Parade

 

Yesterday, Saturday, I took myself out twice!  Yes, I was surpised also.  

I limped around the park early on in an attempt to see how warm life was.  I was very surprised at the heat in the morning.  I wandered around the town and back home.  Later, I discovered the town carnival was to parade through the streets once again, it has been missing for some years now.  So, aroung half two I put on my new sun hat, grabbed the camera, discovered the battery was dying, grabbed the old Nikon instead, and headed of into the world.

 

Led as always by the fire brigade, the local men are all 'On-call firemen,' which means they must live within five minutes of the station.  They are called by Bleeper, which goes off at any time, day or night.  The fires they fight are just as real as all others.

 

This was a small parade this year, aimed at kids as always, and I sauntered along just to see the occasional item worth picturing.  I missed out on the girls twirling sticks, the women of unknown age dancing to bad music, and the several 'Carnival Queens' from various areas around.  I was more interested in this stolen police vehicle.

 

 

The ageing Mods are always there to show off their ageing scooters.  The picture does not show the pollution coming out of the back of some of them.  Most Sunday's these men gather outside one of the local 'Greasy Spoon Cafe's' and fill 'Little Square,' with their bikes.  I'm not sure how often the scooters are put to use at other times.

 

 

 

I tried a shot along the wall to catch all the crowd watching, but only this bot of the kid laughing was any use.  You will note his shirt has the Firemens Badge on the front, and he had been waving to the machine before it even got into the street! 

 

Only a couple of trailers this year.  I like to get pics of the kids, their faces as they sit there are always worth noting.  However, this camera is not that good and kept switching off.  It is also not very sharp at anything over ten feet.  I liked this one of mum picturing her kid.

 

And a motor bike or two at the end.  

Throughout the nation such 'Gala's' take place, usually old mining towns have them, nothing special in most, but the kids like them, a good day out of harmless fun if the sun shines.

Personally, I could do with something more exciting but it was good to be in the very hot sun, and the hat indeed helped.  

The Weekend

Yesterday, to the delight of all, the clouds were ushered north by the near 40 mph winds and the annual Carnival was allowed to proceed as normal.  As normal there were less floats than last year and even less entertainment on offer.  Once more the music was abysmal and the local pub that once offered a rock band playing proper music failed to materialise again this year, a great loss.  That said several local bands of very large young girls dressed in Tutu's twirled batons and sort of danced their way around the town.  This lot represented some sort of gym, or was it a club I was not sure, clearly however none of them could be mistaken for those representing 'youth.'  They were however happy and a great many of them took up a lot of space in the parade.  You can read that bit any way you like.  

    
I often wonder where these 'queens' come from and where they go to afterwards.  They must be local schoolgirls, something I gratefully know nothing about, yet do any become famous after a year as a 'queen?'  Do they do anything the rest of the year?  I will not investigate but I do know hundreds of such are found in many parts of these islands each year to their delight and short lasting fame.

This part did not improve the music as for reasons unknown only the big drum and his little mates were banging as they passed us.  Tsk!  The fire engine led the parade but did not reach the end apparently, It appears someone called it out halfway round.   
The kids like their moment of joy on the parade, the adults happy the kids are pleased and a few hours are filled.  Those who go to the meeting place at the end and spend money of the activities there are less pleased.  I did not go there.  It is a good time for the town yet what does it say about my life that here I am enjoying this?  

I had to see a man re the food bank this morning so I went to the early service at this church. (I did not take this photograph @unknown) This is a combination of two churches that merged some years ago and they offer a 9:30 service (the old people's one) and an 11 am service (the noisy young people like you and me one).  I chose for various reasons the 9:30 and had a 'hymn sandwich'  with communion in the old style.  This was bearable but the hymns chosen were not, so old and not really to my liking.  Being without a zimmer frame I got some strange looks and few under 60 were to be seen. It made St Paul's with its informal/formal format look exciting!  There again I was at this place as an attempt to avoid the liberal theologian who was speaking there today.  The vicar banned me from throwing chairs at him so I didn't attend.

During the week there has been a big media fuss re two lesbians who were confronted by several youths on a London bus.  Taunted and threatened the girls refused to kiss one another for the yobs entertainment and were attacked, beaten and robbed.  Being gay has led to the media making this a major story and the Met police have worked quickly to detain several young men aged between 15-18 over the offence.  If these are responsible this is good action by the police.  Such attacks are rare and deserve proper sentences.  
However, had these girls not been 'gay' and been two young normal men would the media report it? Of course not!  In fact in our town some neds asked a man and woman for cigarettes and were refused.  They were hit with a bottle as a result and only the local paper has reported this.  Not being gay the major networks are not interested.  How many such assaults have there been over the weekend?  How many in Sheffield, Edinburgh, Norwich, Cardiff or any other large or small town which get no or at best little coverage?  They get little because they are normal people in the usual normal ned situations, coming out of pubs, at football games or domestic incidents, no gays involved so it does not sell.
I am not convinced these neds cared about the girls being gay, they were looking for trouble, they picked on the weak, they cared not who or what they were as long as they were weak and they considered they could get away with an attack.  Possibly not all were keen on fighting, usually one or two lead and the rest follow.  Unfortunate for the two girls in this situation but unfortunate for others this gang may have attacked yet have not succeeded as yet in getting the press on their side.
It is a funny slanted world in which we live.

Shopping Joy and Holiday Carnival...

Westbourne Grove Church

Having forced myself into Tesco late this morning, forced is the word as the place was bloated with people, most not quite clear as to what they were doing, I obtained most of my needs and the most important gift card for yet another nieces birthday.  I am convinced that some of these girls are fraudulent as there appears to be a birthday every month and sometimes two!  Are these really family members or hangers on who have somehow got their name on my calendar, it is a mystery. 

Back home resting my maladies I became aware that Monday is a Bank Holiday.  As the card must arrive by Monday that means I must post it now and ensure it gets there on Saturday, this meant leaving my comfort and once again heading into town.

After much shillyshallying I trudged all the way into town, some seven minutes away, and posted the card in the box I know will be collected, sometimes Mr Postman misses the nearer one, the cad!  

As I sauntered around I had intended to visit Sainsbury's and collect the oven chips that I forgot when amongst the masses in Tesco earlier but the herds of people suddenly had vanished!  The streets were clear, well almost, and 'Iceland' lay over the road with few people to be seen.  Naturally with only one item to obtain I spent £14:63!!!  At least the freezer compartment is full now.   I even tolerated the 16 year old with an attitude.  This was a surprise as most of the girls here in Iceland are usually quite good, cheery even, I suppose working is a new experience for some.

The Bank Holiday brings out the Notting Hill Carnival and whenever I see pictures of this I am glad to be out here far from the event.  Over a million people, hassle, police, yobs, noise and mess everywhere, it makes me glad to be here indeed.  The church pictured where my friend is minister has to close on Sunday because of the crowds.  In times past it remained open but many struggled to get past the police cordon to get in, then struggle again to get out.  The church attempted to make something out of the carnival by opening and offering tea and coffee but that had too many problems and nowadays it is easier to just close for the day, well two days as the building is usually used on Mondays.  Most locals head off out of town and do not return until Tuesday of they can, a wise precaution.

I will sit here in boredom watching football, it passes the time.   

Carnival Time

Carnival time!  
The local carnival does not compete with those reported annually in the media however it is a bit of fun and local colour once a year allowing the kids to sit, somewhat perplexed, on the backs of big lorries offering lacklustre waves of the hand or waving frantically if the mood takes them.  I enjoy it because of the kids faces.  There is never much to it though some folks work real hard getting things together and preparing kids and parent for the day.  Just a bit of fun in the midst of the town.  The ability to pose comes naturally to Essex kids.  They may end up in television one day. 
So, here are a thousand pictures!

 
 As you can see the locals are a shy retiring lot.

This lot were either a 'Keep fit' team or a bunch of Amazons on the loose.  I took no chances and retired behind the tree.

Not all were Amazons however.

No scooters this year however there was one very interesting motor cycle.

'Showtime' was the theme this year and the floats offered a variety of music, mostly bad!

I have no idea what half these shows represented were!

When the army arrive the show is over.  The parade continues around town and ends up in the far away where the 'Fair' carries on for hours.

Just in case...

Carnival 2017