“Legged It”

When Jackie looked out of our bedroom window this morning she was surprised to see a police car backing past our house and no other cars on the road.

Naturally she investigated.

The telegraph pole bearing necessary cables and the only street lamp on our stretch of Christchurch Road had been seriously sent awry,

the crossroads was blocked off and

a barrier sealed off the road in the Lymington direction.

With these photographs the Assistant Photographer brought the story. Apparently two “drunk young lads” at 2 a.m. had crashed their car into the post, left the vehicle in the ditch, and “legged it”. The lads and the car were known to the local constabulary.

Aaron, knowing that we wanted a second garden gate at the side of the house, acquired one with suitable posts which he brought to us. He began fixing it in place this morning.

While we were having lunch we were informed that we would have no power at all for four hours while the repair works were being carried out.

We decided to drive into the forest just as the afternoon’s heavy rain began.

Since we had neither heating nor light this seemed the best option, even when the torrential rain beat a tattoo on the car and made me a bit soggy each time I left the car in the interests of photography.

At Sowley Lane donkeys chomped on grass and thorns.

One enjoyed a good scratch.

A fine blanket of snowdrops bloomed on a bank along South Baddesley Road.

This was definitely a day for cars in ditches. One being towed out of its predicament blocked our path to the beach at Tanners Lane, where

wind surfing was under way.

One energetic gentleman

wound up in the water.

From the shelter of our car, having recognised him as “One For The Ladies”, Jackie photographed him as he left the sea. Strangely enough, I hadn’t realised who he was.

Jackie also focussed on me photographing the young man

and getting wet.

Ponies at East Boldre,

where the landscape glistened were also getting wet.

We still had a couple of hours to kill at this point, so stopped at Holmsley Old Station Tea Rooms for a cream tea.

There followed two more hours reading by torchlight before our electricity returned.

We then dined on Jackie’s flavoursome chicken jalfrezi, savoury rice, and parathas with which I drank Costieres de Nimes 2018.

 

79 comments

  1. ‘The lads’ and their cars are a global phenomenon I think. You were brave today Derrick, getting soaked for your art. But thank heavens we ladies have Jackie keeping us in mind 😀 Though the action shot of hair standing on end is rather spectacular, you did good there!

  2. You really get out of your comfort zone to obtain your excellent photos, Derrick. Hope your cream tea warmed you and Jackie up nicely. Aaron seems to be indispensable when it come to odd jobs needing doing. I assume the police will pay a visit to those two harem-scarems and put the fear of god into them before they do any worse damage.

  3. Thank you thank you thank you, Jackie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 😀 Thank you for thinking of us ladies! 😉 😛 ‘Tis a cold day here, but I’m warmer now. 😉

    As you both know, I, also, always enjoy the photos The AP takes of the The GP! 🙂

    I enjoyed the photos of all of The Men at Work, too! I could watch men work for hours and hours and hours… 😀

    So glad none of the lads were hurt or killed. I hope this is a wake up call to them. That’s so scary. 🙁 I’ve been involved with MADD (Mother’s Against Drunk Driving)…doing volunteer work with them. Too many sad sad sad horror stories. 🙁

    Donkeys! Always make me smile! 🙂
    (((HUGS))) to all! 🙂
    PS…still warm and getting warmer. Hmm…I might have to go switch on the air conditioning! 😉 😀

    1. Thank you very much, Carolyn. Those winding lanes can be lethal if you are not alert. Just a short distance from that telegraph pole a tree carries a clutch of teddy bears in memory of a 15 year old passenger who died a couple of years ago.

  4. What an eventful day. And thanks to Jackie for keeping the ladies in mind. I tried windsurfing once (never kite surfing) and think I’ll stick to sailing… Glad your electricity was back on for dinner!

  5. We all seem to have our share of idiot lads intruding upon our patch.
    Looks like he was a windy day out there for you. Loved the photos of men at work, hope it’s all fixed now.

  6. I’ve lost power a time or two under the same circumstances. Oddly, my power cuts have been in the daytime, when you’d expect people to be sober and on their way to work, or something.

    I have to ask — how in the world do you keep your camera dry in that weather? I won’t take mine out in anything heavier than a fog — is yours waterproofed?

  7. I hope the two miscreants have been caught and calm has been restored to your corner of the world. “One for the Ladies” must have made quite an impression for Jackie to recognize him in that wet suit. Must have been the hair.

    1. You are so right, Liz. It was the dreadlocks. The police knew the car immediately. They will have dealt with them, but I doubt that there will be much of a consequence in court. Thanks very much.

  8. Tell Jackie thanks again from the ladies. However, this time I liked the donkey’s butt even better. It’s possible the One for the Ladies is like a donkey’s butt too but only his significant other knows for sure. ?

  9. Such a lovely story to read just prior to retiring (I tried fancy words in that sentence…’lovely’ and ‘retiring’…I was trying to sound sophisticated). I loved the photos and you by the sea with your Mackintosh flapping in the gale. ?. Keep up the good work, Derrick, and give my best ton the Assistant Photographer and head chef.

    1. Actually we don’t make them because we have a local shop that sells them. Jackie does make the curries and rice. I used to, but she does it so much better 🙂 Thanks very much, Madeeha.

  10. You and Jackie used your day productively, as did Aaron and the animals. To top that off, now you have brand new cable wires going to your house!

  11. What a Day!… And you both made the best of things going out and about .. It did turn out a horrible rainy day here also Derrick… We had no such entertainment to distract us, so we both sat and read, thankfully we had electric lol.. And we needed the lights on too, it was so dull and dark…

    Loved your pictures, So pleased your gate is fixed, and that man couldn’t have got any wetter windsurfing 😉
    I do feel for those Donkey’s though even if they have a thick fur coat…

    Wishing you both a splendid week Derrick and at least the Sun is shining brightly here today.. Hope it is where you are…
    Take care 🙂

  12. I enjoyed all the photos from you and Jackie. A blustery, wet day there! The wind surfers are a hardy lot. 🙂

    People have hit the utility pole across the street here from time to time, knocking out our power. Must be something about that section of road, probably the downhill passing lane I would love to see go away. Glad you and Jackie were able to get out and enjoy the day taking photos, and have a nice cream tea out.

  13. You deserve credit for venturing out to take pictures in that weather. The colours on the sails really pop against the grey sea.

    Isn’t that a strange place to put a green bin? I am not sure that flimsy chain will hold it for long in a storm.

    I love a good cream tea. I usually jam my scone first and then cream it, but the other day at I hit upon a best of both worlds – ‘butter’ your scone with jam, add clotted cream and then add some more jam. That could save a few disputes!

      1. Is it further away from the sea than it perhaps looks? The jam was tasty but very thin, so it wasn’t as excessive as it perhaps sounds.

  14. I’m glad no one was hurt, and your power loss was not for too long. I don’t think I would have fancied driving about in the rain–but I know we all appreciate your (and Jackie’s) splendid shots. Suffering for your art, indeed. 🙂 I hope all is back to normal now.

  15. That was an eventful day. I almost expected a Sherlock Holmes or a Hercule Poirot proceeding to unfold any moment. It was not without its mysteries and surprise shots, however.

  16. I’d like to think that windsurfing would be fun, but I’m likely to spend far more time in the surf, than sailing before the wind. 😀 … glad to hear the power came back on, eventually. 🙂

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