When I was a child my teachers used to complain that I was always 'telling stories': that I had done this and that and I usually had. The writer in me was crowded in at school and only escaped in the letters I wrote to my absent mother — something we did until the week she died, a few days before her 86th birthday.
They weren't all sweet and lovely, my politics and her behaviour saw to that, but I never feel happier than when I have a fountain pen in hand and a spiral A5 pad before me and, as if by magic, the former begins to write upon the latter and what I see before me I didn’t know until I see it there, for that is how I write.
I suspect is goes back to those childhood days when telling stories usually got me out of trouble. I'm sure my love of buses comes from overheard conversations when alone, aged 4, I began to visit my mother. Put on a bus, penny in hand, and met the other end. I used to count the stops. 23 on way, 21 the other. Strange that. Still I listen, rarely seeing faces. Those talking are either backs of heads or nostrils breathing down my neck, Sitting sideways isn’t much better, unless they are opposite.
Now my stories are for me, to give my mind a better place to live in these dark times and if you want to come along please do.
Robert Howard
Monday, 2 September 2019
Beeston Week… from today A Quiet Place
MILL CAFÉ 1
Roland paid a premium for his table in the Mill Café. A three seater in the window from where he could watch the world go by.
Kay guessed right when she figured that she could charge more if she made her café a little posher. Carpet, decent tables, crockery, flowers, that kind of thing. Oh, and no music. Plus the lighting of course. What she hadn't expected was a bonus, which came in the form of Scott Pearson, who came in and asked if he could rent it evenings to run as a diner. She was already doing Sunday brunch so she wasn't too sure at first, then she thought 'Why not?' and it turned out to be a good decision.
Roland, a retired man in his sixties, came in at 9 o'clock three mornings a week, ordered a black Americano and a portion of chips, got out his notebook and began to write. He had three coffees and left with a plain Stilton cheese baguette. Sometimes a woman about his age joined him for an hour or so. It was always a de-caff skinny latte and a cinnamon bun. Roland would have one too. When the woman left she always kissed the top of his head and held out a hand, which he kissed. Whatever the weather, once outside the woman would stand in front of the window and give a little wave, which Roland returned.
Roland and Kay quickly exchanged names and he had wished her well — the first customer to do so and she liked him for that.
To continue go to Cedricburgh
Roland paid a premium for his table in the Mill Café. A three seater in the window from where he could watch the world go by.
Kay guessed right when she figured that she could charge more if she made her café a little posher. Carpet, decent tables, crockery, flowers, that kind of thing. Oh, and no music. Plus the lighting of course. What she hadn't expected was a bonus, which came in the form of Scott Pearson, who came in and asked if he could rent it evenings to run as a diner. She was already doing Sunday brunch so she wasn't too sure at first, then she thought 'Why not?' and it turned out to be a good decision.
Roland, a retired man in his sixties, came in at 9 o'clock three mornings a week, ordered a black Americano and a portion of chips, got out his notebook and began to write. He had three coffees and left with a plain Stilton cheese baguette. Sometimes a woman about his age joined him for an hour or so. It was always a de-caff skinny latte and a cinnamon bun. Roland would have one too. When the woman left she always kissed the top of his head and held out a hand, which he kissed. Whatever the weather, once outside the woman would stand in front of the window and give a little wave, which Roland returned.
Roland and Kay quickly exchanged names and he had wished her well — the first customer to do so and she liked him for that.
To continue go to Cedricburgh
Tuesday, 30 July 2019
Beeston's buggibus network goes public
Click in the map to enlarge. This is an exercise of the imagination. Much of the map is deliberately blank. The idea is that you imagine where the little buses go and if you don't live in Beeston, then you can create your own network of little buses to take you where you want to go!
Friday, 26 July 2019
Ooh la la — this little French bus is just what Beeston needs!
Reading the August 2019 issue of Urban Transit I came across a passing reference to this little electric bus.
Tram enthusiasts, for the most part, see the role of the bus being reduced to a support role, never mind that double-deck buses have more seats and can, in the case of Beeston, get you to a good few places quicker than The Tram. In my book both have an equal roll to play in the Derby–Nottingham conurbation, including little electric buses like the one below, which is French. I love it!
It does all I expect of a 'Beeston Buggy Bus'.
Click here to visit a website showing one of these buses at work in Singapore. At the end there is a video. Enjoy the ride!
I have blogged in the past about my belief that Beeston needs a community transport network, which I have called the Beeston Buggy Bus network.
I have actually done two posts:
I really believe that little electric* buses like this French 'Bien Petit' Bus' are the future when it comes to increasing mobility around towns and rural communities every day, not just Monday–Saturday daytime. This little bus is electric with a range of 125km (77 miles) and can carry up to 22 passengers.
Enjoy the ride!
* It could as easily be hydrogen powered I'm sure.
Wednesday, 24 July 2019
Monday, 15 July 2019
Saturday, 13 July 2019
Beeston Days Out gets another update and welcome to my Big City Map.
Maps of whatever kind are never finished. At best they are snapshots of time in a world, even here in Beeston and Nottingham, which changes daily.
Yesterday evening I was correcting mistakes and making small changes with others I still want to make. I am just hoping the Beeston Days Out banner when it arrives at the Beeston Festival later this morning is the version below (remember, click on the map to enlarge):
Yesterday evening I was correcting mistakes and making small changes with others I still want to make. I am just hoping the Beeston Days Out banner when it arrives at the Beeston Festival later this morning is the version below (remember, click on the map to enlarge):
In addition here is a copy of what I describe of my Big City Map which first appeared in 2017 and I still regard as an achievement of sorts. I think I can fairly claim it is another unique map which I would like to to something. In the meantime explore and enjoy.
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