Bits and bats - the news from Hepworth Towers

It has been a quiet week at Hepworth Towers.

The table tennis table has been on the lawn for a fortnight but we've only played three times because the senior batsman has insisted it's been far too breezy to play. He has also been hassling me to buy a new bat. 

He wanted a new bat and said I needed one too, but that I needed to choose my own. I didn't care about bats. I just wanted to play. Could he not just buy me a bat? Any old bat. But he insisted I had to choose my own, because if he got one for me I would complain it was too heavy, or too light, or the handle wasn't comfortable or the colour was wrong. He obviously sees me as some sort of Goldilocks, or perhaps a Princess with a Pea.

Anyway...we went to Sheffield together yesterday and called in at a sports supermarket and although there was nothing classy enough for him to bat with, I bought this:

Note the brand - STIGA - and the name of the bat - FRENZY - and the fact that it has FIVE STARS.

Well....you know how Dave always beats me at everything? Last night he didn't. I actually won some games - all on account of the new bat. The trouble is that when he gets his new bat, we'll be back to square one. My edge will have gone, and he will be winning every game again.

The reason we went to Sheffield was to take my old bike to a workshop that fixes up bikes for asylum seekers. The guy in charge came out of the workshop to take the bike from me and said "Thank you," and I told him it was in good working order, but I'd got a new bike. ( See this old post.) 

He was about to go back in and then a thought struck him. "This bike might just suit an asylum seeker who is here right now, working on another bike." My heart fluttered. He leaned inside the workshop and called to someone. How wonderful to actually meet the person who would have my bike. How often do you get to meet a stranger you help? I absolutely wasn't looking for thanks, just the personal connection.  The guy came out, he was about my height, and peered at my bike. Then he said "I'm happy with the one inside, thanks."  A slim chance. But it was a very nice idea - and I liked the workshop guy for thinking of it.

Some other news is that I washed the porch floor last week and went out somewhere, and when I came home, the two hideous boxes of rammel (see this post about our porch) had gone and the porch looked beautiful. Dave was in his shed sorting through said rammel and later presented me with a new string dispenser made from an old cafetiere plunger. 

The last bit of news is that a kind friend, wanting to cheer up a miserable me, is taking me to the ballet tomorrow at the Royal Opera House in London. There will be dressing up, champagne, music, dancing, and Frankinstein. Beat that!

I am so excited!