All For a Few Photos -Day 4

Today has probably been one of my least satisfying holiday days in some time. The weather has been wet and miserable throughout and has left me feeling unfulfilled. I knew it wasn’t going to be great when I decided to wash up from breakfast in the ‘van rather than get rained on walking to the facilities only for the water to run out! It’s a bit of a faff refilling as I have to unlock the bike so I can carefully tilt the rack at the same time as opening the tailgate, still it’s done now for another few days. Looking for positives, the tea plate that had slipped over the back of the kitchen storage a while back had finally migrated to the water locker so, having been washed up this evening, is now back where it should be. 😊 I can’t help feeling that the wardens at this site may have gone slightly overboard on the Covid precautions compared to where I was there other week. At Carsington they closed she middle of the three waking up sinks with the outer two being available as they’re well spaced, the same could have applied here but they’ve actually only left one sink to be used. 

The Durham Mining Museum is just a couple of rooms in Spennymoor Town Hall looked after by a couple of ex miners, it wasn’t really worth the drive up there but if one was in the town anyway it’s interesting enough -there’s a fair collection of mining memorabilia and pit photos, and we had a bit of a chat. 

They’ve built a small mock-up section of underground,  complete with a pit pony, primarily for the kids. As it happened a couple of local girls were there (it’s a frequent treat for them) so I got to see what they’ve done. It’s actually very good! Apparently the tunnel walls, which are quite realistic were acquired from an episode of the George Gently TV series. The museum had lent them a number of safety lamps for the filming and when they collected them the producers asked if they could do anything in return. The wall sections from the set were just lying there waiting to be skipped so a deal was done; instead of the previous flat painted ply wood they now have professionally built scenic walls. 

There was a butcher’s shop handy as well so I stocked up on some fresh meat, pies, etc. to keep me going for the next few days, and I’d picked up a couple of essentials already, so I’m set for a while. What I do tomorrow is still weather dependent. The rain is supposed to clear by the morning but it’s not going to be a great day so Sunderland is out. After a bit of driving today I’ll probably either walk into the town or get the bike out. 

A little aside that I forgot to include yesterday, at Locomotion was a youngish man with little boy in pushchair. Youngster is going, “ Choo-choos, Choo-choos!” Dad’s* comment to me in passing, “It’s a good job we live very close!” I guess it’s a regular trip for them on a Sunday, and no bad thing. I got another brief comment in passing from a local today, however I’m afraid I can’t tell you what it was as I didn’t understand! I just smiled and said, “Aye” which covers most things. 😊

I was musing that having a small camper makes you lazy. Fancy a beer? Just lean over to the fridge and get one. Bag of crisps? Lean the other way and they’re in the cupboard. I don’t even have to get up** to cook as the stove is right by the seat. 

*One probably shouldn’t presume that’s the relationship but we’ll take it that they are father and son. 

**Can’t get up would be more accurate, there’s little head room!