although Diana was at work,
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I was out, into a bright warm day,
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out of the park and past the green, the traffic really bad this morning,
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just before the church,
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the traffic cleared,
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and that is where I stopped, to drop off a couple of suits and my waistcoat,
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then to the station I was going to a village summer fete, easier said than done, change trains at Petts Wood alighting at Chelsfield station, and that is where my problems began, the although there was a 12 foot long banner at the station the chap at the ticket office had no idea where the village cricket green was, myself and a number of other travellers were lost, many started walking, I waited for a number R1 bus, the driver took me as far as he could and then it was walk, I did ask a passer-by who said they knew where the cricket green was, at the back of the rugby club, it was not,
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so I had to retrace my steps, I turned right at this junction then found the bus stop for the number R7 bus that went to the cricket green, there was supposed to be one every 30 minutes, but it was more like every hour!
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I was here at the 2026 Chelsfield Village Fair, to my right the Five Bells pub and one of the many helpers, both car parks were already full, so it was turnaround and try to park for car drivers,
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ahead of me a T junction,
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to my left this rather quant building,
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looking back to the Five Bells,
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I joined the queue to pay for admission £5.00 included in the price a very well printed and presented programme,
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I started looking at the stalls,
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there were 80 or so here,
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selling all manner of items,
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although it had only been open for 2 hours the whole place was packed with people,
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in the centre a show ground,
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and very good they were too,
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all around the show ground people were watching,
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as the show continued,
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it was great to see so many families enjoying themselves,
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I continued looking at the stalls,
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this one specializing in metalwork,
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the aircraft windvane looked good as the propellors rotated in the wind,
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a pity Steve had to pass away so early, he would have loved this beekeeping stall,
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I continued looking,
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lots of toy stalls,
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with all manner of things to play with,
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and here I said Hi to Ian from the RSPB., we went with him and the group on a number of walks,
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p-p-p-pick up a penguin! everyone a winner, as a kid I loved stalls like this!
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there were stalls on the other side of where I was walking,
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this was the stall of the local model making club,
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I was totally amazed at the work that went in to each model,
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these smaller ones £5.00 each,
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covering the range of Second World War UK aircraft,
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there were also some bombers rather than fighters for sale,
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as I mentioned the attention to detail was just amazing, and yours for a very reasonable £12.00,
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lots of stalls selling memorabilia, one here I played with as a kid,
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a bagatelle, or pin ball machine, back in the 50s so many Dads in their garden sheds would make one or two of these for the kids in the street to play with,
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here a glass worker,
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I liked the Kingfisher,
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and one here selling rocks and gemstone jewellery,
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one selling bespoke bird houses,
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the amount of work that had gone into them,
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was amazing,
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everybody's favourite, if the queue is anything to go by, donuts!
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this one not quite so popular with some people,
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if you do not like snakes,
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whose a pretty boy then?
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opps! nearly got away,
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there were a number of small rides here as well,
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now do I really want a new hair style?
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cakes are a better bet,
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as I passed this ride I found the car display,
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starting with a MGA,
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this Jaguar looked immaculate, not my choice of colour to be honest,
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a nicely presented Morris 8,
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as was this Riley,
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my favorite? if I had one to choose and drive away it would be this Jensen,
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this stall I found really interesting,
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it was run by the local astronomy group, who had set up a couple of telescopes,
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to look at the sun,
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then another delight, the Croydon Steel Orchestra, they were just so good, the crowd captivated,
and here is a short video of them,
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I continued my walk,
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the queue for ice cream a tad too long for me,
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what a lovely afternoon out, a huge 'Thank You' to the organisers and the many volunteers,
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I made my way to the exit, where crowds were still streaming in,
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by the exit,
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someone had planted some sweet peas,
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and nice they looked to,
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I made my way back to the Five Bells, but before then bumped into a couple of fellows, who had really got into the party sprit,
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and had glittered up, and as it happens a father & son,
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as I finished my pint I made my way outside to the bus, getting home was going to be so much easier, catch the R7 to Orpington station and then a train to Beckenham Junction,1 bus, 1 train and no walking, if only I had known it was that easy this morning! but it was not that easy, the bus had a flat battery, so eventually, well one more pint,
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a engineer and replacement bus arrived,
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battery pack pulled out and in no time I was off,
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walking into the park, in the garden of Foxgrove Lodge,
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I noticed a huge lily in flower,
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blue skies,
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as I went past the snail mail box,
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just intime for my evening read and sherry,
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for tonight Diana had left me a prawn salad, 'Cheers!', after which I was lucky, there was an evening of Midsomer Murders back to back, so that was it, out with the spiced rum and feet up, during one of them Diana arrived home, so a coffee for her as we chatted away and I regaled on my troublesome journey to the fair, but next year I have the route already planned, and with that we were off to bed.
