Scavenger Hunt 3495

View from a bench.

Where I live isn't exactly picturesque but I am lucky to be less than half a mile from Valence House, a Tudor manor. The huge tree is a tulip. It's a place I love to visit so a photo from the bench was a pleasure.

The oldest sell-by date.

Having had the contents of my kitchen cupboards decimated in the Big Clean of 2019, I was surprised and strangely pleased to find the one that got away!

Me with another Rebel.

No brainer- me and my bestie. This is us searching for weird stuff in a charity shop.

A painting or statue of a Rebel PL.

Graffiti mural of Freddie Mercury in West Ham.

A rude or funny place name.

Away for a couple of days in Suffolk, I found out that a section of the B1036 is called Dragarse Hill, as a reluctant criminal was dragged naked up the hill to the gallows. Shocking story, but a great name. Sadly, our detour and cruising up and down the hill ended without an actual signpost. As my bloke pointed out, if it existed, it would probably get nicked!

Then the bestie and I twatted about in Stratford, rode Boris bikes to Celebration Avenue and posed with Heroes. We were giddy with excitement and persuaded ourselves it was amusing.

A creepy toy.

Julie reckons it's cute.

Weird find in a charity shop.

Giant dummy, fixed (badly) with gaffer type. Prop? Pinata? Who knows?

Coin minted this year.

I thought this would be easy but failed.

The word rebel on a sign.

A ridiculously long drive to find this coffee shop. It was bloody shut.

A scarecrow not scaring a bird.

This is an urban scarecrow and is scaring no birds because there are no birds that want to be there. Pointless!

Random medal or trophy.

This gold NARA medal was won by W Parry in 1904. NARA (National Amateur Rowing Association) was started in 1890 for working class men who, by the nature of their manual occupations, were not allowed to join ARA (I'm sure you can work it out). I don't know who W Parry is or why this medal is in my family but will keep him in mind when I next work on my family tree.

Most expensive food in a supermarket

Not the world's most expensive supermarket but this was the dearest thing I found in Morrisons.

Cheapest food in a supermarket.

Without going down the "weigh a sprout" route, I checked out tinned and dried goods.

A traffic sign featuring an animal.

Thank you, rural Suffolk.

Non-scarey dog.

Meet Polly, my very soppy nose-licker.

1980s tech

1990s tech

Another charity shop photo.

2000s tech

I think this is noughties.

Most multicoloured item.

Saw this building when driving through East London, Plaistow, I think. I was really struck by its colourfulness until I actually counted and realised it's nowhere near the most colourful item but it's definitely the most colourful building.

Something for under 99p.

Oldest possession

I started thinking of childhood toys, shifted to antiques then had my Eureka moment and snapped a fossil. I believe it to be millions of years old.

Biggest and smallest keys

Had a plan - take a photo of my suitcase key next to a lock key on my recent canal trip. Had a fab time but totally forget to snap the keys. So my chub and suitcase keys will have to do.

Something stolen

Love a Mr Benn moment the morning after the night before. This was the table number at a fun cabaret night out, celebrating my retirement.

Something naughty

Thanks to Julie for reminding me of this excellent pen.

Something fake

I had an absolute love affair with London 2012 and have quite a collection of stuff around the house and in my loft. This is the only fake in my collection.

Something homegrown

Thanks to the Scavenger Hunt, these apples have been spared the indignity of falling from the tree and rotting where they land. These were later transformed into lovely little tartlets.

Nearest defibrillator

Third time lucky. Local sports centre has one but it's in the office. Saw a parked fire engine and theirs was in for repairs. This is truly accessible, being on the outside of a community centre.

A leprechaun by a wishing well

I know where there is a wishing well but I'm short of leprechauns.

A ladybird

Having spent a few days in the countryside, I felt sure I'd find a ladybird but this little glass one I picked up at a boot sale was the nearest I came.

A chicken crossing a road.

I thought a weekend in the country would allow me to nail this. No such luck. Back home in my urban hellhole, my only hope is to photograph a teen wandering the streets with their fried chicken. I lurked but no luck. It will be a different story when the schools go back.