|
So I was getting into my car and this bloke says to me: "Can you give me a lift?" I said: "Sure; you look great, the world's your oyster, go for it." Tommy Cooper Success is doing what you plan to do whatever the results. John Watson |
Walking in Petts Wood and The Hawkswood Estate Page 5Wednesday 8th October 2003 Can you hear the buffalo? Today I did the short walk along Soldiers' Field instead of past Tong's farm. I did some stone throwing at the tree trunks to improve my self-defence skills. The distraction throw is performed by keeping your hand near your pockets and then throwing a stone or coin etc into the face of your attacker. This distracts them enough to allow you one clear punch at their jawline or a swift kick to their kneecap and so forth. The injury throw is performed by hurling a stone as hard as you can at the face or body of your attacker. This is usually done overhand to give you greater power. It is easier to be accurate if your hand releases the stone from a higher position than your own head. Some might prefer to throw from a position nearer their own side. This throw might be enough on its own to deter an attacker. It will certainly distract and soften them up for further attack. There were several friends at the Oracle of the Oak Tree when I reached it and I was able to find out a bit more about sweet chestnuts and the other nuts which litter the floor of Petts Wood as autumn gets into its stride. Every one seemed to know more than I did but I was reminded of the importance of asking questions. Ask questions and you will learn. Keep quiet and you will never learn or will take much longer to learn. On the other hand, one must learn to listen as well. I heard a great line tonight in the film Me, Myself and Irene: "Unless you put your ear to the ground you'll never hear the buffalo" Thursday 9th October 2003 The wind of change I took the camera into the woods today as it was a sunny autumn day. My first photo was of a tree that had been uprooted in the great storm of 1987. This storm had changed the entire look of the woods. It seemed like a different wood. One could get lost! Humans still look the same after a storm unless a tree falls on them but they too will change when they feel the wind of inspiration or are buffeted by the storms of desperation. At Tong's farm I photographed a sheep that was staring at me and then looking away guiltily! My last photo on this walk was of two good friends R and D sitting on the Oracle bench with their dogs. R's dog P is on the bench. D's alsatian, S, is sitting next to D with his paw on his knee. S is one of the most gentle alsatians I have ever met. Dogs too are individuals.
Tuesday 14th October 2003 Solutions Today I walked along the bridle path where horse riders have permissive rights. I think that means they are allowed to ride on the bridle path but do not have right of way. You need lawyers even in the woods! The first two walkers I met had alsatians with them. One of the alsatians came straight at me so I looked straight ahead ignoring it and it soon lost interest. It might have been as friendly as Silver but you never know. At one point I passed the warden's enclosure. He has left his job here to get another one in Wales. He was well liked by most walkers because he actually bothered to find out and remember their names. The wood seems a little empty without him like Nottingham Forest without Robin Hood. Near the Oracle of Delphi I met a lovely couple who had solved one of my problems. When taking my digital camera into the woods, I wear a jacket so I can put the camera into a pocket but there is always a chance it will fall out of the pocket. The wife had solved that problem by having a jacket with zips on the pockets. The husband was actually carrying a fine looking camera bag which can be slung over your shoulder. There is always a solution to most problems although it might cost a bit of money. Wednesday 15th October 2003 Flu strikes I took the short route today as I was feeling a little feverish. By Thursday I had full blown 'flu and could barely move. Every ancient ache including toothache seemed to be intensified as well and I really thought I might die! My respect for the explorers to the South and North Pole increased enormously as I thought about what they must have felt like if they caught a cold in those freezing environments. On Friday I drove to the chemists to get some aspirin etc. I was so woozy I hit the pavement twice outside our house and then nearly hit two cars. One was parked and the other was moving! Mental note: keep aspirin in the house and don't drive under the influence of 'flu! The chemists were most helpful as they suggested the most powerful remedies possible. One lady reassured me that her husband had had the flu for three weeks and was still not rid of it! The only other customer apart from myself kept well away from me! How do chemists survive with sick people breathing all over them? It is now Saturday morning and all walks have been out of the question. In fact I have hardly moved at all. I have made all sorts of resolutions to never eat junk food again and to live a healthy life style. In two days all I felt like eating was an orange and some soup. Now, my appetite is beginning to return and I am up typing this at 5:21 a.m. Hopefully some of the new resolutions will last longer than usual. I also hope that I will appreciate even more the benefit of living near a beautiful wood like Petts Wood. Speak to you when I start walking again. At least I have the Rugby Union World Cup to look forward to.... Sunday 26th October 2003 British Summer Time ends Early this morning at 2 a.m. British Summer Time ended. The clocks went back one hour. This means that the mornings are lighter and the evenings darker. Last year about 100 extra people were killed in the evening on the roads in the UK because they were not used to the dark evenings arriving so early. Like most things in life there are arguments for and against. Most people seem to prefer the lighter mornings. The man credited with promoting the idea of British Summer time is William Willett of Chislehurst (the other village near Petts Wood - apart from Petts Wood itself) The memorial to William Willett occupies an important place in the woods.
Monday 27th October 2003 The Edlmann memorial Today was my first day back in the woods after getting the 'flu about 10 days ago. I took the short walk which went past the Willett Memorial. Later this route takes you past the Edlmann memorial. In 1927 Francis Edlmann saved the wood by buying it. 30 years later in 1957 Robert and Francesca Hall gave the wood to the National Trust. It is thanks to these three people that so many people can enjoy the benefit of walking through the woods. I was amazed a few years ago to find two young men lighting a fire against the Edlmann memorial to cook their supper. It was getting dark at about 7 p.m. They had knives and other utensils but I was so annoyed at this lack of respect for the donors of the wood that I asked them politely to move their fire away from the memorial. They agreed without argument. They probably thought I was the warden but I was still surprised that they did not object or even attack me for being a busy body. Probably they did not realise that the fire might damage the memorial and were just decent people looking forward to a meal in the woods! It seldom pays to lay in to people that you think are lacking in respect. Often that is the last thing on their minds. You could also end up with a sore nose for your trouble. |
||
