Today we visited Attingham Park, a vast area of parklands containing Attingham Hall with associated stables and garden areas. The weather was perfect with blue skies and a light breeze. It was 6.5 km one way and it took about 1.5 hours to walk. For about half this distance we trekked along a narrow footpath adjacent to a road that appeared to be the back straight of Brands Hatch with cars speeding by in a hurry to be anywhere other than where they were at that instant in time.
When we arrived at Attingham Park we discovered where the cars had been speeding between. A vast estate now managed by the National Trust, Attingham Hall presents as a mansion from a period drama with the lower floor lovingingly restored to its prior grandeur and the upper floors currently being renovated.
We had been invited to dinner with our accomodation hosts, Ian and Vanessa, and so left for our return trek leaving sufficient time to freshen up from our adventures before arriving for dinner. Alas, our plans did not proceed as planned. Upon arriving at our lodgings, we were greeted by the harmonious strains of a bass and acoustic guitar and some male voices singing “Make Me Smile”, a 1977 song by Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel. Once inside the door we learnt that a couple fo friends of our hosts were also going to be joining us for dinner; Brian (the financier) and Jan (the retired solicitor). Brian (acoustic guitar and vocals) and Ian (bass guitar) were practicising for an upcoming gig for Jan’s 50th birthday. They are both active in other bands but have known each other for many years. Chris, Vanessa, Jan, two squabbling dogs and I sat in the kitchen sipping wine and talking until the two musicians joined us for what turned out to be a wonderful evening of fine food and entertaining company.
It was a great meal with lively conversation covering a vast range of topics; music, politics, the GFC, sport (cricket), Scottish sessation from the UK, Australia’s multilateral trade relations with China and the USA, etc. When I revealed that I was a drummer locked in an engineer’s body, I had to endure the usual round of good humoured jokes about drummers. Here’s one I hadn’t heard before; “Q: How do you know the drums are setup level? A: When the drummer is dribbling evenly out of both sides of his mouth!”
Hahaha!! Good drummer joke! ??