Saturday 6 July 2019

Meet Dez the Dalek, see more of Eastbourne, Tennis and that Mural …




Dez the Dalek is investigating whether Eastbourne is a good place for resting Daleks … 
Dez


... he needs his innards sorted (they’re lodging in Scorch Comic’s basement, pro-tem) …




c/o Scorch Comics

… yet I see he has plenty of reading material … and a pebbly beach nearby … I wonder if that was where he got his spots …




… Dez is good at introducing people … Geoff/Jeff came along and wanted to take a photo – so I suggested he went first … then of course we got chatting … no I didn’t have my photo taken with Dez …



Two sides of the wrap around mural

… Geoff/Jeff had just finished work and wanted to get some brain space before he went off back to the big city … so he wandered along to see the sea (I recommended he went past the mural, hope he did!) and I went to town.




My seat was high up in the south stand
It’s been a busy few weeks down here … I did get a ticket for Eastbourne centre court on the Friday and again on Saturday … which was wonderful …





One of the meet and greet areas ... Pimms bar
or craft beer, with stalls to tempt the pocket


… my cousin (she’s a line judge with the Lawn Tennis Association) was offered the tickets – of course I snapped them up … but it was HOT!  I met up/bumped into a few friends …




Eastbourne College playing MCC

… a couple were parking a large Jaguar car near the tennis and as I walked past said ‘you’re lucky’ to which they replied you’re so right … we’ve been going round and round in circles … I think all the parking tarmac was covered in cars!




The new score board facilities;
the tennis centre and Towner are beyond

On the Saturday I spotted Eastbourne College playing the MCC (Marylebone Cricket Club – based at Lords: THE place for cricket – founded 1787 {about sixty years before Eastbourne’s development commenced!}) …


... and I just remembered something else that was on - Eastbourne College had their end of term celebrations, prize-giving, parents arriving ... for 620 pupils ... 




All Saints' Church and the new Church Hall
… there was a wedding – how anyone parked I’ve no idea – just glad I only had to walk about quarter of a mile via this church, where we have a lot of our U3A  group talks (University of the Third Age) to get home …




View over tennis centre and Towner (right) and on
over Pevensey Bay

Then after the summer sunshine we’ve been having – a view across the town over Pevensey Bay to Hastings in the far distance, then this was last night’s evening skyline from my flat …




Skyline July 5th 2019: block of flats, left, tiny dome of
Town Hall, and tree with Church tower, then the
College's central atrium

That’s it – yet of course … more blog post ideas have been generated … comics, the ‘how the Dance Diagonal mural was conceived’: I’m looking forward to the talk later on …




… enough wittering for one post: see you soon …

Scorch Comics website ... 

Eastbourne College - it has rather a nice website ... 

Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

37 comments:

Liza said...

Lovely tour. That last picture was stunning.

David M. Gascoigne, said...

Good morning Hilary: What a splendid time you had in all of this. It all seems so quintessentially English. Perhaps you really were the lucky one who didn't have the irritation that comes with being unable to park a car - Jaguar, or not. Marriages can be broken over the arguments that ensue from such tension! Third age learning has caught on over here too. It is quite popular. Each year there is a theme for the lecture series and if Miriam and I like the topic we sign up.

Hels said...

It always seemed elitist when wealthy clients of a bank etc received boxed seats at the Tennis Grand Slam. Boxed seats are well located at the court, protected from the weather and serviced with champagne. But of course you grabbed your cousin's tickets; I would have too! And I would have loved the entire experience!

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

@ Liza - thanks so much, good to see you ... just a quick snap of a wonderful evening sky ...

@ David - morning too ... well 12.30 now! It is so English and it's lovely being back home when England is like this. I am so grateful I'm not rushing around trying to find parking ... just horrible ... and I just remembered the College had their end of year celebrations for 620 children! - added that now.

We have three Eastbourne U3A Groups ... I do quite a few of the classes ... in the Eastbourne Meads group we have over 40 lecture classes ... lots of choice and a monthly meeting. Perhaps I should write about it sometime ... I help with some of it and occasionally give talks ...

@ Hels - I was lucky - Julia was offered the tickets (one for each day) from another line judge ... and as she's a local and knows people - she said she was sure I'd be very happy to take the opportunity: I was.

We have VIP seating too ... and I guess they could take champagne in ... but honestly it's so hot - I'd wilt!! Actually when I've been with family or friends we take along a picnic, wine etc ... so over the years it's all been good fun ...

Thanks for coming by so quickly - lovely to have the comments and thoughts - just about to go for the 'Dance Diagonal' talk, which I'm really looking forward to ... cheers Hilary

Lynda Dietz said...

The whole thing sounds like a great time, hot weather or not! Glad you were able to go—and for free, no less.

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari OM
oooh, tennis tickets - brava! My sister, who lives in Putney, is planning to queue next Friday for Wimbles; she usually manages each year. Daleks too. Quite the place, Eastbourne! YAM xx

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Definitely awesome about the tickets! Couldn't pass them up.

Elephant's Child said...

I always thoroughly enjoy your wittering - and there is never enough.
Daleks on the other hand frightened me as a child and some of that discomfort lingers...

Susan Kane said...

Daleks are feared too much. A good hosing down with a jolt of electricity would fix them. On the other had, weeping angels are so darn creepy.

What a day you had!

MunirGhiasuddin said...

I never hears of Daleks until today. I always learn from your posts while enjoying them. Thanks, Cheers !

Karen Jones Gowen said...

Look at that lovely blue sky. It appears you had very fine summer weather for your adventure!

Chatty Crone said...

I never heard of Daleks until today. Thanks for the trip!

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

@ Lynda - well the weather makes a huge change ... so wonderful to have this gorgeous English summer. Normally I'd have gone along - but security makes it that little tougher, so it was great to have tickets.

@ Yam - I know tennis tickets = wonderful ... so pleased I could see the real thing. Your sister is brave ... I'd have queued decades ago - not now ... too lazy, and I like my creature comforts. Good luck to her Wimbledon queuing ... it is lovely to wander around the grounds.

I know the Dalek stands out as we walk up the old high street from the Station, to the Town Hall and on towards the sea ...

@ Alex - oh I couldn't have not taken up the tickets ... had to cancel things, but c'est la vie - apologies made, and all understood ...

@ EC - thanks ... delighted you enjoy my wittering but I won't be doing too much of it. Daleks are funny aren't they - I remember my brothers being 'frightened' by them ... but I could never get into the 'hype'! So I rather ignored the Dr Who programmes - but took notice when they were revived in the recent Dr Who series.

@ Susan - it's so funny about the Daleks ... but tv was so new and of course young minds in the 1960s could still so easily be influenced by these extraordinary creations. Yet now they've been re-imagined/invented ... fans and new younger ones really 'get them' ... fun. And yes I've been having some wonderful days out and about ...

@ Munir - how lovely to see you. Daleks were an invention in the Dr Who series in the 1960s that's just been re-imagined into another more recent series ... with the same magic apparently ...

@ Karen - we've been having some wonderful weather - today it's misty and cool! (English weather). Makes it so much easier to get out and about ...

@ Sandie - glad you enjoyed our trip! Daleks are a BBC cult from the Dr Who tv programmes 1960s, and in the 2000s when they were re-imagined.

Cheers to you all ... as I mentioned to Karen above - our weather seems to have broken, still warm and muggy ... but damp and cooling down - all the best for the coming week - Hilary

Kay G. said...

Thanks very much for this tour! What do you think of the bright mural on the Towner Art Gallery? I am not sure, I hope to see it myself this year, maybe it will look better in person!

Computer Tutor said...

Fun as usual traveling around town with you. I miss Dr. Who, the Daleks. Sigh. I know he's still on but I haven't gotten into the new one after the whiney last one.

Parking--the one good thing to come out of being handicapped. I got a parking pass for those close-in spaces. And it works anywhere in the country.

retirementreflections said...

Hi, Hilary - I wholeheartedly agree with your other commenters. It is super fun traveling around town with you. I greatly enjoy your wittering and your last photo is beyond stunning! Thank you for sharing this with us.

Susan Flett Swiderski said...

Sounds like quite the adventure! When life hands you an opportunity like free tickets, it's time to cancel other plans and go for it! I'm so glad you were able to do just that.

Your last photo is stunning. The colors in the sky... just beautiful!

Cheers!

Victoria Marie Lees said...

Always learn something new when I visit your blog, Hilary. I never heard of the Dalek. Your photos are stunning as always. Your story, rich. Thanks for sharing this with your followers. All best to you, my dear.

Jz said...

I'm a little disappointed you didn't get your picture with Dez, Ms. Hilary.
Free tickets are the best, tho', aren't they?

Good to see you enjoying your summer! :-)

Liz A. said...

I'd give that Dalek a wide berth...

Parking... The bane of all our existences.

Joanne said...

great pics and thanks for "wittering". I'm now stealing that term and shall use it much to the questioning stares of all US commoners that I work with. Fun post!

dolorah said...

Hope you took an umbrella for shade :)

Sounds like it was lots of fun.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

@ Kay - I've written about the mural twice before - that's good you'll be over and can make up your own mind when you see it ...

@ Jacqui - I never got into Dr Who ... I did see a few of the revival ones ... but there are other things to do!

Parking - well that's certainly a perk for you (something I hadn't realised), the other good thing ... is deciding not to have a car - so now I don't worry ... I use the bus, the train and taxis (if need be) or lifts when they don't inconvenience others ...

@ Donna - thanks ... just happy to provide some views around the small part of E/b that I live in and frequent ... there'll be a bit more about Sussex later on ... The sunset was just quick mobile phone snap ... amazing how well they turn out.

@ Susan - it's only down the road (all of it) so it does make life easy. I was glad I was able to just opt out of the meeting I was due to attend ...

... all natural android mobile photo colours!

@ Victoria - Thanks delighted you enjoyed the post; the Daleks must be very British - the enemy of Dr Who in the science fiction tv series - they are described as an extraterrestial race of mutants. Dr Who uses the Tardis to time travel in ... the nation has been hooked since the early 1960s!

@ Jz - well frankly Dez would outshine me and I'd rather it stayed that way! Free tickets are definitely the best ... so it was enjoyable - and yes summer is wonderful when the weather is like this - and the tennis is on!

@ Liz - the road is narrow there ... so one can't easily avoid Dez ... he is very benign! Parking certainly the bane of many of our lives ...

@ Joanne - delighted you'll be using 'wittering' with your work colleagues - it's an easy term to use ... probably very British, but one that could easily be assimilated - it's a gentle descriptive word ...

@ Donna - nope, no umbrella and I'd have had angry fellow ticket holders not able to see if I'd used one - some hats were pretty large! I did have a hat and covered myself up - thank goodness: it was hot sun ... but lots of fun ...

Thanks so much for your lovely comments ... always good to see everyone who visits - the weather has slightly turned ... so am hoping we can get through Wimbledon without rain. Cheers Hilary

Andrea Ostapovitch said...

Looks like a lot of fun is being had! Glad to see you are enjoying your summer.
Have a great week ahead,
Andrea

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

I want to get my picture taken with a dalek. All good nerds know about 'exterminate.'
Eastbourne look lovely and interesting.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

@ Andrea - yes being able to get to the tennis and generally enjoy the weather has been just lovely. I too hope this week is good ...

@ Susan - lots of people are coming down to get their photo taken ... and that word 'E-X-T-E-R-M-I-N-A-T-E' is classic Dalek ...

Eastbourne has its moments - they're digging the town centre up - if that was finished life would be less noisy!

THanks for commenting - Eastbourne does its bit for its town, as well as putting on these fantastic shows - Airbourne comes up in August ... have good weeks - cheers Hilary

mail4rosey said...

I always say I don't mind the heat, it's better than the cold. Sometimes though, it does get too hot. I might brave it for some tennis watching too though. :)

Keith's Ramblings said...

If I'd have known you were at the tennis I'd have met you for a Pimms! I wonder how many times we've actually passed each other in Eastbourne without realising it! Where's the sunshine gone?!!

Friko said...

Eastbourne is not a bad old place, is it. Actually, I’d love to live there if I could afford it. Lots of activities for the older generation and the sea, with countryside not far off.

You make the most of it and I admire your get up and go. Tennis too, eh? I haven’t even watched Wimbledon on TV. Ah, well, Shropshire will have to do for me for now and maybe for good.

Debbie D. said...

I didn't know what a Dalek was, so Google tells me it's an extraterrestrial from the TV series "Dr. Who". Thanks for that bit of education, Hilary, as I've never seen the show. Derek does make a good photo prop! 😃

Looks and sounds like you had a lovely weekend! Those people with the Jag were indeed lucky to find a parking spot, given everything that was going on. Cheers!

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

@ Rosey - it was most definitely too hot for me ... others seemed to cope quite well. I couldn't turn the free centre court tickets down, could I ... a treat out of the blue.

@ Keith - I gathered you were going ... but as I didn't know til 8.00 pm or so on Thursday evening there was no time for making other arrangements - other than organising myself. The sun's around ... not completely disappeared thankfully.

I know I bump into people and they say we saw you, and of course I see others ... but not to talk to ... we catch each other anon. Let me know when you'll be around - do you come over for County week ... July 22nd I think?

@ Friko - Eastbourne wasn't a bad choice for me nearly 30 years ago, when I returned from South Africa. The other thing is it's mostly flat ... makes walking around so much easier.

Staying inside when the weather is so lovely is difficult - but I do enjoy the tennis ... and missed it last year when I was out in Canada. Shropshire is lovely and your garden beautiful, especially set against the background of your castle - love it ... but 'we'd' love to have you down here!

@ Debbie - yes, I'd forgotten that Dr Who and the Daleks are so British ... but their recent series seems to have been broadcast overseas too - so apologies for being remiss in not explaining properly. It's been a huge hit once again on its relaunch with various spin-offs and now has that global audience. Yes Dez the Dalek certainly attracts attention ...

I have to say it's good to have the town relatively back to normal ... though during the early summer - autumn months there are weekend events always going on along the seafront.

Thanks for enjoying the visit around Eastbourne and more wittering by me ... I'm going to enjoy the last few days of Wimbledon (only on the tv) - before life really returns to normal ... though have a few things going on this week. Cheers and enjoy the latter half of this week - Hilary

DMS said...

How exciting that you were able to take the tennis tickets. I can imagine it was hot- but what a fun experience too.

Love the sunset over the flats. Beautiful! :)
~Jess

Sandra said...

Sounds like a fun time at an amazing event.
Cheers,

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

@ Jess - yes I was really lucky to get the tickets and to be able to use them ... and these were single tickets. It was just so nice to be there ... haven't been for a few years - and the weather was just brilliant: also no usual cold wind ... often sunny but very cold - off the sea. The sunset that night was gorgeous ...

@ Sandra - thanks ... always good to see ...

Cheers to you both - thanks for commenting - Hilary

Nilanjana Bose said...

Sounds like you are having a happy-busy time this summer. That wrap around mural is stunning. And the sunset is to die for. Wish you many more sunsets like that! Cheers.


Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

Eastbourne is *such* a nice town! Love hearing about all the amenities and activities. Dez is quite a cute draw, too!

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

@ Nila - there are definitely things going on ... but it's been so much fun watching the mural happen - especially as I didn't know it was 'on the cards' having been out of town last year ... the sunset was amazing ...

@ Elizabeth - I'd forgotten about you spending a few days here ... it's a comfortable town - while Dez does I suspect stir a few things up as people come up from the station towards the town hall ...

Thanks so much for the comments and being here - cheers Hilary