Lost Rambler

You know, one day you have a brand new baby, and then suddenly they’re crawling around, making a mess and trying to grab your camera.

After two days of mad preparation, I’m sitting in a room full of delegates that I will be training in EPrints, the project I am mainly involved on at the university. I love running training courses. There’s a certain buzz to public speaking that its me right in the pit of my stomach and makes me feel alive.

About 45 minutes to go until I am the centre of attention….

But I’m sick, and just don’t feel creative. Sorry.

On Saturday mornings, when we get up early enough, the wife and I bundle the kids into the car and head off to Shootash, just outside of Romsey, a pleasant 20 minute drive down the country lanes to the west of Southampton.

The reason we go to Shootash is that there is a car-boot sale there. For those international readers who may not be familiar with this traditional English event, imagine a field full of cars, arranged in rows. Behind each car there is a table full of the stuff which the owner of the car is selling. The place has an air of festival about it; there will be at least one fast-food van selling burgers and hot-dogs and at least one ice-cream van. At a good boot sale there will be a mix of traders (who make their money by buying and selling junk) and people who have had a clear-out and want to make a little holiday money.  We far prefer the latter as you pick up almost anything for pennies.

We love the sales for two reasons. Firstly it’s nearly free entertainment (there’s a very small entrance fee): Nosily raking through other people’s junk is fantastic fun. Secondly, we usually find something we need. Among our best purchases have been a trampoline for the son, garden-grown vegetables and more baby clothes than you could shake a stick at.