Cropredy: Foreword.
Afternoon.
Ruth & I are off to Cropredy 2007 tomorrow.
By and large, I’m looking forwards to it, barring the logistical challenge of getting there (which is mostly to do with carrying things, since public transport in the south is (mostly) OK.
I’m a little concerned that the temporary crown I had rammed onto my snapped tooth might crack itself, but I’m fairly sure it won’t. (it’s experimental, apparently, & I’m guinea-pigging it, and being given £20 in exchange – I still have to fork out £370 myself, mind. Bloody criminal, but if I’d’ve stayed NHS with Lala I’d probably not have the tooth at all, so never mind).
I’ve bought actual not-for-avoiding-PE-in shorts for the first time in forever, because it’s suddenly got awfully hot round here.
I’ve not been to Cropredy for a decade, having last been there in the long hot summer of ’97, just before the Eternal Winter that ran from that October through to, er… Well three years back, I’d’ve said “through to May 2000,” and even this January I’d’ve said “Through to Summer 2005″…
…These days I’m not so sure. I’m starting to realise that there’s some emotional gouges that you can’t just decide are sorted out, although even my lazy brain thinks ten years is a Hell of a time to decide to wait. The recent funeral, etc. seems to have shaken me up rather more than I’d expected it would, and I think that’s the main reason for the trepidation I woke in the middle of last night and suddenly realised I felt.
With the exception of Boulogne and Eyam, either of which I could avoid if I felt like it, I don’t think there’s a single place on Earth which I went to before October ’97 that I haven’t been to since, except Cropredy.
I’d be more specific about the circumstances of Cropredy ’97 & who was there and things, but I am still technically at work, and I’m fairly sure it’s wise to let my brain just skitter merrily away from the point rather than sitting it down and telling it to dig up old memories. Well, for now anyway.
Shan’t be around in the Land of Internet after this evening, until Monday. I’ll endeavour to contrive an ‘Afterword’ post around then. (And now I’ll hit the post button before I start re-reading and cutting bits out. Sorry for such typos as have crept in…)
Have fun!