One of the routine ones is next week and is late so I can go to work and pick him but I got two of them moved to be on the same day.... today.
The first was in the morning and was the important one! He trotted in whilst I parked the car. He had been once by the time I got there.... his Blood Pressure and weight was fine but he had to have a urine test and see the Doctor. Luckily his test and exam was fine and he has been "released" from the clinic! We went for a little ride and then home for a sarnie.
With time to kill I got my hair cut! And then before the afternoon appointment we popprf to a local farm to get him some potatoes.
I dropped him at foot the clinic (we were early) and instead of joining I was dispatched into town. Now I have not been in Harlow Town centre for over 15 years. It has shall we say not improved with age.
If you think I am being snobby about Harlow then well I guess I am. When I was a lad it was a decent town centre. Great Market - I remember this toy stall that had a fabulous second hand selection of comics, lots of fruit stalls. This has all gone. There used to be a lot of big employers most of whom have left the town to be replaced by out of town shops. But my snobbish is more sorrow. My family are of what would have been called the working classes and yeah it was very aspirational. When I left school there were lots of good quality jobs which I don't see today. So snobbish? yes, I am disappointed that the town centre has lost lots of good shops and seems full of cheap shops and eateries (my Dad feels the same as to other members of my family who were brought up here) but for all of my snobbishness I recognise that it was a place that gave me a good start in life. I'm sceptical it will do the same for future generations but I do owe the place my thanks.
But as I was there I wandered to the Water Gardens.
Nowadays this means the shopping centre BUT for me this is the gardens built between 1960-63 to the design of Frederick Gibberd..... (you may remember I have visited his personal gardens a few times), You can read the Historic England feature about the Water Garden here.
So off we go.
Harlow likes its sculpture.....it does have a decent collection,
Now I have fond memories of the garden.... oh dear....
If you look at this article from the 20th Century Society you'll see the garden had much more space years ago.
Still I like the ducks! I loved seeing them when I went there as a lad. Dad always parked in a car park which meant we walked through the gardens.
If you look a the pic in the article the cars are much further away, the gardens had more space nowadays they are too crammed in. Check out this pic for more of what I mean.
But if I worked in Harlow it is STILL a decent spot to bring a coffee, a book and eat your lunch.
This is a Henry Moore and there is another in the building behind which is home to the Gibberd Gallery which maybe worth a look one day
Passed on route to the clinic
Outside the Clinic
I quipped on Facebook that the last time I was in Harlow Town Centre was 15 years ago so I'd be back about 2032 but I have fond memories of the Water Gardens so I may go back in Summer in better light and go around the Gallery.
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