Going to Bristol (Fiction word count: 150)
Hey baby, guess what?
Boss is sending me to Bristol.
I can stay three extra days with a generous personal spending fund.
Want to come?
“No thanks.”
Are you sure?
“I have THREE to-do lists combined into one. I’m a sit-in judge for Perka, and need to prep for Uncle B’s visit. Ugh
Awe….. Okay….
Can you bring me back a Stetson hat?
Or maybe a Bailey hat from Blakley-Micthell?
Honey, I’m not going to Bristol, Virginia!
Oh?– Is it that frigid Bristol — in New Hampshire?
No, England!
Hold up. Did you say England?
Yes.
I’m writing about the defunct Hewlett-Packard, which split into two companies in 2015.
Quick photo shoot – then writing about the tenets of the HP Way: employee respect, teamwork, integrity, yadda….
I’m coming too!
But what about the lists, and the Per-–
THAT CAN WAIT!
Call me later tonight to go over the itinerary….
.
.
.
This is to join in with What Pegman Saw, which is a weekly challenge to write a fictional piece (150 words or less) using the location provided.
This week, Pegman went to Bristol, England (here) and seeing that there are many different cities named Bristol – I decided to have a little fun confusing the destination with two Bristols that are near my hometown.
Did you know….
Bristol, Virginia claims to be the birthplace of country music? They have a museum and many people like to bring home a nice Stetson (or different item) from Blakley-Mitchell.
And…
Bristol, New Hampshire, with less than 3,000 residents, is a scenic New England town located near the southern portion of Newfound Lake, the fifth largest lake in the State of NH. The New England town was named “Bristol” because the large deposits of really fine sand and white clay were similar to “Bristol sand” (in England) and was used to make American pottery and fine china.
And…
The Bristol, England is one of the UK’s most popular tourist destinations. Bristol has a green belt with beautiful nature, was ranked as Britain’s most sustainable city (based on its environmental performance, quality of life) and is one of England’s top-six science cities (which includes HP Labs here). And in my fiction piece, these two travelers will be dining at The Cadbury House, which is where my photo ties in, and this is a “300-year-old timber-framed pub with a reggae soundtrack, pub games, an open fire and walled garden.” Also, This Bristol hosts the annual International Balloon Fiesta, which is Europe’s largest gathering of hot air balloons (with over 130 Hot Air Balloons).
Great story! I think I’d have the same reaction, having never been to the UK. Although I just checked the weather for both and it’s within a few degrees of the same temperature right now. Great to see you on Pegman.
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Hi K, well let’s pretend this takes place on a nice late spring day – summer is almost here and the weather is ideal – and you can come to because they have extra seats in coach – lol
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Great story and the bit about the three locations makes it
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thanks BB (and hope Bestie is healing)
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Another 3 weeks before the plaster comes off. Going well so far thanks Yvette
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whew – 3 weeks to go
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It’s seems like forever
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😦
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Great story. I guess every state has a Bristol. I’d go with Bristol, TN – Home of Thunder Valley Raceway. Then again, you’re closer to Pomona, so I can understand skipping that 😉
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Hi D – maybe it is almost like “Springfield” – as I have heard there are many of those too.
and how cool that Bristol, TN – Home of Thunder Valley Raceway – and speaking of TN – doesn’t it seem like they would claim to be the home of country music – and not VA?
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I was thinking that too, but Virginia is a nice place.
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Hi D – and Virginia is a very nice place, but after many years of living here I am still a transplant. Maybe a sojourner – and I am very settled and content – but my true “most felt like at home” places were San Jose, CA and Denver, CO.
but it is what it is and many times (as in the case for me) we do our best to bloom where planted ….
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That was fun! So funny that you and Alistair went the same route but not!
There are so many towns/cities with the same names all over the planet, aren’t there?
I’d have finished up my work lickety-split too, in order to join him in England!
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I need to go and see Alistair’s post (I think I have two or three more to read)
and thanks for reading, Dale
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😁
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No wonder she was suddenly all ready for trip, a lot like me 😀 😀 I have always wanted to visit some parts of United Kingdom , but it’s still a bucket list 🙂
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Hi Ady – so maybe this was you in the story (JK)
and for me – there are certain places I would drop my to-do lists to visit…
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😀
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Dear Yvette,
My passport’s up to date. I wonder if I might tag along with them. Fun dialogue.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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yes – plenty of room if you do not mind riding coach
🙂
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It’s all about location! Though I’ve never been to Virginia or New Hampshire either, so I’d probably go to those too.
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well yes, I guess it would be good to visit all three – if possible
🙂
thanks for reading
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Good stuff.
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thx
🙂
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Cool story, I would definitely go too 🙂
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go get packin’
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Oh, I’ll go to Bristol in England. Even the photo looks more attractive to me than the other two! Clever story, Y!
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thanks for reading, Miriam
🙂
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You’re welcome!! 🙂
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and I will go with you – 🙂 we can dine and explore the arts and green beltway
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That would be lovely. I have friends who go on trips with their girl friends. I’ve never done that. It may be something I’ll try to do, one day!
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🙂
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🙂
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Obviously they want to come if it’s the Bristol in merry England 🙂 Fun story!
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thanks….
and yes — of the three the England one is my top choice
🙂
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Well, speaking as an adopted Bristolian, you’re all very welcome whenever you want to pop over! It is most definitely a lovely place to live – I adore the place, though the traffic is a nightmare 🙂
Great story and some lovely Bristol based facts too – I like the look of Bristol NH. We could do a cultural exchange 🙂
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Thanks fo r the feedback – and I bet the traffic is tough at times – that happens with such nice places – so I guess we just get used to it – and I will let you know when I set up the trip – ha h
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Bristol is a very popular place to live – the house prices over the last few years have risen quicker than those in London! Happy trails
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that always happens to nice tourist places – prices go up…
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Very, very true.
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🙂
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Ha but of course the lists can wait 😀 Nice fun and relatable piece
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thanks – and the word relatable stood out
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And I believe it isnt even a word! 😀 It was underlined red but I went ahead anyways or is that what you mean?
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oh no- I meant it stood out because it was succinct and was actually one of those dense kind of words that says so much – and you are really good at giving feedback – in my view – sometimes you write long and from the heart with some umph – other times a few smiley faces or a word or two is quite fitting – and then other times you have a dense sentence – like that one – that says so much
and “relatable”
was a word that said “down to earth, and can relate over here and so nice job”
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Aww you are a dear🌷🌷🌷🤓💕
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🙂
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Enjoyable read! But wait for me for my passport is up to date and I might want to tag along. The more the merrier. 🙂
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so glad you can come – woo hoo
and to see what we are in for –
Nina’s Travel blog recently featured Britsol:
https://wordpress.com/read/blogs/18315703/posts/11716
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Awesome! I’ll visit the link now. 😊
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You made me laugh because I’m off to Bristol on February 9th to meet my friend for the day!
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well have fun and looking forward to any photos you might share 🙂
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Fun piece, Yvette. I only know the English Bristol, so it was nice to hear about the American one. No ‘to do lists’ for me. I take life as it comes. 🙂
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well I guess there are 35 places internationally named bristol – but England’s city is the largest of them all
– and what nice MO Sylvia –
to take it as it comes 🙂
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My parents were racing fans. (Well, I guess they still are.) While I’ve been (dragged) to Bristol many times, I’ve yet to see the one in England. I’d pack up, too 🙂
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how cool -and I have only just now heard of the bristol TN (with your and Dans comments) and so I looked it up – there are “35” places internationally with the Birstol name ands in the US – PA and Wisconsin have two towns/cities named Bristol – but overall – the england one if the largest –
but I bet the Tennessee one has great energy when the races are in town. Anytime we have visited or lived in cities with Raceways – it has been fun and a special kind of energy – ya know?
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Well, since I live in the home of the Indy 500, yes, Iol, I do know 😉
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I’ve never been to Bristol, but I’ve been to Oklahoma. Okay, I’m paraphrasing a Three Dog Night song, but the moody resonance made me do it!
I love the story!
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thanks for reading….
and thx for the intro to a new song – it was cool…
“Well, I’ve never been to heaven
But I’ve been to Oklahoma
Well, they tell me I was born there
But I really don’t remember
In Oklahoma, not Arizona
What does it matter?
What does it matter?”
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Haha!
My work here is done.
🙂
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🙂
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Haha! I really enjoyed this story🙌🔥well done! God bless! Xx
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thx
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No problem😋
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