Monday 31 July 2017

In The Pink

Well, it's ten years now. Actually the birthday was on Saturday, ten years since I chose this picture of a very pink panther sitting in Crowland Abbey to be my first posting for Unmitigated England. It's all Wilko's fault, over at the celebrated English Buildings blog. I discovered it all through him, so he's to blame for the acres of discoveries, rants, oddities and madness that have followed.
    I had the thought last week that I would drive over to Lincolnshire and see if my pink friend was still in the abbey, upside down in the toy box if not actually listening to a long-winded sermon. But the weather closed-in so I didn't. I looked around Ashley Towers to see if there was a stuffed toy left behind by a grandchild that I could take up to my village church and perch on a pew. Nothing, but then, high up on a shelf, Noddy nodded.
    He had a better idea and quickly climbed up onto the row of Penguins on the mantelshelf and leaned on his favourite tinplate Czech tractor. Noddy was found on the Romney Marsh (oh no not again, Ed.) in 2014 after I discovered Station Antiques inside the old goods shed at Appledore station. He was hiding from Big Ears behind a porcelain jug and a croquet set and whispered "Quick, give them a fiver and let's get outta here".
    We did, so now both of us would like to thank everybody who over the years have not only supported but also taken pleasure in touring Unmitigated England. Of course when it first started there was no Facebook and no Twitter, and this meant long and exceptionally enjoyable dialogues occurring between commentators. As Toby Savage, who takes it all in from the seat of either a jeep or a very, very early Landrover, wrote: "We used to do this round a pub table". But even though we are a much smaller band now, I hope that spirit still pervades. (No pun intended.) Thank you so much , all of you, for tuning-in for so long.

19 comments:

Ron Combo said...

The pleasure has been all ours old chap. Happy celebrations!

Peter Ashley said...

Thanks Ron! You, of course, have been a stalwart right from the very start.

Philip Wilkinson said...

Thanks for keeping us entertained over ten years. I'm proud of my small part in getting you going and very pleased you have been able to carry on.

Dickie Straker said...

Thanks Peter, I am a relatively new follower of your most welcome posts, mighty pleased I am to have found you, I raise a glass of Dorset ale to you! TTFN Dickie

Peter Ashley said...

Dickie, Phil, my glass is also being raised to you both!

Unknown said...

Congratulations Peter.
I'm a relative newcomer here, having bookmarked and perused the site for five or six years but I believe this to be my first post.
Perhaps I should chip in more often!

Peter Ashley said...

You're very welcome Jester. Noddy likes anybody who has bells at their extremities.

Stephen Barker said...

Congratulations, I look forward to seeing the next ten years.

Gawain said...

Thank you for keeping the blog going when so many have abandoned theirs'.

Peter Ashley said...

Thank you Stephen and Gawain. I have thought about jacking it in, but I'll keep on for the foreseeable.

Unknown said...

Hello Peter, Again, I'm a relative newcomer but enjoy all your observations, discoveries and rediscoveries. I don't always respond but that doesn't signify lack of interest. Happy anniversary and long may you continue.

Peter Ashley said...

Thank you Alan. Please don't worry about not commenting, it's good that you are a regular reader.

Unknown said...

Many, many congratulations Mr A! A continuing source of inspiration and pleasure. More unmitigations please. Although of course I love the English submissions, you'd do a fine job just over the water in France too where much stuff is being lost to the 'modernisation' of rural and industrial areas. You seem to have an inexhaustible supply of material here though, and are clearly quite busy enough, so 'Carry on Ashley' shall be my battle cry!

Sue Imgrund said...

I'll join in the general congratulations, thanks and toasts for the next decade of unmitigated inspiration and nostalgia. Keep up the good work, Peter!

Peter Ashley said...

Thank you Jon & Sue. I've thought about doing an unmitigated France, but need a sponsor like Citroen or Michelin. La France Profonde!

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