BBC News, 6 February 2025:

Ten abnormal loads with a combined weight of 520 tonnes will be moved through a county.

The cargo, which weighs the equivalent of 74 African male elephants, is set to be moved to and from Sizewell C, in Suffolk, at various times between 09:00 GMT and 15:00 on Thursday.

— Ten Abnormal Loads —

Assorted busts of Cecil Rhodes
And crates of pulped Da Vinci Codes
Then five full tanks of midwife toads

Used to carting spuds and beets
Lorries lurch through Leiston streets
While schoolkids check their I-Spy sheets

Massive matching French commodes
An Aga that was John Torode's
Plus broken china shipped from Spode's

They know the drill from "A" and "B"
Thus locals cheer each HGV
That's gone to fill in Sizewell "C"

Traditional Norwich Road shops on a Saturday pick-up from my long-time chauffeur. Thought: perhaps I should offer to drive one day? That aside, we're off just before midday and I'm promptly scrambling around trying to recall the name of that unvisited place I found online yesterday, somewhere towards the bottom of the A140. Ah, got it, I say: head north.

I confess that I'd already eaten out earlier that day on a breakfast bike ride with another mate (thanks for your comments) where we ended up at The Milk Shed, still good with new management. Hoping to generate some appetite on this journey. Right at the Earl Stonham dip and surely all roads lead to Stonham Barns? They do and they don't since we fly down the Crowfield Road to find the Woodfarm Business Centre. Brief wait for someone to reverse before we can secure a spot and locate Woodfarm Cafe, nestled among other units towards the rear. Says the sign: "Much more than just great coffee. Open 7 days. Eat in or Take out. Dog friendly". Kudos for the lack of exclamation marks and largely lower case.

Couple of plain rooms inside, the first with a table crying out for us to sit. Pleasantly functional menu with breakfasts, sandwiches, salads, et cetera. I've already ordered my jacket with tuna mayo (Andy with the all day breakfast bap, naturally) when the nice lady who, I think, has recently taken over, handwrites "lasagne with garlic bread" on the blackboard above our heads. Currently cooking, she says; it'll be good. As Kurt said, Nevermind: I very much enjoyed my spud with lightly dressed salad. Quite the sight watching my travelling companion attempt to deal with a generously filled bap.

From what I can gather they've progressed from snacks for the business centre folk to being open to one and all including the likes of us. And, at the time of writing, open seven days a week! That deserved an exclamation mark. Do we need anything else? I very much had my eyes on that almond croissant until Andy opted for it, forcing me to switch to the rocky road, both rather good. Ahead of the Parkinson's Ping-Pong, my post-surgery pal had both variants of chai tea on offer -- one turmeric, one spice -- leaving me with a surprisingly great flat white. I should have believed that sign.

If it was a car -- Crow Elkhart 35.
If they were passing by -- Bill Skarsgard.

If your sandals and hairshirt combination are doing you in after walking the dusty Franciscan Way into Ipswich town centre, there's plenty o' snacking options where that surface car park meets The Saints. To the left up St Nicholas St, we find Cafe Myra and St Nicholas Sandwich Shop. To the right down St Peter's St, there's On The Huh then Applaud opposite what's now Harvest Moon and what was Hullabaloo.

Several of the above are closed this particular Thursday, the first working day of 2025 (if man is still alive). Furthermost unit on St Peter's Street, however, is open and home to Another Bowl, in the window of which sits a chap with a hat. I grab the lower seat opposite and Andy observes that he is Greg Davies to my Alex Horne; I'm happy with that. I've been here befofe, I say, but let's deal with that in a later section.

Visit on 02-Jan-2025
Occasional site of staff down the corridor. Eventually we head upstairs to where the action is, passing a sign reading Hot Girls Eat Acai Bowls. Unmissable posters of printed lyrics from Bohemian Rhapsody, Rapper's Delight, etc. Handed menus, we're advised to head downstairs to place our order. Come to Another Bowl, you have to have a bowl, yeah? For Andy, the large acai bowl with frozen acai and granola. I choose kiwis and blueberries as his two fruits. For me, the large sunrise bowl with mango, banana and coconut water. Still not sure what agave actually is. Bowls delivered and they look a treat. First, though, our assorted ginger shots. Andy's first taste is reminiscent of the "fox poison" vodka scene in Gavin & Stacey. Boy oh boy. Those bowls are full of good things.

Visit on 21-Dec-2024
Around 3pm I'd come off my bike on the River Gipping cycle path. Think front wheel stuck in a gap. Scraped myself off the tarmac feeling a little sore then carried on with some Xmas shopping. Adrenaline was wearing off while nursing a large latte in Caffe Nero. Didn't stop me ordering something from the fab Too Good To Go app. Cycling to collect my stuff from Another Bowl was a wee bit painful. I may have said as much to the nicely sympathetic young woman behind the counter. It's me ribs, I said. Really sorry to hear that, she said, but enjoy your bowls.

If it was a car -- AMC Pacer.
If they were passing by -- Ella Mills.

Cornhenge appeared, so monolithic
Engineered and Mizulithic

Footman's foursome
Plinths uncharming
Brutal, awesome, anti-calming

Gollum's gateways slim as Shady's
Columns daubed with gnomic text
Here one solstice, gone the next
Now blessedly recalled to Hades

— winter solstice entries for 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021

Another Saturday, another savoury sojourn. Swished by Needham Lake, home to the Duck & Teapot, before a sharp and scrupulous left under one of the most bashed bridges in the county. Man, that's one low bridge. Asked Andy to (nearly Christmas) pullover outside Ye Olde Poste Office to drop off an eBay parcel then doubled back, right into The Causeway and left into School Street. Every day's a learning day, amirite?

Here's the Needham Market community centre where outside stands a board for The Angel Community Cafe: Come In, We're Open. Must be related to the defunct Angel Coffee House, methinks. Nice halo over the capital A, by the way. Unusually it's a wait-to-be-seated establishment, and a welcoming woman weaves us to a distant table near a large gathering of assorted females celebrating not quite sure what. Menu has your sandwiches, your toasties, your salads, your wraps, and also your mains including seabass with new potatoes. Midday brunch calls, however, so from your breakfast section he orders the full English and me the breakfast wrap. Oh, and two teas, please. Very reasonable prices and loadsa locals calls to mind the neighbouring Claydon Community Cafe, still going strong.

First time here for the chauffeur whereas I was here on a puncture-tastic Saturday morning bike ride in the summer. Also been in the hall next door many a time for the annual Easter art fair: fair to say I've had more success as a punter than as an artist. Did I sell anything? Not as such. That aside, food's fab and presented with a smile. Generously sized teapot, note.

I've been watching my post-op calories, he says, and promptly orders the waffle dessert. On the wooden bar around the closed corner bar are arranged any number of sweet treats: blondie for me, thx. Those sugary treats: did we really Needham? Not half bad coffee on the side. Great service throughout from the engaging and efficient woman whose name I didn't catch; hopefully a great service or two from Andy at that afternoon's table tennis. I couldn't make it since attending a different art show at the Ipswich Sea Scouts. Sold nowt again. Like Vladimir and Estragon, we go on.

If it was a car -- Reliable used Toyota from Needham Autocentre.
If they were passing by -- Rosalind Scott.

Fully fifteen trips around the sun ago did the original light lunch trio partake of the Cake Shop Bakery at Woodbridge, back in the days when Andy was working and Grenvyle was with us. Forward four years and the extant pair slid down the pole into next door's Firestation for early veggie treats. Those buildings came up for sale in 2022 and, well, here we are again, happy as can be.

"New and invigorated but with ongoing work" applies both to Andy, not long returned from his Scandi noir surgery, and Brownbread, who acquired the old CSB premises. The latter's had the shop open since February 2024, their first actual store: NB they're Essex based and pop up at markets from Worthing to Walthamstow to Wymondham. Ipswich, too. Meanwhile Andy's popping a pantry-full of post-op pills including one made of Alien blood requiring the lucky recipient to stand up for half an hour. Talking of, let's take a seat, of which there's only half a dozen at present.

Too late for the breakfast rolls, alas, so that'll be hot soup (roasted parsnip, apple and honey) or a toasty for we two travellers. Pastrami with mustard mayo and onion jam for me, tack, and a four-cheese for Sgt Steroid. Handy window seats face the entrance to Gobbitt's Yard, once home to the fab Cooks Shed, and allow the fine folk of the 'Bridge to eyeball our foodstuffs. Toasties are delivered in tip-top style within greaseproof wrap in a branded box. Nice, and they very much are with a Fentiman's Cola on the side. Did Andy expect the Marmite with his dairy quartet? No, but he coped admirably.

Fancy a cake for dessert? Are ITFC in the Premier League? Yes to both, though hang on. That is what we in the computer business would term a large array; those pastries and slices and buns go on and on and on for at least four solid cabinets. With his new Worzel Gummidge deciding head, Andy picks the sophisticated spiced apple and almond cake. With my simpler brain, I go for the primary colours of the "kid's favourite!" rainbow cake atop the counter. Smashing sugar hit when paired with a really rather good macchiato. Those ongoing works are 'cos they're busy removing a door to add more seats, which is kind of what the Swedish chefs did to Andy. May both prosper.

If it was a car -- Porsche Macan from Browns of Maldon.
If they were passing by -- Tom Brown.

(visit the list of crinkle-crankle walls in Suffolk and view the accompanying Google map)