I’ve been travelling back “home” to Waterbeach once a week to check up on Mum and Dad, each time seemingly an attempt to avoid being force fed baked potato and cake.
They seem OK, considering, and my main task is taking Dad out to a new garden centre to but plants. If he’d started ticking the Good Garden Centre Guide 20 years ago he’d have finished by now
I’m staying overnight in the old part of the house (photo below, top right); it’s got decent WiFi and if you wanted to you could admire those Big Fenland Skies I (in part) moved to Sheffield to escape.
Mrs RM joined me in “Sunnyside” after our Home Counties tour, and we did a nostalgic night out in the Beach.
No, Chung Hwa was closed, so it’s Waterbeach Best Kebabs (NKSS 4), and while we wait there’s time for a pint in The Sun.
Never change, Helen and Andrew. 14 years they’ve been there now, clinging on to a GBG place by the novelty of selling good beer.
Two you’ve heard of, and a red ale from Lacons.
We took our customary table by the bar in the lounge, being creatures of habit.
Mrs RM hogged the Lacons so I had to buy another one for myself (NBSS 4).
The craft keg seems to change every visit, from Punk IPA to the dubious Black Sheep effort to something unreadable from Brighton.
“Hello strangers” said the landlord, possibly bemused as to how anyone would swap the Fens for the hills.
The next morning I walked the famous Car Dyke,
and then popped in the new cafe at the gym. It’s the only good reason to visit the gym, with a high class flat white.
Sadly the Milton Brewery keg has made way for some craft beer, none of which is made from pumpkins.
40 years ago today I’d have been picking up pumpkins to load Dad’s van for trips to Cambridge greengrocers.
Kids, the pumpkins I gathered looked NOTHING like these ones.
retiredmartin 
“Take Courage” seems to have lasted longer than “Nothing acts faster than Anadin”, “Ah. Bisto!”, “Cleans like a white tornado” and “Everyone’s a Cadbury’s Fruit and Nut case”, to its credit.
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It’s a good slogan. But is “Ah, Bisto” not around any more?
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You’re right Bill, certainly on the labels.
We might even still see the odd “beans means Heinz” about too. (My keypad rations “z”s)
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What about a certain washing powder that washes whiter? The butt of many a schoolboy joke, but probably best forgotten in today’s PC world.
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I started Mrs. E on these, too, Paul. That was the easy bit.
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It’s funny. When you distill your writing on pubs down, the Sun really has all the attributes you seem to love. Really a nice looking pub.
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The only thing I can see wrong is Big Writing On The Walls. At least it’s outside so you can’t see it once you’re in.
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Yes, that Ruska was good, as is the Rev James which has replaced it.
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Funny how memory works. I do not remember there being a bed in that room on the lower right. My memory says more of a reading room with a fireplace.
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Meant photo below, top right ! You’re spot on about reading room with a fireplace below it, Dick. That fireplace is also older than the entire America of course.
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Phew, I am glad my memory still works. It is an impressive fireplace. It outlived America!
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And I must ask if I read that correctly the first time and you edited it?
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I amended it after you kindly pointed out the ambiguity, Dick. I’d hate you to doubt yourself !
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Thanks, but there is no reason to change at this point in my life!
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