Degree Level Pottering

I had blanked this from my mind. H & Miss L decided that Miss L did not have any shoes to wear to the leavers prom. In a weak moment I suggested we go to a Shopping Mall. I really choose this to reward Miss L for her dedication to revising. The shoes were an excuse and you are not supposed to give in without a fight even if it is just a token struggle. We decided upon Merry Hill near Dudley. The first mistake was to ask the computer for directs. The second was not go earlier. It was the best part of sixty mile tot he Mall when I thought perhaps forty five. The Mall opens at eleven on Sunday's so everyone is up and about. We got there about twelve. Even H said we should give up trying to find a place to park. At the last try we found a spot. The parking was free which was a result.

I was over whelmed by all the people and conspicuous consumption. The ladies shopped. I along with all the other Dads loitered outside the shops. The advance standard Dads had newspapers to read. Miss L found a pair of shoe she just had to have. It was a very long faced girl that was dragged from the shop with the promise that she could have them if she did not find anything else. As luck would have it she did find something and at half the price, Phew! We got something to eat which to my surprise was reasonably priced. We decide to eschew the computer instructions and read the map that lives in the car. The map might be 2001 vintage but Dudley and Ashby have not moved since that date. It was a pleasant trundle through the 'burbs of Birmingham. We past the Black Country Museum and made a note to turn later in the year.

On reading the map we saw that the village of Wall was near the route home. H and I keep seeing the signs for it. I pasted it every day for two years on my commute to work but never stopped in. The village of Wall was a Roman mansio and there are excavated ruins to see. Wall is right on Watling Street the A5. The notice boards describe the buildings, there uses and the reason for the villages decline. Essentially Lichfield which is only two miles away become more powerful and Wall declined. We walked round the shorter of the two sign posted walks. It was a pleasant enough diversion even in the light rain. Unfortunately the village pub "The Trooper" was not open.

The next leg was straight home. The homeward journey took us a little more time than the outward journey but it was ten miles shorter and at a leisurely pace so less fuel used.
we might not have seen Wall otherwise. Miss L was so excited she went straight upstairs when we got in and tried on her new shoes with her dress. The second choice shoes are spot on. So honours even for the day.