It's strange how some libraries are much better set out and more welcoming than others.
Even today when so many groups and so many activities take place in a library, there is a considerable difference between them.
Some staff give you a cheery good morning or good afternoon as you go through the doors, others ignore you. Some libraries are modern and filled with light, others have a musty feel.
Of course I'm biased towards my home library in Hethersett as I'm on the Friends body which holds talks and presentations. We have numerous groups meeting there including a Lego club, knit and natter and adult colouring group. Now our library is extra busy because it includes the village post office which brings in many people throughout the week.
Wymondham Library is another of my favourites, being a modern building and of course in Norwich we have one of the best libraries in the country in the shape of the Forum which apparently is the most visited library in the Britain.
My latest visit was to Holt Library. Not one of my favourites to date. There was nothing going on. When I visit a library I want an area where you can sit in a comfy chair and have a read. There was nothing like this in Holt, although there was a large round table with formal chairs just inside the entrance. There were plenty of computers available but once again the chairs were uncomfortable. This wasn't a library to visit regularly or to relax in and I can't see myself returning any time soon.
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I love weirdness in all its many manifestations. I love it even more when you come across unexpected weirdness. And so it was on our latest trip to North Norfolk.
After a morning of watching England Ladies get through to the semi finals of the world cup, we set off for Cley. It's a good job that England are without a number of key players otherwise it would all be over already.
Now I have gone on about the vehicles parked in Cley so often that I'm in danger of becoming a bore (no comment please). There is no reason for parking in the narrow streets because there is a large car park at the village hall which is free. That's where we park where we are no trouble to anyone.
I must admit we pushed the boat out a bit ( not literally of course) by buying lunch from two delis. The first was a smokehouse where we got a smoked prawn and potato salad and the second a picnic shop where we bought a cheese and red onion tart. We ate them on some benches at the back of Cley Windmill. We then stopped at the Harnser Hotel/restaurant for a coffee.
Virtually every time we are up in North Norfolk we drop into Salthouse Church. I have written before about the distinct possibility that some of my maternal ancestors lived and farmed and fished on the land there and one of my ancestors has scratched his initials on one of the choir stalls.
There's usually an art exhibition of one kind or another and this was the case at the weekend. The art was a touch weird but more than a touch weird was the music.
I'm not quite sure how to describe it. I suppose electronic house would be the closest. There was one guy with a bank of electronics and another with a live double bass or giant's violin as it might be called.
The guy with the bank of electronics looked to be a gentleman of a certain age and was wearing a red jumpsuit and highly colourful shirtl. The double bass player was also a gentleman of a certain age as well. I admired their guts and after an initial chuckle actually enjoyed the rhythmic quality of their music. Up in North Norfolk a little weirdness goes a long way.
Hopefully you will enjoy a few of the photos taken at Cley and Salthouse and I snuck in a couple of videos of the music. Hope they come out ok.