Under the wing of the Eagle

I was very pleased to have reason (and support) to go to the Spread Eagle last night, I have often walked past and thought that it looked like a decent place, but it also seemed to have almost exclusively male customers.   In many, many ways I am pleased that women now have equal rights and status here, but somehow going into a pub alone as a woman is quite hard.   I know I will attract attention, and I always fear that some of it may be unwelcome.   Most people are friendly, accepting and just too concerned with their own problems to want to be a problem for anyone else, but there are sufficient exceptions to want to make sure that I avoid them.

It is difficult to tell the character of a pub without going in, and of course by the time you are in it could be too late, still, know that CAGS were meeting there it was never going to be too bad.   I had a very nice evening, as I said yesterday it was a good interesting meeting, but on a lower level the staff were all very friendly, and the ladies loo is exceptionally nice!   Although the bolt was broken on one door of one of the stalls, it was very clean, smelt nice and had a bunch of fresh flowers.   I find that all very encouraging and I think I may well go back.

When I got home I found I was out of bread so popped next door to Tesco's to get some, the cashier recognised me and we had quite a nice little chat.   It quite made my evening, and I hope that a friendly exchange made her shift drag a little less.   The more I go out the friendlier and more accepting I find people to be, maybe this is a factor of my fear level lowering, or maybe people really are nice.

Tomorrow (Wednesday) morning I have meeting with a local Council when I shall have to put on a suit and tie, I am considering wearing my new trouser suit.

The jacket is a little longer than is usual, but I think with a collar and ties and the right shoes I may just "get away with it"