Sunday 22 May 2011

A Day at the Races

What a day. It started with a table-top sale here:


The Moat Road United Reformed Church. Not many stalls and sadly, not too many shoppers, but it was a lot of fun, and the main aim of the morning for me was to come home with fewer items that I took!! Success.

A short lull in the afternoon followed by an evening racing at Lingfield Park Racecourse. Girls from work (and loads of other hospital people in the crowds), got together to enjoy a flutter, some bubbly and to gaze at some of the lovliest animals there are. Nothing beats being able to see the horses up close before they run. It was an active evening with a routine.

Read the race guide - pick a horse
Go to the paddock and see said horse (at this point the choice could change - some horses are more lovely than others)
Go to the Tote and place one's bet (and hope for a patient betting lady to explain the various options,) i.e. 'to win' - we get that, 'each way' - bit more tricky, 'reverse exacta' - you've lost me there!
Go to the track and watch them on the big screen until they come into sight and jump up and down and yell for your horse.
Go mad when you win....I did, twice, what fun.
Back to the table for another sip of bubbly and start again...

While all this was going on, Han-solo was in a tent somewhere on the South Downs,

no doubt exhausted with aching legs and shoulders. She is on her first Duke of Edinburgh walk, the trial for her Bronze medal. She comes home this afternoon. Can't wait to hear all about it.
(Photo courtesy of South Downs Society).

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