I arrived late, about 10 past 7, and the door was locked. But like a stage in a computer game I found the door to the lift, which wasn't locked. I pressed the button and a door mysteriously opened …
There was a longhaired lad talking to Stan, I waited until he'd finished his turn then went to speak to Stan myself. He was surprised to see me all the way from Wooler, he didn't realise I'd moved… He told me that the lad he'd been speaking to about erosion had come all the way from Newcastle for the talk, so I presumed this to be Hob, and I was right!

The talk was very Stan, wonderfully passionate and interesting. Some new pictures including Tayside stones.
The questions included some predictable ones about reasons for the markings, including imbibing hallucinogens. Other discussions about tools used and geographic location of rock art.
I saw a book I didn't have, on Durham and Yorkshire I think, from 1998. So I bought that and Stan signed it for me.
Future books mentioned were one by Stan about Kilmartin due this year, and the North Yorks one by Paul Brown and Graeme C.

Stan is on his way to Bristol tomorrow for a 'professional' Rock Art Conference. His honorary doctorate from Newcastle Uni is to be presented on 7th May.
I resisted the temptation to ask him to ask Clive W where he gets his body paints from.

We all left and Hob went to catch his train, he may be back home by Monday.

.o0O0o.