Saturday 9 June 2012

Sunday 18th December 11

My annual gig with the Black Sheep Brewery in Masham.  I always look forward to this gig, but not the travel, since I have to get a train to Northallerton, then a 14 mile taxi journey to Masham... and then the same journeys in reverse.  I would go by bus from Northallerton or Harrogate if it was in the summer, but winter timetables, on a Sunday, don't include Masham.  Hence a £50 taxi fare.

I had also tried this time to find out if any of my friends who like driving (and I don't know THAT many of them!) fancied going on a winter walk in the Dales, and could get me to Masham by 11.30 and take me away after 3.30... but no, too few of my friends drive! 

So, I left at 9.30 so I could get the 10.13 Northallerton train, which I got without any problem, and the taxi was waiting for me, the same driver who's taken me for the past few years, so it was good to catch up.

I was at the brewery by 11am and in costume and ready to entertain by 11.40, and visitors son started filtering in, and I got busy doing balloons and devilsticks. I didn't stop til just before 3 which is when I'd asked the taxi to come and pick me up, as I wanted to get the 3.30 train, as the next one was at 4.50, just a bit too late.  However, the driver got to Northallerton at 3.19 which meant I could get the 3.22 train, direct to York, instead of the 3.30 which involved a change at Darlington.  There were 4 lads from London on the train who took an interest in what I was doing and requested balloon models, so I obliged.... a bit of fun, hey?

This made the short journey go very quickly. I called in on Rich at Country Fresh on the way home and picked up some cheap sweet chestnuts.  I had a quiet evening after getting in, including watching Sacha Baron Cohen's film 'Bruno' which I didn't enjoy very much.  I liked his Ali G character much more.

No comments: