Monday 29 October 2007

Burn Him, Burn Him!

That was the cry that briefly hurtled upwards into the cold night air by a few hardy Scots. Unfortunately the rest of the hideously repressed crowd (myself included) remained tight-lipped on the matter of his fiery punishment. Old stick-face was going to bite the lit end of a torch whether we yelled in wild abandon or not. And he'd rather we didn't mention his rather 'thick' thigh muscles. Must be a cyclist.
After a quiet morning on Sunday TheO got that look in her eye. The one that means I should pack the car swiftly and remember to bring the camera - we have to GO SOMEWHERE. The only place we found after searching t'internet was Archaeolink Parkabout 30 miles north-west of Aberdeen. They were, we were told, having a wicker-man burning and human sacrifice. I can only say that their advertising was only half accurate. (And damn it, if Sunday isn't Sunday without a human sacrifice!) However, having been a little uneasy about such a long drive I was thoroughly over-excited about the wicker man. (There was some historical stuff too - we looked round - it was good.) Despite some general milling around the organisers had timed the lighting of the wicker man to perfection and the light against the dusk was stunning. He took light quickly and was soon dropping showers of sparks over some badly placed spectators.


Pottering homewards the car filled with the delightful aroma of wood smoke. We took some quiet (if a little trying at night) little back roads and made it home in good time. A brilliant day.

Today 29th - I behaved a little more like a petulant brat. After being told by TheO that we should wait a week until we climb again I was pretty excited (it really doesn't take much) that today was 'a week'. I duly called and booked - got places on the evening course, cheaper - brilliant! Then we headed out for a dog walk. TheO was feeling the pain (in her back and neck) I promised a neck rub and anything helpful. Eventually it became plain (mostly by being told in words of one syllable) that we shouldn't go climbing*. I sulked. V quietly. It was mean and unfair as I know she wanted to go climbing. I knew it was ridiculous but I was just disappointed. I don't deal well with that sort of thing.

Never mind, at least we got some chores done - a new fancy-er airbed has been purchased; and we discovered that the West Port has a lovely menu.

I now know what to do. Grasp the nettle. If we're both feeling good we do something waiting is utterly pointless. Sometime this week we'll be stuck on ropes hauling ourselves across almost unimaginable rock faces, and I'll be glad to have had the extra day's rest.


*By 'we shouldn't go' I mean that this is something we're going to learn and do together - therefore one of us getting more advanced than the other in the learning process is ridiculous. TheO said I should go on my own - bu that would have defeated the point.

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