If I buy an entire row of seats on a long flight so no one is next to me, can the airline sell one of my empty seats to someone or will they respect the fact that the empty seats are mine to do as I please with?

It’s weird that communications doesn’t work both ways, but unfortunately, people have to be checked in. Once the airline realises that those seats aren’t going to be filled; they’ll try to sell them to someone else; providing that there’s no-one waiting on stand-by. If you check in at the desk, someone may ask where the rest of your party is. You’ve got to make an arrangement with the airline first if you need more room. It’s difficult because they want to out everyone into the same bubble which makes things easier for them to deal with. But companies are different. You need to check the booking terms and conditions when you book. And if there’s a good deal, they need to put procedures into  place so that their competitors don’t buy these seats which would force customers to seek out more expensive flights. Know your rights before you go. It’s difficult to look them up once you’ve boarded!

Who would live in a house like this? #sambourne 14

It’s got to be an old couple. Either that or it’s rented out. They know what they’re doing. The Cotswold stones are there to protect the grass and prevent people from  parking and driving over their lawn. I wonder if they have to repaint the walls every year to keep them that pristine white. Maybe they get away with jet washing them every couple of months or pay someone to do it for them. It all adds to  the cost of village living. It’s quite cute, but the whole building does seem to lean on its chimney. You’d half expect it t be moving up and down like it was breathing in a cartoon. It could almost be inflatable, pinned down with telegraph wires and pitched anywhere the hosts fancy. The grass always looks greener on the other side. The fence looks a bit exposed though. Maybe it’s a pallet placed vertically to form a gate.

A Three Pack

These ice blocks came quickly; but we did have a less practical back-up option ordered to collect at a store just in case. They were light and chunky and easy to fit into the freezer and didn’t take up much room in the cool bag either, but did the job to keep the bag cool throughout the day. The brand name also gives a bit of reassurance that the product is going to do what it says on the tin. It’s a shame that they didn’t come in a choice of colours, but I suppose blue is the most practical and they do stand out when you’re looking for them. The non-toxic element is also reassuring. No-one wants to get sick after consuming a beverage. It’s a shame that you have to keep them on a flat surface when freezing. You may have to reorganise your whole freezer drawer to fit them in.

Glasshouse Tap is 5

I’ve never actually managed to visit. I’ve come close, but they weren’t open at the time. It wasn’t doing very well and they were struggling to keep the place open. I haven’t even seen anywhere that sells its beers or met anyone that’s tried them. The website is just a mixture of cans and t-shirts to choose from, and there’s no information about its history or how the name was chosen at all, even if you pry away at a side menu. I’ve been told that it’s easily accessible from the canal. It’s proving very difficult to find a picture. I’m guessing that tables are laid out like a Bavarian beer hall. It’s probably not somewhere that you’d choose to sit inside in warm weather. Still, it’s another one to attempt to tick off the bucket list; that’s assuming if it makes it to another year. Better try to get there sooner rather than later.

Abandon Pub #sambourne 13

I’m not a big fan of this pub. It’s very picturesque but the couple in charge are a bit backwards. It’s run by a grumpy old bat and her grown-up son who runs the kitchen and tends to the bar on quiet evenings. We’d booked a room a few months in advance for a group meeting. And because it was a picturesque pub; we’d put it on the front cover of our seasonal magazine. I called ahead a few weeks in advance to remind them that we were coming. Then on the evening, the staff totally blanked us. They hadn’t got our room ready and only had one beer on which wasn’t in the best condition and soon ran out. At the break, I was considering abandoning the meeting to go to another venue; but they did add another beer. At the end of the meeting, they confessed to me that they’d forgotten that we were coming. I haven’t been back since.

Speak like Shakespeare

Am I to be bombarded with quotes from the bard? Will there be excerpts from his plays? Or is this an excuse to use ‘oldspeak’ and put ye in front of every word? She might not be able to do it successfully and give up in a tongue-twisted stupor. Or I might get an everyday conversation. I get a speech that I can’t understand, but that’s quite usual. The second attempt is different, and I begin to understand the first half but it becomes too long for my brain to process what it means. A third attempt is also unique and short, and I understood the first bit but not the second. Some of it doesn’t make sense; like cowards die many times but the valiant only die once. At the end of the day, it just a collection of quotes that it’s read out. It’s not like you can have a conversation.

When Trees Attack #sambourne 12

It looks like something’s getting ready to charge. They’re even pointing. The one on the right might be holding the branch like a cane. It might be the commander while all the left ones are lining up like obedient troops. There’s even a butterfly in the top left to act as a scout. Are the nearest ones having a duel about having to attack, or are they exchanging strategies? The door actually looks like quite a weak point. After all, it’s made as the same materials as themselves. The bushes have already been sent in. They’re blocking the windows and making sure that there’s no escape. And some more reinforcements have been sent in on the right behind them while some of the older troops have been sent to approach from the rear. And now they’re ready to begin their assault. Will they open fire or drop the command to charge?