Back in the very early seventies I had my tonsils out and it went very wrong. Since then I've had all sorts of issues with my gag reflex, acid reflux due to nerves and all sorts of things that mean that every now and then, something gets stuck in my throat. Yesterday it felt like a crumb was just across my wind pipe. I don't think it was for a second, but I was having issues breathing and I was thoroughly fed up. I'm sort of used to it. I'm not so bad now but the end of it will kick around for a few days. It could be a lot worse.
Earlier on yesterday, though, I had a wonderful time. I'm trying to get my driving practice in while staying within at least the spirit of the guidelines and drive for food or exercise. I may or may not have been frantically googling local farm shops. I admit to nothing. I'm staying within a reasonable distance, and I'm trying to be responsible. This is more than my sat nav is managing.
So first thing yesterday morning I set off down the ring road. I'm scared of the ring road. There are lots of scary lorries who treat the speed limit as a tentative suggestion and who don't realise that there is a roundabout just after the approaching blind corner. It's not so bad at the moment, though, so before I knew it I was belting along at 60mph, hanging on to the steering wheel with a death grip and hoping I'd get it right. The farm shop was just outside of Horsforth, a district of Leeds, so I thought it was reasonable, looking for different food sources and supporting local farmers. Yes, I feel guilty.
The sat nav hates me. First of all it got me going in a loop because when it said I should take the first exit on a junction, it didn't mean that first exit. It meant other first exit, so it took me around to the road before the junction again. I went around in a loop twice before realising. Then it took me down the back lanes. I may have been going to a farm shop, but it isn't in the middle of the countryside and is quite near Leeds Bradford airport. I didn't expect to be going down the proper country lanes, which are almost exactly one car wide and have passing places. There were lots of cars coming the other way and a few places were really tight. It was awesome! There was even an old stone bridge (almost certainly haunted) that I had to creep over with about an inch to spare. I loved it! Then I got to the farm.
It was lovely. They have angling and, in better times, a little collection of farm animals including a llama.
It seems a really nice farm shop. They had some lovely meat, veggies and some baked goods. I'll definitely be going back. They had the social distancing thing worked out as well, which is more than some places.
I took a slightly different route back, nearly ended up in the city centre and called in at Aldi for a top up of the processed stuff. They weren't so good on the social distancing.
Today was different. Instead of it being red hot, I was glad of my sweater and had the heater and windscreen wipers on. I was a little early for Tesco, as they have a protected hour from 9-10am, so I had a little walk in the park. They have some very assertive Canada geese there, so I was very wary. There was also evidence of the strong winds we had had.
I picked up the bits I needed (though I'll have to go again tomorrow because of what I forgot) and came home. It's been cold and grey all today.
I think I need new windscreen wipers. I have a service coming up, but I'm wondering how hard it is to fit them myself and save some money. I shall have a rummage on YouTube.
Hugs and good health to all.
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