or, to show my age, Spring Bank Holiday.

Yep, back in the day the UK didn't have a May Day bank holiday and Spring Bank marked the start of the holiday season, school exams were over, summer term with the corresponding sports would greet us on our return, the nation would return refreshed and ready for the long days of summer. But now businesses don't often have such fixed holidays, parents are willing to risk hefty fines to holiday during term time and the renaming of things, endemic in the 21stC, means we've lost a little more of what the Germans call Heimat.

So what's been doing here at Bell Acres (well hectares doesn't scan so well and the truth is its only a few square metres!)?

Well i've had not one but two attacks on my bank account, the first on Wednesday so i went through all the business of card cancellation etc then on Thursday they tried again using the new card which hadn't even left the bank! somehow they had linked my card to a phone so when the bank changed my card it automatically updated to the thieves. Sorted now, just waiting for a new card, but its worrying how its even possible.

To be clear, i've never signed into phone banking apps to avoid this sort of thing so how do the scrotes do it? So my advice is to not use your phone to pay for stuff, use a physical card, its just as easy and look out on your statements for TikTok payments, my bank flagged that these two transactions looked dodgy as i've never purchased by phone before or from TikTok, you may not be so lucky. Its very annoying not least as i can't do anything with my account until the second new card arrives late next week, i've literally had to borrow money for food to get me through.

I was feeling a bit low, the bank issues and a cool, grey day meant i ended up doing a short ride through the streets of south Brizzle, i couldn't even stop for a cuppa.

Friday was a bit nicer, i cracked on with the new project only breaking for food and a short walk around the block, What is this project i hear you ask, well i've previously put out some frankly not brilliant guides to the Gaby series but spurred on by the efforts of one of my top fans i decided do a better job. The new 'Companion' builds on the earlier examples and includes things like Drew/Gaby's racing palmares, a proper character gazeteer and timeline plus much more. Not only that but it's complete up to the latest volume, its not perfect but i'm pretty pleased with it and the good news, it should be available this weekend! I will do a seperate post with all the details once it goes live.

Saturday the weather looked pretty good so i set out with a pack of sandwiches to explore some byways and trails up on the Cotswolds. My plan was to follow the Fosse Way north from near Castle Combe as far as it remained contiguous, a distance of almost 20km, most of which is now classed as Byway. (In UK parlance that's a route that is open to traffic but not maintained as a road. Restricted byways are a further step down where motorised traffic is barred) The Fosse Way is a Roman road linking Exeter to Lincoln via Bath and Leicester, 370km/230 miles in length running almost arrow straight for over 180 of those miles north from Ilchester to Lincoln.

Anyhoo, an hour's riding took me to the join point, an hour later i reached Kemble airfield where the route is lost to use due to said facility. I then headed west to take in some of the Tetbury Trail. I ended up a bit off my 'planned' ride for my picnic lunch, sat in the sun watching newly arrived Swallows swooping around sometimes just a couple of metres away. The afternoon was warming up towards 20c by now, time to start the journey back.

It was a wobbly route unlike the mostly straight outward ride, i tried a few more bits of non tarmac, eventually arriving back with over 800m of up and 110km of distance. All in all a great day out, its great fun on the byways, you never know quite what you'll see or find.

And today, well as i write some wet is going through but its supposed to dry up soon when i'll go for a walk. In the meantime i cooked a roast lamb joint for lunch with all the trimmings, enough to feel replete but not stuffed, we'll do dessert at tea time. It being Sunday there is of course a new instalment of Gaby - On the Edge, chapter 37, Rat on a stick! Its the conclusion of the Hameln race...

Well thats it for now, i'll be back on Wednesday with the blog but look out for the Companion news hopefully tomorrow.

Tschussie,
Madeline Anafrid