Saturday, October 03, 2009
IMAGINE THIS: In our back garden a male spider whispered to a female spider, 'fancy going into their warm house and starting some... er reproduction?
Arriving at our back door the male spider sniffed the air, 'oh no, they've been to Bovey again. Let's go next door'.
He was right. Last week madam and I made our annual pilgrimage to Bovey Tracey.
Part of the drive is enjoying the tree-lined road past the Heathfield estate, with the leaves turning from bright green to various shades of golden autumn brown.
Once in Bovey (car park only £1 for four hours!) we spent an hour or so exploring the artistic delights of the Old Mill's exhibition... and their coffee's excellent.
After coffee the 'madness' began. Walking along the road towards the town we stopped to gather conkers... yes conkers.
Because they were a bit thin on the ground on one side of the road the ol' sailor strolled across towards the benches set back against the trees and did better. Two elderly country gentlemen sitting in the shade, just taking in the morning air, watched me with amused interest.
Leaning on his stick, one man grinned, 'Id'n you a bit old for that game, ol' father?'
I quietly explained my lovely lady has a slight phobia about spiders and we'd discovered, some years ago, that if you spread conkers around the house it keeps them away.
Please don't ask me how it works... I just know it does.
The two elderly gentlemen looked at each other and then gave me a look of utter disbelief. 'Well, I never heard the like...'
A month ago we'd foolishly invested in an electrical gadget which was supposed to frighten bugs, insects and spiders away and yet only two days later three big 'eight-leggers' scampered across the lounge carpet almost causing domestic panic. Hence the trip to Bovey.
The embarrassment was slightly compounded in the 'Spin-a-Yarn' wool shop. While my lady paid for her wool the assistant stared at the half-full plastic bag of conkers I was holding.
So it was necessary to repeat the conker-spider theory. She smiled politely and gave me a look reserved for people on day-release, but I don't care.
Believe me it works. I accept there are horse chestnut trees closer to home, but we like Bovey!
http://www.thisissouthdevon.co.uk/features/m-bonkers-conkers-spiders-away/article-1388747-detail/article.html
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