Visit to Essex Part 2

After 2 days and 50 odd miles and still having a sore foot( from standing  on the  thorn) I had a day off running
My parents and  I went for a pub lunch at the Hurdlemaker's Arms at Woodham Mortimer, a typical  Essex country pub with low beams, a flagstone floor  and open fires. It serves good real ale and  excellent food.
 My parents had had a meal at the same pub the week before and had left an umbrella behind . They realised their error as soon as they got home so phoned the pub to ask the staff to look for it. They were confident  that the umbrella would be there because they had been the only people in the bar, however the barman could not find it.
 Returning  to the pub a week later with me they were presented with the brolly. Apparently it turned up in the evening at the same table that my parents had sat at and where the staff had searched.
Asking the barman for an explanation he said it was probably the  pub's resident ghost! He then told us about various instances when the ghost had moved things and opened bolted cupboards. Whether you believe it or not it was an intriguing episode that gave us somethng to think about over our lunch.

On the  Thursday I was back running  and  had a wonderful trot along  the  canal at Beeleigh . In some places the path is overshadowed by mature oak trees that overhang the water. The sunlight glitters through the leaves and  there are deep shadows and  wonderful reflections.Words don't do the scene justice, but here is a painting of it I did today.