I got a very welcome invitation to go see my grandchild Ollie’s final performance at his Junior School (playing Jim-lad in Treasure Island). The family live in Ware, Herts SG12 and the map was house-free; no houses had been added in Ware at all. That was going to change!

The invitation was last-minute (the performance was the following day) and I wanted to look my best. The folks that did my hair were at the bottom of Donkey Hill, whilst I lived at the top. It was 30℃ heat, but this was important, so I walked down to them. The shop was still there, and so was all the equipment, but none of the staff. They had moved to Albany House Day Service (up and over the hill & across the ridge then halfway down the other side).

When I got to Albany House they eventually told me that the hair folks only attended on Wednesdays (the day after the performance). I trudged back up the road to a hairdresser on Gordon Road. Lou (next door) told me that she only attends by appointment. I was now seriously cheesed off.

By this point I was on a mission. My next-door neighbour Ruth was worried by my request, but agreed to use my shaver to give my scalp a #3 buzz-cut. It’s what I use to give my beard a #1 trim. It’s not really designed for head-hair, but at 66 I don’t have too much left up there anyway.

Ruth did the best she could with an imperfect tool. Then I made my mistake: I had a chat with the neighbour opposite. He turned out to have the proper commercial shaver (from Argos, he said) and offered to “level the uneven cut”. Like the fool I am, I agreed; he shaved me, but without using any spacer (it was a #0 trim). I realised only afterwards when I saw the spots of blood on my scalp. Oh dear.

The following day was 34℃ heat and the air-con in the car clearly needs a service. My grandchildren & daughter-in-law-ex were amused by my scalping. Naturally, Ollie was fantastic in his lead role.

It was far too hot to do any surveying, but I did some anyway. An 82-year-old lady that I met told me that the area where they live was called King George Fields (and was all fields) between the last 2 wars. She was born into a recently-built house. George V was King & Emperor (6 May 1910 — 20 January 1936) of ⅓ of the peoples of the Earth, and the roads, the park & the allotments were named & dedicated after him. In fact, even the local Postbox is from his era (‘GR’: “George Regina”) (although the local Post Office is long gone):—

A hundred+ houses now decorate the map within Ware, and will be extended as/when/if I get more invitations.