RUN OF THE MILL (again)

Is it something like 'Celebrity Fit Club'? asked the landlady when she saw the circle.

The run passed three mills, stopping at the derelict, but still tranquil and soporific Bowmans Mill, twice. (Or if you are G-String, only once). Its decayed wheel had long since stopped turning but the mill stream still trickled along up to the weir, where it accelerated throughout its descent into the fresh effervescent cauldron below, once driving the wheels of rural industry, but now in a state of benign aggravation. Before milling was taken away from our local heritage, the whole gamut of nature's powers were harnessed; wheat from the ground, water from the stream, and the hard graft of man and beast all combined to produce flour for laying hashes, and baking. Dr Beeching ended all that in 1959, by outlawing rural operations and relocating all flour production to large strategic plants like Ickleford. From here, big lorries clog up the A1 and sit in traffic jams on the M25, on their way to the Sunblest factory.

Our run last Sunday was a simple statement that we should rue the decline of our rural industries that provided a living for our fathers and their four fathers (sic - I've only ever had the one father, but I guess Knobber has had a 'modern' upbringing. I wonder if one was the sperm donator, one his mother's birth partner, one the gay partner and the final one the milkman! - Ed) after them. Without the mills, there would be no flour, and without flour, we would have to use sawdust.

However, it was very cold. Even Ebony's ear had turned blue.

A dull and uneventful run, I really am struggling to find anything interesting to write about it.

We was glad to get back to the pub.

A non-exhaustive list of down-downs not necessarily in the right order follows:

• Hasher(s) : What for
• Knobber and Stallion : Birthday and Aniversary, respectively
• Knobber, Hairy G & Muddy Waters : Hares
• Spitfire and Returnee/newee
• G-String : Ignoring held check, etc
• Knobber, Hairy G & Muddy Waters : Nebulous hash signage

In some direction, towards something, farther forward, towards point of contact, in advanced position or state, with continued action or movement, in operation or activity, In some direction, towards something, farther forward, towards point of contact, in advanced position or state, with continued action or movement, in operation or activity.

ONON - Knobber, Hairy G and Muddy Waters