Hebden Bridge Today

Chris needed to have a trim by her hairdresser, Sue, at On Reflection in Hebden Bridge. As there has been continuous rain punctuated by torrential downpours during most of today, I drove her there and back. No gardening has been done today at all. I am very behind with it.

They have an 'arts festival' every 'summer' in Hebden and this year's Matisse inspired poster can be seen in the window of Crabtree's outfitters to the gentry, where socks are at least £20 and shirts around £115.

We had been told by Chris's friend Joyce that the Wine & Cheese shop on Bridgegate sometimes stocks French bread flour. She knows this because before Christmas she took the last bag right in front of a woman who had travelled all the way from Wigan to make the same purchase. Are there no Waitrose or Booths near Wigan? Well, yes there are. 

I went inside and found an ample stock of French bread flour in gaudy bleu, blanc, rouge. At £3.50 for 1.5 per kg., a somewhat overpriced bag of provender methinks. And the motto "King Alfred born in Wantage" is hardly a republican sentiment.

Our latest fad, the new TomTom GO LIVE Camper & Caravan satnav (also above) arrived this morning and it's already up and running as they say. Whole new opportunities to be electronically and virtually lost are opening up. As kit goes, it seems deceptively nice and easy to use. But what will experience show next week on our trip to Scotland?

Back in never-never land below is the window display of a shop in the square at Hebden Bridge. Believe it or not this shop in fact sells sweeties, soap, tin toys and teas. It does not sell US photographic equipment from the earlier part of the last century. I kid you not, there is a crystal wireless set inside this shop, on display. It's rather lovely in an oak box with elegant fittings. You can tell, I so want these things. And in fact back in 1959 when I was in class 1 D of Counthill Grammar School, I was given an old projector, reostat and films rather like those below. The films were Laurel and Hardy I think. It never really worked properly. My father would not help me repair it. He was of course an electrical engineer.