So what happened?

[solentover]

I had had a slightly wearisome day on the Saturday. Core plug blew on my tractor, took the Ferret for a quick blast around the fields and got back to the barn with coolant pouring out of the hull. Getting dark, no water or electricity in the barn so called it a day and closed the door on the whole sorry mess. Got in the Disco, turned the key and ...

... Flat battery

Sunday dawned with a brief flash of sun then became another flat, greyish February day. Took the Disco (had used a portable power pack to get it going) up to Horndean and awaited the formation of the convoy. Myrddin rang, not bringing the Jeep, too cold. Gary and Carole texted that we would meet at the pub. Waited till 11:00 while catching up with events in Ambridge (that Annette has got her troubles hasn't she?).

Set off, alone, up to the Bat and Ball then to Chidden, Droxford crossroads, Upham and then the main road toward Marwell. Encountered walkers, cyclists and horse riders in the narrowest parts of course but I was in no hurry and happy to pull over or stop and they all waved their thanks so it was both a pleasant, good humoured drive and and a wee bit of an adventure on roads I'd not previously travelled. Saw a duck house on the way and then, in Upham I think, a floating duckhouse! Joy was unconfined.

Got to the pub at 12:00 and parked in a prominent position. Pleasant surprise - Terry and Sue had driven across from Ringwood. As we stood chatting Myrddin and Beryl arrived so into the pub we went. No longer a Brewers Fayre but a Vintage Inn, a brand in the Mitchell and Butler stable which also includes Harvester, Toby Carveries and All Bar One.

While we waited for Gary and Carole, two hooligans in motor cycle helmets stalked toward the table and revealed themselves as Matt and Brad, the only ones to brave the weather in an open "car" - the becoming rather less secret Proect X with its Rolls B20 engine. Then Carole and Gary made their appearance. Someone was unwise enough to tell us she had just celebrated her birthday ...

Food was good, vegetables nicely cooked but, for someone used to eating a Sunday roast at Joint Effort (Creek Road, Hayling Island) the quantity was rather sparse. Enjoyable though. Conversation flowed ...

So where was everybody else?

[oily]

.....How odd?....~I rather thought batteries were either small round metal cylinders, or box shaped..... don't recall seeing many 'flat' ones.....
Had I been closer, Rob I'd have come and lent a hand!..... The trip out in 'Project X' was great fun, if slightly chilly.... Brad and I still had a lot of fun doing a little 'greenlaning' en route..... we only had soup, cos we were lunching at my parents a little later. The pub was very nice, as was the company, but that goes without saying, of course..... shame a few more didn't show up....
Thanks Rob, for organizing!