Saturday, April 28. Shower apparatus, though very beautiful, also very stupid (though L couldn't work the one at Maureen's either). Think you and your mistress are supposed to loll in the bath and take turns spraying one another, but that's not what we did. We didn't lounge in our fluffy bathrobes sipping champagne, either. Couples we saw at breakfast didn't look like master-mistress pairings. One of breakfast options was snails, so naturally had to order them. Cooking turned out to be undistinguished, so glad we hadn't had dinner last night. Then to Bridport, walking around the town, savouring the things we remembered, bemoaning unnecessary changes. In particular, where Hodges' bakery used to be is now a health food shop and advertises 'natural remedies'. As L said, 'what could be better for you than a lardy cake?' In particular, bakeries and teashops are now very few - they used to be full of women taking a break from the day's shopping, but now that all women capable of independent locomotion are at work, there is no custom. L bought an early E. Nesbit in a 2nd hand bookshop; I was tempted by some Angela Brazils, but reflected that I probably had them already, or might as well have, Ms Brazil being a repetitive kind of author.
Mike & Gail F and Gail's sister Vanessa for morning tea - Vanessa's daughter Buffy used to stay with us when she was doing Vet, Moss Vale being a rather long commute. Now ministers to the cats and dogs of Hampshire, and does a lot of operating, Vanessa tells us, because her partner in the practice doesn't care for that side of things. Maureen had just been telling us a horror story about their dog and an ingrowing grass seed, so felt Hampshire would be all the better for Buffy's ministrations.
In the evening to Powerstock Cider Festival, in village hall. A very vernacular event. Red cheeks obligatory, shaved heads/leather jackets optional. 20 or so local ciders you could try - crowd thick and animated. Most little different from poison, but there were two I liked. An authentic Cornish pasty with leathery pastry and a couple of sausage rolls helped line the stomach. As evening wore on, cider makers started giving it away, L & I danced to a loud band. Then home, having laid a good foundation for a headache.