Things as Usual

 
A couple of days after we got back from Bristol, there was a Saturday home match at Brighton.

We hadn't seen our pal, M, since his birthday in May so we suggested meeting him in Brighton before and after lunch.

Of course we did "the usual" and so had Fullers beer and lunch at The Basketmakers.  It was a lot less busy than we had expected but it was buzzing with activity and we played "upgrade your seat" until we were happy with our spot.

Chatter, beer and lunch but without the pressure on us to leave at a specific time made for a really good time.  We took a couple of old film cameras to fill the time when we were not in the pub and to help us resist the impulse of just pub-hopping all afternoon.

The beach was heaving but I could see the attraction of being there, I guess.

Eventually we headed inland and made a half-hearted attempt to find the Hole in the Wall - but failed and so we strolled through back lanes and thence back to the Evening Star.

M arrived a lot quicker than he had expected after a good result for the local team and we spent a happy couple of hours nattering about football, ecology, tech and nonsense.  For all the world, it was like there was never a gap in Saturday attendance.

The only slight blight on the evening was that, when we were back in Eastbourne events conspired to prevent the traditional purchase of special fried rice for late night beer-soaking-up.  Still, friend egg on fried bread did the job almost as well.

Since then we've not excurted for beer beyond my work-related lunches in St Leonards and Lewes - the latter reminding me that people still seem to find my real ale habit somewhat unusual - when presented with an order for one lemonade, one coffee and a half of real ale I was the last person the beer was offered to.  Sigh.

Whilst there's nothing new on the Eastbourne scene, our "usual suspects" of watering holes continue to supply beer and a bit of interaction with staff/owners.

I'm feeling the need to find somewhere new to go (or old to revisit) to ring the changes, though.