Flirting With Small Disasters

I appreciated the weather provided for my last day of being 53 and set about enjoying it but not without potential setbacks. When I was born 54 years ago my Mum was there so it seemed only reasonable to ask her out for the day to mark tomorrow's anniversary. Early gloom dispersed much more quickly than in recent days and gave way to genuinely blue skies. I collected my Mum and risked protracting my back problems by pushing the wheelchair. It was worth it to get her out and we spent some time on the Lee front whilst Greg, at home, prepared lunch. At one time there were eight small hovercraft out on the Solent. Gliders were busy at the airfield and the yachts and dinghies could not be counted. A lone cormorant sat on a marker. The gulls found the car park with its tame humans a more likely source of food than the sea. Lunch for us , almost needless to say, was excellent. Greg has many talents in addition to being a much nicer person than I and cooking is certainly somewhere in his top three.

Full of sea air and pork, Mum needed her rest so we took her home before heading for the Meon Valley and beyond. It appears the A32 is much favoured by motor cyclists in spite of its many speed restrictions. It was favoured too today by a Robinson R44 which had arrived at the West Meon PH.

This is going to give some people sooooooooo much pleasure but I am waiting to see if I get a ticket after finding myself facing a speed gun at 32-33 in a 30. If so, I shall maintain my well known philosophy but I do not want my licence in the post when I need it at Hertz in Los Angeles. It seemed the afternoon was taking a further turn for the worse when it became clear that the Watercress Line is not on the A32. I had not had time to research before leaving home. Recovering my position from the A31, I then found that Ropley (station) is not signposted from the main route and hoped that Alresford would offer me something for the lens.

There I was not disappointed. Although the last round trip was departing as I arrived, there was plenty to do and see in glorious late afternoon light. Perhaps I am becoming more sentimental - I have never been moved by steam before this year - but the movements of a Stanier Black 5 and a Standard 5MT were, well, moving. The atmosphere was friendly, the locomotives in beautiful condition. I had a marvellous time and finished with photographs of the magnificent and magnificently lit Station Mill. I am sure I shall wake on my birthday happy.