in a nice restaurant, but a taxi was called and he was accompanied home. Next day he was found to have had only belly ache

and nothing more serious. Hooray!

So, Brian, that was the latest ramble (ha, ha!) and you see we are now getting more women joining us for lunch. Whether this is good or bad remains to be seen.

Hope you are all well and not freezing like us over here.

Love,
Lafayette.

Happy NEW YEAR

 

January 2025 Ramble Arrangements

Hi all.

A belated Xmas greeting to everyone and a Happy New Year to all NERDS, NERD partners, Nerdlings, grand- Nerdlings and possibly great- grand Nerdlings (Brian?}

Anyway the date for our January non-ramble will be Wednesday 15th. A home game for those of a Seaford persuasion. Meet at the Steamworks

(NERDS approved) at the usual time. Lunch will be at the Pablo Picasso.

I will probably book a table so please let me know if you are NOT going to be there.

Must go now as I am off to have a fitting for a new pair of heavy-duty rambling boots! 

Regards
Harry

THE 2024 CHRISTMAS EXCURSION

 

We were Sandyballs,

Laf,

Froggo,

Paco,

The Bish,

Matt,

and the Admiral.

Thanks to SB who had to change the venue from the Laughing Fish

because of slowness and indifference on the part of the pub we were saved a shitty ramble across fields under a gloomy sky and a drizzly weather.

We met at Lewes and picked up SB then "rambled" round to The Gardeners

which was not open yet (it being before 11 00hrs). Laf sat outside an antique shop in Cliffe High St salivating at all the treasures within until the pub opened.

When the barmaid had finally sorted out the beer pumps the NERDS began drinking the Harvey's Old - a good aperitif,

and then had another one for luck.

Then we had to run back to the bus station to get the bus which although we allegedly had five minutes in hand, left as soon as we were on board - Whew!

We decanted at the end of Ringmer and made our way to The Anchor

where we met the Admiral who had sailed in in his flash BMW.

There was a large raucous group inside which consisted of the Fire Service one of whom was retiring. However the NERDS

were well seated and catered for

with the Christmas menu being excellent.

SB spent his time swapping his sprouts for everyone else's roast potatoes. The waitresses

were young and nubile,

as they should be and all went well.

When we broke up the Admiral took Bish, Matt and Laf back in his lovely car and the rest of the hoi polloi followed by bus.

The Anchor had been a good choice and thanks to SB for his organising.

All for now. Merry Christmas to all NERDS and their wives and see you back in 2025.

Luv from Lafayette.

NEW CHRISTMAS RAMBLE 2024 ARRANGEMENTS

 

Dear NERDS,

Sorry about this but I am going to be cancelling our meal at The Laughing Fish. The problem is that the pub has new owners and they seem somewhat disorganised at present. They have no website at the moment and although they promised to phone me to confirm my booking, I have received no call from them. They are not doing food today and of course our tentative booking was for next Tuesday. The signs were not good.

Nil desperandum. I have booked an alternative meal at The Anchor Inn in Ringmer.

This pub is well known to me and the food is usually good. They are well organised and reliable. It is also the late Malcolm Senior's pub of choice, of course. Also it is actually easier to get to by bus than The Laughing Fish - a bus every half hour rather that every 1-2 hours.

Can you all study the Xmas Menu on the pub website and PLEASE let me know your choices ASAP.

The usual 10.25 train from Seaford then. Probably a pint at the Gardeners in Lewes and a bus at about 12 noon.

Sorry about this late change of plan. The usual NERDS flexibility!

Harry.