Vagueness and the Aftermath - A sporadic diary

[taximan007]

I go to London today for what I hope is my penultimate dental treatment.

This time, I'm going to take the train. (Last time when I took the car I left home at 11am and didn't get home until 9pm) My appointment is at 4pm, so I bought one of those cheap open returns (£42) I'm not allowed to travel between 4pm and 7pm but that should work out OK.

The round trip will still take just as long by train, but at least I will be able to relax instead of sitting in traffic jams for hours on end.

It will cost about the same too. By car I have to pay £10 for parking, and that's cheap, (I have a mush squared) and it costs me about £30 in diesel.

Diesel is £1.20 per litre, I can't believe it. £1.20 FFS!! I can remember not so long ago people were saying "It will be £1 a gallon soon" to which the reply was "Never" "We won't be able to live" or "We'll never live"

"We won't be able to live" is a "Fits most scenario's" sort of "in joke" amongst Gypsies, and is usually accompanied by a wry smile. The implied irony being "We've lived through everything else"

"We'll never live" actually means, "We'll get through it somehow"

I don't know if I've explained that last bit very well, sometimes it's hard to know if people will understand what you mean when you're writing from the inside.



I'm taking my likkle tiny lappy with me today. I want to try it out on the train. Do you get WIFI in steerage class, or will I have to resort to my dongle? (No making your own jokes up)

Wow!!!!. 96p per litre when I left Sept 2006. 36p per litre here at the moment

[The_duke]

"We'll never live" actually means, "We'll get through it somehow"

That's the way of it -- we will bitch and moan and threaten, but we will continue on.... Graph says it all
 

[rex008]

Hi Red
Driving to work this morning, I spotted a traditional brightly painted, round topped Gypsy wagon parked up on a verge of a T-junction (between Southwell and Thurgaton, Notts). Presume his horse(s) was in the pasture behind. Bloke outside, fire going, pot hanging off a tripod. Lovely morning too. Not the first I've seen round this way and you never see them in the same place 2 days running. Always wondered - would guys like that be constantly travelling? What do they do to make a living these days? I've occasionally seen them with a board up advertising knife sharpening and other tinker type work, but can't imagine they get much business these days, do they?

I paid £78 to fill up my car with Diesel yesterday 

[RED-DOG]

Hi Red
Driving to work this morning, I spotted a traditional brightly painted, round topped Gypsy wagon parked up on a verge of a T-junction (between Southwell and Thurgaton, Notts). Presume his horse(s) was in the pasture behind. Bloke outside, fire going, pot hanging off a tripod. Lovely morning too. Not the first I've seen round this way and you never see them in the same place 2 days running. Always wondered - would guys like that be constantly travelling? What do they do to make a living these days? I've occasionally seen them with a board up advertising knife sharpening and other tinker type work, but can't imagine they get much business these days, do they?

I paid £78 to fill up my car with Diesel yesterday 

Wow! Some really great questions there Rex, thank you.

Warning! Long winded answers to follow.

[RED-DOG]

Driving to work this morning, I spotted a traditional brightly painted, round topped Gypsy wagon parked up on a verge

There are quite a few different types of Gypsy waggon including "Reading" "Bush" "Burton" "Ledge" etc.

I suspect that the "Round topped" waggon you saw was probably either a "Bowtop" or an "Openlot"

Did it have a door and window at the front? (in which case it's a Bowtop) or did it have an open front, designed to be closed off by pulling the tarpaulin or "Tilt" across?

Bowtop



Openlot

[rex008]

Errm. I only saw it as I came over the brow of a hill, so perhaps had 3-4 seconds, but I'm pretty sure it had a door in the end, rather than tarpaulin. But yes, think it looked very like the first pic - I definitely noticed the fancy decoration.

[rex008]

OK, my powers of observation are obviously totally useless. He was still there on the way back and I managed another 3 seconds of looking (behind a tree from the other direction!), and the wagon actually has straight, but leaning-out sides, with a rounded top. And he did had a board out for grinding - blade sharpening, etc. I still don't get how he can possibly make enough money to live though - I guess you can live off the land somewhat travelling like this, but surely he needs a bit for horse care and food? I guess he's more likely to get business off other Gypsies, but would he be doing other jobs as well? And how would they know where he was, anyway?

[77dave]

I have to listen to Americans complaining about the price of "GAS" everyday.

i have been here for 10 weeks now and when i arrived the price was $2.85 a gallon now its $3.60.

ok so its gone up a lot but can you imagine if prices fell back home to US prices.

[boldie]

I have to listen to Americans complaining about the price of "GAS" everyday.

i have been here for 10 weeks now and when i arrived the price was $2.85 a gallon now its $3.60.

ok so its gone up a lot but can you imagine if prices fell back home to US prices.

I hate the Americans for that..they have no idea how expensive "gas" actually is around the world..and don't believe you when you tell them lol..lucky sods.

[77dave]

only thing i have found here that is more expensive is insurance and i wonder why that is

[boldie]

only thing i have found here that is more expensive is insurance and i wonder why that is

yeah. Actually it is the curse of the country that expensive insurance and some people can't afford it and are completely screwed.

[Tractor]

Driving to work this morning, I spotted a traditional brightly painted, round topped Gypsy wagon parked up on a verge

There are quite a few different types of Gypsy waggon including "Reading" "Bush" "Burton" "Ledge" etc.

I suspect that the "Round topped" waggon you saw was probably either a "Bowtop" or an "Openlot"

Did it have a door and window at the front? (in which case it's a Bowtop) or did it have an open front, designed to be closed off by pulling the tarpaulin or "Tilt" across?

Bowtop



Openlot

Red, are they heading towards Stow On The Wold for the horse fair?
I live 2 minute from Stow and theres already quite a few caravans about, same people every year in their same spots, is that normally to have your own pitch so to speak?

[RED-DOG]

Driving to work this morning, I spotted a traditional brightly painted, round topped Gypsy wagon parked up on a verge

There are quite a few different types of Gypsy waggon including "Reading" "Bush" "Burton" "Ledge" etc.

I suspect that the "Round topped" waggon you saw was probably either a "Bowtop" or an "Openlot"

Did it have a door and window at the front? (in which case it's a Bowtop) or did it have an open front, designed to be closed off by pulling the tarpaulin or "Tilt" across?

Bowtop



Openlot

Red, are they heading towards Stow On The Wold for the horse fair?
I live 2 minute from Stow and theres already quite a few caravans about, same people every year in their same spots, is that normally to have your own pitch so to speak?

Spot on Tractor. (Can I call you tract?) They are off to Stow

You have to be there early to get the pitch you want.

[RED-DOG]

OK, my powers of observation are obviously totally useless. He was still there on the way back and I managed another 3 seconds of looking (behind a tree from the other direction!), and the wagon actually has straight, but leaning-out sides, with a rounded top. And he did had a board out for grinding - blade sharpening, etc. I still don't get how he can possibly make enough money to live though - I guess you can live off the land somewhat travelling like this, but surely he needs a bit for horse care and food? I guess he's more likely to get business off other Gypsies, but would he be doing other jobs as well? And how would they know where he was, anyway?

Sorry, been out all day.

It sounds like a Bill Wrights wagon now. pic and more blather to follow.

[RED-DOG]

This is a "Ledge" type wagon made by Bill Wright. However, Bill was best known for his own particular brand of bowtop.