A handful of us met together last night for our SPAM meeting.
This is a glorified get together of men from the Kirk, a chance to socialise for a while. With many dragged away by the wife for family affairs, holidays (get them in before the kids leave school) and other excuses, only 5 of us arrived, and one of them was a stranger.
This man, who's name I missed, was talking as I arrived and still talking as he left some time later. The others, especially those who talk much, could not get a word in edgeways. I wonder who he was?
You know it is bad when you look at the others and blank faces greet you.
Anyway, I discovered a thing called 'Belhaven Black.' This is a type of stout originating somewhere in Scotland, but probably far from Belhaven! I liked it. It was only as I climbed the stairs back home did I realise how strong it was!
So, for us it was a quite night. Few words spoken, ears burning, and we could not play the old men wishing we were young again. I did learn the 75 years old had been out on his aged BSA motorbike, running around Suffolk. He is planning a trip to the war graves in France, forced to take 3 others with him, much against his better judgement. I'm not sure his wife knows this yet.
For some reason I was quite tired this morning.
Flag Fen Roundhouse. A reconstruction designed to inform re the people who lived here around 3500 years ago. Discovered in 1982 the site has been comprehensively researched and a great many items have been discovered concerning the life styles of the residents from so long ago. The roundhouse was reconstructed to indicate the homes used by the peoples of the time. A flat somewhat watery existence with rising sea levels making life difficult I suggest.
However, the pint of this is simple, someone had burned the roundhouse to the ground!
Vandals, or just stupid people playing games, late Sunday evening smoke was noticed above the treetops. Firemen were quickly on the scene and while they could not save the roundhouse itself, now used as a museum, they did manage to prevent any further damage on the site. The roundhouse, built by volunteers, has been completely destroyed and will have to be rebuilt from scratch.
To do this the general manager of the site is seeking support from local businesses regarding materials, timber, thatch, scaffold etc, as well as volunteers and around £50,000 to pay for it all.
One stupid person, or deliberate vandal, has destroyed, at great cost, much excellent work that provided an experience many who visit the site will never forget. Can we hang him?
