The Good Samaritan

Late this morning we took a trip to the north of the forest in order to brunch at The Potting Shed Café at Hyde. We had enjoyed it so much on Saturday with Jessie that we wanted to go back.

From Holmsley Passage I photographed some heather scenes for John Corden;

Dog walkers and cyclists made way for us to pass on the road.

We pulled into Smugglers Road carpark to picture standing ponies and a prone foal.

We were some way from our goal when I spotted that we were about to run out of petrol. The only chance of finding any more was to make it to the busy main road to Ringwood. Which we did. And turned left. And ran out of Petrol. Opposite a bus stop.

As we sat wondering who to call,

with the tailback building up behind us while we blocked traffic in each direction while oncoming vehicles paused to allow

those behind us to pass and continue on their way, David came to our rescue. He was on his way home from Ringwood. He turned round, drove Jackie back in the direction from which he had travelled, stopped at a garage where she bought a can and a gallon of fuel which he poured into our tank having driven her back to me sitting in the Hyundai, and waited until our engine fired up at first turn of the key. We couldn’t thank him enough. Next time we travel to Hale from whence he hails we hope to meet him again.

Ponies gathered on the green at North Gorley, and those forcing traffic onto the sward don’t seem to have moved since the 17th.

Splendid sunflowers tower above the fence to The Potting Shed Café, where Jackie produced photographs of both establishment and meals:

she chose very fresh and tasty blue cheese and walnut salad; I enjoyed a repeat of my last meal there:

The Full Works breakfast, with best quality ingredients, and water. In the first picture the hash brown is obscured by the authentic black pudding, and the herby sausage by the bacon in the second.

On our return through Bransgore Jackie photographed Tom and Jerry decorating a postbox.

For a late, light, supper Jackie chose asparagus soup and salad; mine was scrambled egg on toast. I drank water.

94 comments

  3. You saw lots of pretty ponies today, guys! The man who helped get your petrol is a super nice man, God bless him! You are looking sharp there, Derrick, so well dressed. I love Tom and Jerry and grew up watching those cartoons, they are so cute on top of the post box! ❤️☺️

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  7. Yay for the good Samaritan! There are decent and kind people in the world. Somehow the indecent and unkind make a bigger splash. Drat them! Food looks great. Tom and Jerry are very cute.

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  8. David is such a wonderful helper! Good Samaritan, indeed! So glad he came your way!
    The sunflowers beautiful! The ponies sweet! Tom and Jerry bringing memories of joy! The food yummy to eat!
    We are growing sunflowers this year. They are doing well!
    Continued prayers and healing thoughts for you this week.
    (((HUGS))) for you and for Jackie!! ❤️❤️

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  10. Petrol doesn’t seem to get us very far these days. I assume you filled the care before you returned home. It just can’t be Jackie’s fault. Must be yours Derrick. 😉 I enjoyed today’s road trip. Thank you.

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    1. Of course. I was in fact the one who noticed it – rather too late. Thanks very much, Chrissy

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    1. Thank you very much, Ilze. I am still unable to like or comment on your posts. The only options are Share and Repost

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  12. As an electric car owner, it cheers me up to read about drivers running out of petrol. It is an antidote to all the stories in newspapers about how rotten the charging system is for us. Thank you for putting it in your post.

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  14. Thank goodness David came to your aid… Love the photos Derrick and it didn’t spoil your trip too much . And your meal looked delicious…
    Sending both some hugs xx

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  15. Yep, the car needs to be fed before ‘the road trip’ … oh well, things worked out ok, and the Potting Shed Cafe looks very interesting, Derrick

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  18. I’ve run out of gas only once, in 2011. My mother was in the hospital at the time, and I was doing a lot of running back and forth — and simply neglected to watch the gas gauge. It’s funny that I remember exactly where I was, but I don’t remember how I got underway again. I suspect I called AAA, the road service I belong to. They make a good business out of being official good Samaritans; they’ll change tires, unlock cars, jump batteries, and bring gas — not to mention providing tows if a car breaks down. For only US$50 a year, it’s well worth it.

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    1. The last time I ran out of petrol was in 1966 on Piccadilly Circus. I left the car there, took a can to a garage and poured the fuel into the vehicle which was still there. Those were the days. Thank you very much, Linda

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  19. Don’t we just end up surprised when we run out of petrol? Thank goodness for good Samaritans and when they are not around, CAA (or AAA in the States) are just a phone call away.
    So love that photo of the blue desk with the Potting Shed sign!

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  20. Hooray for David! My son and I ran out of petrol on a country road some years ago. He felt embarrassed by me photographing the container of fuel being poured into the tank by our rescuer – it proved to be a salient lesson though. I am pleased the rest of your journey turned out to be splendid.

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  23. I’m so glad a Good Samaritan in the form of David came to your rescue.
    I’m so glad you photographed your lunch, thank you for doing so.
    I hope things are improving and the antibiotics have kicked in.

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    1. Off for the cystoscopy in half an hour – that’s if the surgeon agrees. Thanks very much, Sue

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  28. Thank You for the heather and for sharing the feeling of running out of petrol. The other day chanced to make a detour through a tunnel that runs under the Yarra River in Melbourne. I was concerned the whole time that my 25 YO car would break down while I was driving as there was bumper to bumper in three lanes and nowhere to pull off. I usually avoid tunnels and always vow never to use them again.

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  34. I like the full works breakfast… A good way to “wash down” the day’s worries.
    Sorry about that. Running out of gas (petrol for you guys) must be a nightmare. Good you were on a somewhat busy road and the Good Samaritan showed up…
    I would imagine you’r in the middle of or over your cystoscopy. Best wishes.

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  35. So glad a helpful motorist stopped to help y’all. That cafe certainly seems like a winner! Delicious-looking food in a delightful unique atmosphere. Well done. Keep up with the water. ~Ed.

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  40. Adding another comment here that I hope all is going well. I hope you’ve had the cystoscopy and are now recovering. Sending positive thoughts your way. <3

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  41. I like your stile of life. Every single day you are going somewhere to walk, to see, to make pictures, to have a breakfast or dinner. All the time on the go. Keep going this way and stay healthy!

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  42. Hooray for David helping you out of a sticky situation. You would never run out of petrol here in South Africa. Too dangerous. I always fill up before I get to 1/4 mark. A fabulous meal and gorgeous countryside.

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