‘After The Fall’……..More From Swandro…….The Cairns Dig Diary…..
by Bernie Bell - 08:23 on 11 July 2025
After the Fall
My postlapsarian period
IAN MARCHANT
JULY 7
On Tuesday 1st July at approximately 4am, after struggling for almost an hour to get off the loo, I was walking along the corridor with the idea of going back to bed. My legs suddenly gave way and I landed on my back, hitting my head and shoulder on the way down. I lay there for 2 and a half hours while waiting for an ambulance, with Hilary and a kind friend trying to keep me comfortable (they didn’t). At 6:30 the ambulance arrived and the crew used very clever technology, a pump-up seat – invented in Presteigne, incidentally – to get me sitting up. Then they called the fire brigade, who were able to get me into a carry chair, and to strap me in so that it looked like a straitjacket, and then to lift me downstairs and into the ambulance. We arrived at Hereford County Hospital at 8:30am, into A&E and from there to Garway ward, which I later discovered is a geriatric ward, hoorah.
And here I still am, coming up to a week later. Bum.
Excitingly, while I’ve been here, publication of The Breaking Wave has got closer and closer. Later this week the full artwork will be available to view. Media interest is growing and the book is just about to go to the printers.
I’d like to say that I’ve dictated this to Hilary who is uploading it at home, but any mistakes are all mine. I can see comments on my phone (though the NHS wifi isn’t very fast) but wanted to share with you the exciting news that you can pre-order The Breaking Wave here today!
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More From Swandro….
https://www.swandro.co.uk/post/watts-in-a-name
True story - we know some folk named Twatt who at one time considered buying Twatt House in Twatt, but realised that their address would be….
Mr & Mrs Twatt
Twatt House
Twatt
Orkney
And decided against it.
The Council had problems with folk ‘nicking the sign. Their solution is to use wooden ones which aren’t as expensive to replace as the metal ones.
Judith Glue’s shop in Kirkwall does a roaring trade in Twatt signs, tea-towels, postcards etc.
‘The Orkney Experience’ ….
https://theorkneynews.scot/2018/08/17/the-orkney-experience-is-the-business/
….used to have a mock-up of the sign so that folk could have their picture taken with it….
Unfortunately, The Orkney Experience was one of the many victims of Covid – it closed and never re-opened.
I’ve strayed from archaeology a bit, but I maintain that archaeology is about people and life, and these tales relate to ....people and life.
Speaking of which …..
https://www.swandro.co.uk/post/bit-of-a-stony-day
It’s a long time since I’ve been on a ‘plane, and the food was an omelette which could easily be mistaken for a face-flannel!
And here we have, among other finds…”a shed-load of pottery”….
https://www.swandro.co.uk/post/alice-gets-greedy
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The Cairns Dig Diary….
https://archaeologyorkney.com/2025/07/07/cairns-d21-2025/
https://archaeologyorkney.com/2025/07/08/cairns-d22-2025/
This contains a most excellent aerial view….
https://archaeologyorkney.com/2025/07/09/cairns-d23-2025/
And this contains finds, finds and more finds!...
https://archaeologyorkney.com/2025/07/10/cairns-d24-2025/
Only one more week to go!
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