Happy New Year

Hey guys, welcome to the last day of the year! Its hard to believe that not only is Christmas over, but indeed the year! Our Christmas was quiet but lovely, a day spent opening presents and watching TV.....the most vegged out I've been in years.

Well, we have had a lovely week since Christmas - on the 27th  we went to see Frozen at the Red Carpet cinema. It was entertaining watching people trying to find their seats. It seemed like everyone (except us of course) was in the wrong seat. Till a grandmother came in with her grandchildren and announced LOUDLY....you're in our seats! At which point a lot of people had to get up and start moving. It was like musical chairs without the music! On my gosh, what an amazing film. We absolutely loved it, definitely going on my DVD wish list! The characters were great, as were the songs.

We popped into Derby to check out the sales, needless to say my first stop was Lush.....shock....the shop was empty, I had it all to myself, well for about 15 minutes! Oh what fun i had!! I did end up walking out with lots of lovely things including some solid perfume called Lust - it smells of jasmine....gorgeous! The main reason for the visit was to buy each others new years day presents - an Ivans family tradition. The rules are we buy them in the sales between Christmas and new year. Its fun looking for bargains, and thanks to Paperchase, I found some lovely presents for Mr Ivans. Derby was very busy,  guess everyone was out looking for bargains.

On Sunday we met up with friends we hadn't seen since July. It was great to catch up, and we ended up chatting for nearly 3 hours. We don't go to the Greyhound often, the place was packed. You wouldn't believe the queue at the carvery! One of our friends had opted for the carvery, where as the rest of us ordered from the menu. She didn't join the queue till our meals had started to come out, and I had finished mine by the time she came back!  The food was lovely, definitely somewhere we should go more often.

Yesterday we caught up with another friend for lunch and a visit to a local garden centre. We've managed to do something fun every day, and each morning I have woken up excited and looking forward to the day to come. I am a little sad that our Christmas holidays are rapidly drawing to a close, but at least we have made the most of them.

On that note my lovelies, I'd like to wish you a very happy new year. May 2014 be a wonderful year for all of us!

At last....Christmas Eve!

Well Christmas eve at last!! The last few days seem to have flown by in a blur of heavy rain and strong winds. Certainly seen some wild weather, and which has curtailed our plans to do much. So for us this was more a quiet week end rather than a heavenly week end! But its been nice to hang out at home, and its not like we haven't been out at all!

Yesterday we visited the Dobbies  Garden centre in Mancetter, always like going there to have a look around. The Christmas decorations have already been reduced! The place was very busy, especially the restaurant. Paul decided to treat us to a breakfast roll, seemed like a good idea - however they were horrible, so be warned!! Its probably the first time we actually came home without buying a thing.

Today we headed out to Barton Marina for brunch at the red Carpet Cinema, it was lovely to sit by the window and watch people come and go, By then the rain had eased up, the wind however hadn't. The food and drinks were lovely - I had eggs Benedict and a hazelnut latte. I guess we are lucky we went reasonably early cause we didn't have to wait long. In fact we had finished by 11.30am and were able to chill out and chat till it was time to head into the cinema. I know a friend commented on Facebook today about the poor and slow service at the red Carpet, and i have to say by the time we were leaving the cafe bar area it was getting pretty chaotic. The place was packed, they didn't seem to have enough staff on, and they are taking food orders and selling cinema tickets at the same counter. The staff seemed truly frazzled, and understandably so. Having said that, we had a good experience and from my point of view that is all the matters. After brunch we went to see Saving Mr Banks, which i have been wanting to see for ages. Wonderful film, really funny in places but also incredibly sad. It made me cry buckets! I don't think I will ever feel the same when I watch Mary Poppins. I did think Tom Hanks made a very good Walt Disney, though i suspect they made Disney seem way nicer than he actually is reported to have been. 

Sadly when we left the cinema it was raining again, and we got blown all the way back to the car! It was nice to get home and out of the bad weather. Its been a nice afternoon, we've watched Nemo, made Christmas decorations and just enjoyed out Christmas eve.

On that note, I would like to wish anyone who's had taken a moment at this busy time of year to come and read my blog a very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I hope you'll join me in 2014, for more Heavenly week ends x x x

christmas is coming!

Another week closer to Christmas, and the excitement is building. So far its been a lovely week end, last night we went out for Christmas dinner at the Chesterfield with our friend Rachael. This is really our only Christmas dinner this year and we'd been looking forward to it. The pub was busy and felt really christmassy, dinner was good - traditional turkey dinner followed by an untraditional chocolate and mint ice cream cake. It was nice to just kick back, pull a few crackers and enjoy the evening with a friend.

Today we headed to Lichfield, a friend had suggested it when i was looking for ideas about what to do at the weekend. We haven't been into Lichfield for quite a while, mostly put off by the extortionate  parking fees! But today it was worth it as there was so much going on. First stop was Costa's for a gingerbread latte, they make me feel so christmassy! From there we walked to the cathedral, there was a very good food and gift fair set up in the main part of the cathedral. And a lot of people wandering about. I loved looking around all the stalls and found some lovely ear rings and bracelets, as well as those we got some cheese, meringues and a few other things. There was live music inside the cathedral and outside stalls selling hot drinks, crepe's etc. Also in the cathedral there was an exhibition of nativity sets from all over the world, some were really beautiful and unusual. We also found a whole section of the cathedral was full of beautifully decorated Christmas trees. Each one was sponsored and decorated by a different business, charity or local school, the idea being to raise money for the cathedral to repair and replace the amazing stained glass windows which have had to be taken away due to the condition they were in. They are still several thousand pounds short of the amount they need to complete the restoration. We also found another craft fair at the Guildhall, and that too was well worth a visit. The great thing today was that there was free entry to everything, all we had to do was pay for parking.

After the cathedral we visited Erasmas Darwin's house, he is the grandfather of Charles Darwin, and a famous man in his own right. We looked around the house, had tea in their pop up tea room and had a go in their lucky dip (they were also raising money). There were all sorts of interactive exhibits there which were very entertaining. I got to draw Paul's silhouette, that was different!

whilst walking back to the car park we passed a family with a little girl wearing wellies, she jumped in a very shallow puddle and boy you should have seen the look of disappointment on her face when she didn't cause a tidal wave. I think she may well be scarred for life.....bless her!

Lichfield was very busy, never seen so many people about. But there was a great atmosphere, and we both enjoyed the day so much. Its made me feel very christmassy!! Over the course of the afternoon the wind really picked up and we almost gone blown all the way back to the car park. Strange weather we are having this year. But it was mild, and it never rained......so I am not complaining. So, truly the week end has been heavenly so far!

Donington Food and Drink Festival

Well, it really has been a heavenly week-end. On Saturday we were up bright and early to head off to the Donington Food and Drink Festival. We decided to do this instead of the Good Food show at the NEC. I am SO glad we did, the tickets were much cheaper, the parking was free and it was so much easier to get too. We were there before 10am so had to queue outside for a short while before they opened the doors. Once inside the crowds dispersed and we were able to amble about looking at the various stalls. It wasn’t as big as the Good Food Show, but I liked the atmosphere better. There were plenty of stalls to look around, so we got to sample all kinds of beer, wine, vodka and whiskey – as well as champagne with real gold flecks in it!! How posh is that! Of course there was food, the usual cheeses, cakes, sausages etc. We really didn’t need to eat lunch, it was a lovely way to spend the day! There were also a few stalls selling gifts….but shucks….no free samples at these.

One of the highlights of the day was the cookery demo’s, we saw 4 over the course of the day, 2 by Rachel Green who was very entertaining, one by someone who’s name I can’t remember and one with Paul Hollywood….woo hoo, he’s adorable. He’s obviously a very popular guy as there were real crowds for his demo’s!!! I’ve never actually watched The Great British Bake off but I think I may well do so next year. We stayed till about 4pm before deciding to head home. We drove home thru the most beautiful sunset, the perfect end to the day.  When we got home and I spoke to my mother on the phone, she was quick to fill me in on all the scandals involving Paul Hollywood – bless her!!

The next food festival is at Hardwick Hall in June, and I am looking forward to it already. I see the beginnings of the perfect birthday week end forming! And for sure we’ll be back at Donington next year.

christmas comes to derbyshire

After a long and rather stressful week, the much anticipated week end had arrived. For us the week end started on Friday evening when our friend Rachael came over for the evening. Its a tradition to decorate our Christmas tree together. So after something to eat, we got the tree done. It was so lovely to unpack all our pretty angels and fairies, like meeting up with old friends again.The tree looks so pretty! The rest of the evening was spent playing charades, eating trifle and chatting. Doesn't get better than that does it?

On Saturday we headed off to Derby, as usual our first stop was Lush! People may tease that i have become an addict.....and i guess i have. But i love the whole experience, the theatre, the amazing scents and mostly the wonderful Michelle. She brings everything to life with fabulous descriptions of everything, and the opportunity to dive in try the products. I came away with a Cinders bath bomb and a Godiva shampoo bar which smells of jasmine and is so gorgeous! The freebies are always an added bonus too!! I finally dragged myself away, and we had a wonder around Westfield, the place was busy.....guess its to be expected at this time of year. Next stop was the Babington Arms for lunch, it was nice to tuck ourselves away in a corner with a Christmas panini and a drink! After lunch it was off to the Christmas market, it actually wasn't very big. But still nice to have a walk around. There were several stalls selling jewellery, but it was all out of my price range, I'll just save myself for Claires! 

After leaving Derby we headed to Markeaton Garden Centre, a tweeny little place tucked away near the park. A colleague at work had recommended it, so we went to check out the Christmas decorations. Of course once we saw them, we had to buy a couple, and we really don't need any more!! But they were lovely.   Next door to the garden centre is a farm with a cute tea room. We stopped for a cup of tea, it was a lovely place and would have been an  oasis of tranquility had it not been for an appalling behaved child who cried sulked and pulled her sisters hair, while her father seemed oblivious?? I am sure we will go there again, but i may peek in the window first to make sure the demon seed isn't inside!!

The rest of the week end has flown by in a blur, as always! We called into town to do the grocery shopping, i was tired of feeling like Old Mother Hubbard!! We decided to treat ourselves to a latte at Costa's - considering how expensive it is, the place is always packed! But i felt in need of a little treat.....a gingerbread latte....ooh, it was so nice. 

And now its much later and we're watching Love Actually - AGAIN!! Oh how i love this film! I never get tired of watching it, and it always manages to make me laugh, cry and ask.....WHY?? With it only being Dec 1st, i am sure we ill watch it again! Its been such a lovely week end, filled with happiness and anticipation of a wonderful Christmas

to come.

A quiet week end!

The week end again, and we decided to keep it local for a change! On Saturday morning we headed into Burton to have a look around the shops. Have you noticed how busy they are at this time of year! I am truly glad my Christmas shopping is all done. After a trip up the A38 to Lichfield to get our hair cut, we headed off to Barton Marina to visit the Craft market. I am so glad we went, it was great! There were way more stalls than usual, and also a much better selection of stuff for sale. The past time we went it seemed to be a total cup cake fest! There was lots of jewellery for sale....oh joy!! One of the stalls had a great selection of themed jewellery - Harry Potter,  The Hunger Games, 50 Shades and best of all Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz. I think i may have been their best customer of the day. 

Despite it being a cold day, we went for a walk around the lake. A mother and daughter were feeding the ducks, all was going well till a huge swan appeared on the scene convinced the bread was for him. He was bigger than the child, and extremely pushy!! Mother and child beat a hasty retreat!

Today we went to Byrkley Park, it was very busy! I love to visit the garden centres at this time of year to check out all the decorations. So many to choose from, and this year we found lots of angels.....not that we need anymore! We stopped at the cafe to enjoy their special offer, a mince pie and tea for 99p - would have been rude not too. I would love to know what the inside of the grotto was like though, there was quite  a queue of parents and children outside waiting to visit Santa, but it looked kind of -blah- from outside, really not decked out in festive attire. I hope the inside was more magical. 

Just over a month to go till the BIG day, and i am so excited! This afternoon we have embraced the Christmas spirit by watching Christmas movies and drinking mulled wine. Does not get better than that! I am never really ready for my week ends to end, they never seem long enough. But i am looking forward to the month ahead, at least the Saturdays and Sundays -  because whatever we do, they are always filled with joy!

Beautiful Bath

Firstly, maybe you should go and make a coffee….or perhaps a tea. Then when you are sitting comfortably, let me take you on a journey!

On Saturday we started the day with a lovely breakfast courtesy of the Holiday Inn Express, very nice selection of hot and cold food available at the buffet. So after refuelling we set off for Bath, much less complicated!!! It was a short drive to the Park & Ride, and from there we hopped on a bus to the city centre. It’s a busy Park and Ride, and the buses were leaving full! 

On arriving in Bath the first thing I wanted to do was visit the Jane Austen Centre.  I had wanted to do this last year, but having spent a large part of the day at the Roman Baths, there just wasn’t time. The admission is quite steep, so be warned! But it is interesting, and if you are a Jane Austen fan then it’s a must. First there is a talk by one of the staff dressed in period costume, these last about 15 minutes and take place on the hour, twenty to the hour and twenty past the hour. After the talk we were free to wander around the rest of the centre at our own pace. It’s not a huge place, but interesting! At the end there is the opportunity to dress up in costumes if you wish too. Plus as you leave there was a big plate of little biscuits to try, apparently these were made from a recipe from Jane’s time. Be sure to try them if they are there, they were good! The gift shop is full of interesting things, and i bought the most beautiful necklace that pays homage to Austen's Mr Darcy.

After leaving the Jane Austen Centre, we had a coffee then set off to explore the beautiful city. For any of you that have never been, you should try to visit at least once. There is so much history, just look around you at the buildings as you walk past! The architecture is wonderful, there’s something interesting to look at everywhere you go. Besides the Jane Austen centre, there’s The Roman Baths, the Abbey, The Royal Crescent and probably a lot of museums etc that we never discovered.

A place that is well worth a visit is Sally Lunn’s House, there is now a tea room there which you can’t miss because there is always a long queue of tourists outside waiting for a table. It’s a very quaint building, and worth a visit if the queue isn’t too long and you accept the fact that the tea and buns are going to be over priced! However, what a lot of people don’t know is that there is the teeniest museum down stairs in the basement area, where you can learn a little more about Sally Lunn, and also buy her famous buns!  According to the Sally Lunn web site - Legend has long been certain that a young Huguenot refugee – Solange Luyon – came to Bath in 1680 after escaping persecution in France. She found work in the kitchen of the bakery in the street known in those days as Lilliput Alley, and originally sold the baker’s wares from a basket in the lanes around Bath Abbey. But Solange – who, due to her colleagues unfamiliarity with French pronunciation, became known as Sally Lunn – had arrived in England with a unique skill to share. She began baking a rich, generous brioche bun similar to the French festival breads that she would have been so familiar with before she fled France. And a final note about Sally Lunn’s, the lady in the little museum/shop likes to talk….a lot….and backing away towards the stairs doesn’t help! By the time we finally got away we knew her whole life story – bless her!

The shopping is great in Bath, no big shopping Centre, but lots of interesting little side roads, and all the major chain stores you could possibly hope for. It is worth taking the time to also walk down to the river to see the famous Pulteney Bridge and the weir. Pulteney Bridge crosses the River Avon. It was completed by 1774, and connected the city with the newly built Georgian town of Bathwick. Again, there is a lot of history in this area and the architecture of the bridge is beautiful. If you walk across the bridge you’ll find lots of little shops, cafes etc (check out the cakes at the bakery!) This is where we found Thai on the Weir, a wonderful Thai restaurant where we stopped for a very late lunch. Make sure you head towards the rear of the restaurant, where there are tables overlooking the weir. Much nicer view than from the front of the restaurant.  The set lunch was delicious, and we were so glad we discovered the place. It was an adventure ordering drinks, and interesting to find that the Thai have no idea what shandy is! 

After lunch we headed back to the main shopping area, just to soak up the atmosphere of a busy pre-Christmas Saturday afternoon. Sadly though it was soon time to head back to the park and ride and start our journey home. Once again luck was not on our side, it seems to be everywhere we go, there are roadworks or accidents L On Saturday the M42 was closed completely at its junction with the M5, meaning we had no option but to carry on up the M5. I had visions of us being hopelessly lost in the middle of Birmingham on a Saturday night, but as luck would have it the M5 was deserted and the journey home via the M6 was not that bad, or that much longer.  We did stop at a service area for a comfort break and to refuel the car, whilst there I just happened to find the most amazing Anna Smith bag! It was fate, obviously meant to be mine!!

 

It’s been a great week end and one that I am sad is over. Bath is a beautiful city and I am already hoping that we can return soon. It’s one of those places that is easy to fall in love with. But be aware, one day will never be enough to take it all in.

The Mystery of the Missing Park & Ride

I was lucky enough to have Friday off work, and we had plans! We were up bright and early, and by 7.30am we were on the M42 and on our way to Bristol. The roads were surprisingly clear, and traffic moving along nicely. Everything was going well till we turned off the M5 for Bistol, our aim was to head for the Park and Ride. I had googled the details before leaving home and having seen a sign post we knew we must be heading the right way. However the Sat Nav kindly took us into the middle of a residential area and announced 'you have arrived' - the hell we hadn't!! After quite some time driving around, it became apparent we were not going to find a park and ride, so we decided to bite the bullet and just head into the city centre. That was easy enough, but we were in for a HUGE shock. Oh my god, the car parking was so expensive. We pulled into the NCP car park under the Holiday Inn, and were mortified by the parking charges, but you know what can you do.....you're there, and have no idea where else you could go. The sign posting  in Bristol

left a lot to be desired I have to say. I am sure if you're a local and know where you're going then its not a problem, but to a visitor its a nightmare. Anyway, having resigned ourselves to our fate, we popped into the Holiday Inn, and met the wonderful concierge Derek, he was amazing and very helpful. Considering we were not guests at the hotel, he went above and beyond. It was interesting to find out that as far as Derek knew there was no Park and Ride on that side of Bristol - the plot thickens!

The rest of the day was better, we had a coffee and took a few moments to compose ourselves then headed off to explore. We looked around Cabots Circus, St Nicholas's market and the Harborside. I have to say, I think Bristol is very expensive and that came as a surprise. But it was nice to experience somewhere new. The highlight of the day was having lunch at Za Za Bazaar, the place is amazing and apparently the biggest restaurant in the UK. It certainly is HUGE! Its a world buffet with food stations serving Indian, TexMex, far eastern food etc. Everything was delicious and plentiful. The best part was the desserts....oh my lord, they were to die for! Little mini lemon meringues, pannacotta's, banoffee pies, jelly in shot glasses, and little slices of cake.....heaven on a plate. SO if you ever go there, leave plenty of room for dessert!

We left Bristol late afternoon and headed to our hotel, the Holiday Inn Express just outside the city centre. It was really upmarket to our usual Travelodges!! It was a lovely comfortable hotel and there was a pub next door. So after checking in, we went to the Fox Den for a drink, we might have stayed for more....but that would have meant  taking out a second mortgage. We returned to the hotel for a quiet evening, and early night. Yes - the Ivans' are party animals!

A visitor from the Ice Age

Meet my new friend Sid! Isn't he a cutie, we valiantly rescued him from the ice age and brought him to live in Swad - what more could a prehistoric sloth ask for!  Paul got me Sid to cheer me up, and to keep me company on my drive to work. At least now i will have someone to talk too when i am stuck on the A38!

Today didn't start well, it was a lovely morning - beautifully bright and sunny, so we decided to head to Byrkley Park to check out the Christmas decorations. Sadly we only got half way through Barton, the road was closed due to the remembrance Sunday service and we were unable to go any further. I hadn't realised it was so near to 11am. Instead we headed back into Burton to do some shopping, like Old Mother Hubbard, all my cupboards were bare.....along with the freezer and fridge! While in town we decided to have coffee and i decided we should try somewhere we'd not been before. With this in mind we headed up to Cafe B - don't ask why but I've never been! When we got there the place was almost obscured by scaffolding, vans and men with long poles! I was convinced that they'd drop something on my head and that would be the end of me! We went off to Home Bargains and returned later, when we only had to contend with the scaffolding. I am glad we did, what a lovely place when you get inside. I love the way the place was laid out and decorated. Already looking forward to going back again at some point.

When we got home my personal colourist (aka Paul!) did my hair for me, he's really very good at it. Tho i wish he would stop trying to talk like a hairdresser! Glad to say my hair looks much better now! And i tried out my new nail polish, bright red with a glittery top coat that sparkles like diamonds when the light catches it. I almost feel ready to face a new week!

Share my trip to Loughborough

At last the week end, why is it sometimes it seems to take forever to come around. We woke up to a bright sunny day, so we were up early and off to Loughborough. Its a university town about a half an hour away from where we live, and somewhere we love to visit every once in a while. When we arrived we headed to Bojangles, a fabulous shop that sells beads, and all the fixings to make bracelets, necklaces etc. I could spend hours in there looking at all the stuff they have for sale.  We bought some antique chain, clasps and pendents. I was a very happy shopper! Next stop was the coffee shop next door. Its the first time we've been there, but not the last I am sure! The tea was nice and the toasted tea cake was even nicer! I think the place was called Goodliffes. I have to be honest, I know it started with a 'G' but that's all I'm sure of!

After our refreshments we had a walk around the town. Loughborough is one of the few places i know that still has a big Saturday market. Its also very popular and busy! Its fun to browse at the stalls, and people watch. A winning combination for sure. And for anyone that is into crafts, there are lots of interesting shops. And whilst wondering along the high street we discovered a Fair Trade craft fair in the town hall - how lucky was that! Right place, right time!

We had lunch at the Varsity, part of the Smith and Jones chain, which is currently in administration. Sadly our local Smith and Jones pub in Burton has recently been closed, but the Varsity is still going....for the moment. Its a shame, its a nice pub, and the food's cheap! We didn't buy much else, but it was still nice to get out and make the most of the day.

On the way home we passed the ruins of Grace Dieu Priory. One day i would like to visit the place, but i think it would have been too wet on Saturday. According to Wikapedia it was founded around 1235-1241 by Roesia de Verdon and dissolved in October in 1538. The priory is reputed to be the site of frequent paranormal phenomena, sometimes attributed to the priory's proximity to the Thringstone Fault, several lay-lines and some possible Pagan significance attached to the site.

Later in the day i decided to try out Lush's Starlight Starbright bath melt. Its smells amazing, and is the most glittery thing you can imagine. It looked like one of the Iron Fey has dissolved in my bath! I think it goes without saying that i am now glittering like one of the Cullens from Twilight! What fun!!

Paul's afternoon was also very productive, as he used some of the stuff we got from Bojangles to make me two necklaces. Do they not look amazing, i am thrilled with them! As you'll all know I love Alice in wonderland, and love this pendent.

Not a bad way to spend a Saturday, i just wish the time didn't just fizzle away at such an alarming rate. There are always so many things i want to do, and somehow there is never quite enough time.

the highlights of Swad - part 2

It recently seems like the Pipeworks has become the epicentre of Swadlincote. The amount of cars trying to park there at week ends and school holidays would prove that point. But hey, the day the Odeon opened, we knew Swad had 'arrived'!! 

 

On Thursday, i met my lovely friend Caroline and her son at the  Hungry Horse, now I know a lot of people rave about this place, but I've never had much luck there. Whenever Paul and i have been (which isn't often) there has been a long wait, once 90 minutes!! On Thursday there was a wait and when the food arrived, mine came first and finally the other two meals. Not ideal, and i have to say my lunch was mediocre.  However the wonderful company more than made up for that. I was delighted to meet Caroline's son, and so enjoyed our chat about Harry Potter, Percy Jackson and Atlantis. All i can say is that Andrew has excellent taste! 

 

There are also several garden centres in and around Swadlincote which make a pleasant diversion, especially at this time of year when all the Christmas decorations are out.  Paul and i recently discovered Chapmans Garden centre out near Rosliston Forestry centre. Its quite small compared to some other local ones, but they have a cute little coffee shop out back. In the summer we found it a lovely place to sit outside amidst the plants and trees, while enjoying a coffee. Its one of those places we're really glad we stumbled upon.

 

I've probably spent more time in Swadlincote this week than in the last few months, and its been enjoyable. Its made me think that we really should make more of an effort to stay local and enjoy what it has to offer.

The highlights of Swad......yes, really!!! Part 1

After our trip down to London and Kent, we decided to have a couple of days closer to home. It was nice to have a break from the traffic and the weather. We have lived in Swad for so many years, yet rarely go into town. So for us it was quite an adventure!! As we happened to be there on Thursday, we were able to visit the farmers market, its much smaller than the one in Bakewell, but still worth a visit if you are in the area. We sampled some cheese (and ended up buying some) and ginger wine. We got into an in-depth conversation with the stall holder about the virtues of brandy and Babychams, yes....very 1980's I know! For some reason he was convinced I came from a catering background - go figure!! It was fun looking around the market! I was meeting the lovely Caroline for lunch, but we still had time to kill and decided to have a wonder up the road to se where it went. And.....we discovered Sharper's Pottery museum. I am ashamed to say we hadn't been before. Its free and really interesting, certainly gave me a better understanding of Swadlincote. And it made me realise, I will NEVER be considered a local! C'est la vie! The museum has a lovely coffee shop, and that is somewhere we will go again for sure. they make the prettiest cappucino's! We really enjoyed our visit to the museum, so much so that we went back on Saturday. And worth mentioning, we were asked to complete a questionnaire to say what we thought of the exhibition upstairs. In return for doing it, they gave us vouchers for free coffees. Now, who can say no to a free coffee!

more than just a week end - Part 2

Wednesday the 30th saw us head down to Kent to spend the day in Rochester. I lived near here for several years before moving up to the Midlands, i know a lot of you will remember those days! Its was strange returning there for the day as a tourist when everything seemed so familiar. Though the shops and restaurants have changed, the roads and pavements are the same ones I have walked along so many times in the past. We visited the castle first, its been there since Norman times and has seen a fair amount of action over the years.There were not that many people there, which made it easy to explore the castle.
You can climb pretty much to the top, and the view from there is worth the climb.

next stop was the Cathedral. Another place I have been many times. Its a place to find peace and quiet reflection. Sadly the crypt was closed, but we walked around the  rest of the cathedral and admired the beauty. On leaving the cathedral, we had lunch at Ye Olde Arrow, we were the only ones in there a part from a man standing at the bar. What a shame, the food was wonderful!! After lunch we had a stroll along the high street, looking in some of the shops as we walked along. The highlight of the day was shopping for gypsy tarts!!! Woo hoo, i got two from different bakeries. For anyone who has never had one, they  are scrumptious!! And as far as i know they are only available in north Kent, i have never seen them anywhere else. They are so good, and worth driving to Rochester for, ha ha!! I was sad when we had to leave, who knows when i will next be

back there.

Rochester might be one of the smallest cities on the country, but there is a lot of history in the area, and its well worth a visit. Its a short drive from Bluewater, Dockside and Upnor castle. If you're ever in the area, don't miss it!

more than just a week end - Part 1

well another week end over, and as usual the week end and in fact the whole week has flown by. Its been a week of ups and downs, but in true Pollyanna style i am only concentrating on just the good parts! We had a wonderful day in London, it was so good to be back there again. We spent the morning in Camden Market, one of my favourite places! It was fun to look around, I got the most fabulous and brightly coloured bag you can imagine in Cyberdog. Paul thinks you can see it from orbit!! We had Chinese food for lunch, and enjoyed ambling around the the stalls. In the afternoon we went on one of the walks from the Histories and Mysteries books, it took us past the Haymarket, trafalgar sqaure and St Martins in the Field. We spent an hour or so at the National Gallery - so many beautiful paintings! From the gallery we walked over to Charing Cross road and had a drink at the Garrick Arms. What a lovely pub, it was nice to sip a cold drink and people watch. The walk finished near Covent garden, so we spent some time there. Its another of my favourite places. Finally we headed back to Charing Cross to get the train back to Penge. I do feel a little sad, as i don't know when we'll next get to spend time in the City.

to be continued......

Another Saturday, my favourite day of the week and no excuse for a lay in. We were up bright and early so we could head up to Bakewell for the monthly farmers. Its well worth a visit and was very crowded as usual. We both love to look at all the lovely local produce that's for sale. There are many stalls, selling all manner of stuff. We ended up buying lots - venison and cranberry pies, cheese, apple crumble, handmade chocolate - all the usual healthy stuff. Ho hum!!! The weather wasn't great, and there was a fine drizzle in the air all morning. But hardly something that was going to spoil our morning.

We didn't spend too much time in Bakewell itself today, but we did go to Lavenders for tea and popped in to look around the craft market. I think I must have some sort of internal radar for Alice in wonderland merchandise cause I found a really cute bracelet on one of the stalls. Made me day! I suspect the bracelet was made using a pendent, and I may well consider turning it back into one at some point.

And this afternoon I caught up with my lovely friend Lesley for coffee and cake at our local Costa's. Its always nice to see someone special, and just chill out over a skinny caramel latte! Its been a good day, luckily our Saturday's usually are.

Another week end, and I find myself thinking....where did it go?? By my standards this was a very quiet week end, after an exhausting week at work, I was too tired to do much of anything. However we did decide to have a trip into Derby. Not the most exotic location I hear you cry!  Maybe not, but half an hour in Lush whisked me away on a voyage of discovery accentuated by the heavenly scents of faraway places- making this a most heavenly week end. The joy of Lush is being able to try the products, to get your hands in bowls of warm water and experience the luscious soaps, scrubs and bath bombs. Its so easy to close your eyes and drift away on a magical journey. This time I was transported to California with the smell of oranges and sunshine!! Needless  to say I spent way too much....oops.

After wandering around Westfield for a while and doing some more Christmas shopping (it is only 64 days away you know) we both decided we were tired and in need of lunch. Thankfully Derby is not short of pubs, and we stopped at the very pleasant Argosy to revive ourselves. The sizzling chicken was good, but the baked vanilla cheesecake with pieces of honeycomb on top was fabulous! Just what a tired Kathie needed.

Not every week end is going to take us somewhere new or exciting. But if you look closely enough, there is wonder and joy all around. It's sometimes stopping to enjoy the little things that makes an ordinary week end a heavenly one.

Could this be classed as a heavenly week end - I guess heavenly is in the eye of the beholder! Its been cold, dark and wet, but we've had a great week end. Yesterday morning was spent at Thomas Cook's - by the time we left two and a quarter hours later our holiday to Orlando was booked. It always pays to walk in with a plan, printed out on-line quotes and the patience to sit and wait till they go thru all their options and finally price match the quote you hold in your hand. But now we have something to look forward to and something to get us thru the winter.
The rain carried on into today to the point where local roads were under water and the whole world looked washed out and grey.  But we ventured out to the Pipeworks to do some Christmas shopping. The car park was a nightmare, and you have to ask yourself ......where do all these people come from? People would barely let you out of your parking space before trying to drive into it. If its this bad now, what will it be like nearer to Christmas?? But even tho it was a wet and miserable morning, it was one i got to spend with Mr Ivans - what more could I ask for!  Maybe only one thing.....that Subway served their breakfast specials till noon, not 11am - LOL!!

Travelodge Doncaster - be warned, its not actually in Doncaster! Its just off the A1 on Junction 38 near Carcroft. Not far from Doncaster, bit misleading to say the least. Thankfully we knew this, worth doing a little research! Apparently the Bay City Rollers stayed here back in the Halcyon days - what a claim to fame! The hotel was clean and comfortable, but in need of a refurbishment. It looks a little tired! The hotel is on a service area, and there is a petrol station and Little Chef on site.

You can exit the hotel straight onto the A1 northbound, however there is a back road that takes you thru some country roads and onto the southbound carriageway. Very handy if you're not heading north! If you get the hotel room at a good price, then its definitely worth snapping up. Just don't expect the Ritz!

My love of sharing my travels seems to have over flowed from Facebook. I love to post photo's and take you all on a pictorial journey with me when ever we are away. But a picture doesn't always tell the whole story. You can admire a photo and think - that looks pretty - but often you won't really know where that photo was taken. For some just admiring the photo will be enough, but maybe there are others who like me have inquiring minds and want to know more. I always want to know more!! Every piece of  information fills my mind with more questions.

Last week end we were away in Doncaster, well the general vicinity ! Whenever I say we're going to Doncaster, i am usually met with one question.....WHY??? Do i have enough time to list the reasons?? I fear not, so instead let me tell you about what we experienced of this lovely area.

As with any week end, shopping was involved! I'm sure you didn't doubt that for a moment! Lakeside is located on White Rose Way and as they name suggests situated by a lake. A couple of hours happily spent exploring, tho by far my favourite store is  Hallmark. Up to 75% off and 3 for 2 on stationery items.....would be rude to refuse. The great thing about Lakeside is that there are two hotels very close by, a premier Inn almost on site and a lovely new and sparkly Travelodge a short walk away. And a lovely big Beefeater too. Doncaster's football stadium is also very near by, and we were there on game day. There were crowds outside the Beefeater, but they caused no problems.