Wednesday Nov 10th, a week after wasted walk to dentist. Papers late: couldn’t wake brain with Guardian crossword. Forecast dry, 13 deg. Wore thick yellow jumper. Raincoat in backpack with library books. Thought of repeating previous route. But needed to visit Nationwide. Shorter to go there first. Subway under Rheims Way. Past castle, needing repair. City Council, or its leader, fond of costly schemes to alter Canterbury. Money should be spent on maintaining what we have. Norman castle and Dane John mound for example. Stour Street. This was my regular route into town before retirement. Now usually take scenic, less crowded routes. St Margarets Street. Left. Nationwide straightforward. Library. Chose two books. Found i had old lib card. Senior moment of the day. Poboy for double espresso. Entered to Dylan’s Tambourine Man. Amazed to hear favourite song. Those empty ancient streets too dead for dreaming could only have been Oxford in the sixties.
Revived by caffeine. Oxfam bookshop. Seeking Dune, by Frank Herbert. Copy at home is missing first few pages. Hard to follow movie. Bought Heinlein’s Job, not in collection at home. Dentist. Right day this time. Apparently cheerful Irish woman. Think of her as the singing dentist. Brief and reassuring. Detour via North Lane by river. Into Westgate gardens. New bedding plants, many with silvery leaves. Hugged fir tree. You’ll be here when i’m gone. Three people on mobility scooters feeding mob of mallards and pigeons.
Moorhen (or cock) Only two mile walk but slow especially at end. Slight rise to Rheims Way. Wincheap. Relief at end of dentistry for a while. I hope. Missed most of T20 world cup semifinal at Sydney Cricket Ground. Pakistan beat New Zealand.
Rambling Brummie 