I had an interesting postcode last week, but events drove it from my mind.
It was ZE2.
I’ll let you rack you brains for a minute or two. Or, if yuo know it, I’let you look smugly round the room as people struggle with it.
It’s not, I can reveal, Zennor in Cornwall, or Zeal Monachorum, Zeals and Zelah. And it clearly I also know Zouch in Leicestershire, but my knowledge ends there. When you interrogate Google is also coughs up Zeal Monachorum, Zeals and Zelah.
However, you are safe to assume it is none of these.
The Marquis of Zetland actually lives round Middlesbrough, but as we all know, Middlesbrough is TS fro Teesside. We’ve had that before, and I used to live there. That’s how I know about the Marquis, and the lifeboat.
It’s because of this that I know Zetland is now known as Shetland.
So, after all that wandering round – we had an order from Shetland.
I’ve often said that if there was a job requiring a vast fund of useless trivia, I would apply for it.
Shetland was the base of the Shetland Bus during the Second World War, which, despite its name was not a Bus Service. It was a clandestine supply operation which helped the Norwegian Resistance tie up hundreds of thousands of German troops.
Now, of course, it is better known as a tourist destination and for the Shetland Pony.
It’s now just after 7pm and time to cook tea. In fact it’s long after I should have started but I’ve been lost in stories of lifeboats and latter-day Vikings.
I do love a good postcode.
I’ll just add a photo and get on with cooking. I have used the photo before, and am always able to think peaceful thoughts when I see it.
So, you once lived in Middlesbrough! I come from Redcar and even though I’ve been back to that part of the coast many times, the nearest I’ve got to Middlesbrough in at least two decades is a NT property on the outskirts (its name eludes me).
I’ve been there too. And I can’t remember the name either. I liked the area but wasn’t fond of the place I was living – Brambles Farm. Sounds lovely but didn’t quite live up to the name.
The name ‘Brambles Farm’ rings a bell but I don’t know Middlesbrough very well at all. The only bit I really every went to was the town centre.
Probably the best way…
😊
A good TV series, too
I never got round to watching it – I will put it on the list. 🙂
Worth doing
I really should get out of my viewing rut.
such a pretty picture and interesting. Fun to ride a Shetland pony
In the Residential Home where my father lived they used to bring one round the rooms to visit people – I was always worried it would tread on his feet. They also had reindeer but they weren’t practical for room visits! You had to go downstairs when they visited.
I would imagine you would worry about that but how special!
Yes, he used to enjoy the visits.
Yes, he always enjoyed the pony visits.
Thank you. I’m pretty sure i couldn’t ride a Shetland pony as my legs would probably reach the ground.
A beautiful but very windy set of islands.
I agree the photo is quite beautiful. Your links bring up many interesting things, and followed one to the Up Helly Aa festival, to which women are still not admitted.
I learned to ride on a Shetland pony. 🙂
I didn’t realise women were excluded. They let them vote so I don’t see why a fairly modern fancy dress parade would be able to exclude them.
Many things slip through the cracks. All one has to do is take look at what is going on over here on our side of the pond. 🙂
Beautiful photo, Simon. And interesting things about Shetland. The word brings “pony” immediately to my mind, but I knew none of the rest of it.
Thank you. There are so many interesting places I really mean to visit, and Shetland is one of them.