Down the rabbit hole @ Chatsworth House

To wrap it up ....or not to wrap it up?!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank those of you have faithfully read my blog. Its been appreciated that you took the time to do so! I've enjoyed sharing my highlights and lowlights with you over the last year. However, I'm not picking up many page views at the moment and i suspect that most of you that are reading are my lovely pen pals!! So you'll be hearing all my news in my letters anyway. At the moment, I am wondering whether to carry on with this blog, maybe start a new one with a different theme.....or maybe retire from the world of blogging altogether.

So, watch this space x x x

A city of dreams and inspiration

For me its been a stressful week, so I was mega glad when the week end came around. For anyone that's seen the news surrounding Spirit in the media this week, you'll know why I am stressed. But sometimes you need to let fate run its course, so I am currently trying to do just that.

 Our week end started with the long drive down to London  not a fun experience.....rain, roadworks and an accident didn't help. But finally we arrived at my parents house at just before 11pm. What a long day it had been. After a cup of tea, it was straight to bed.

On  Saturday we were up early to head off to London, as usual we were running late and had to speed walk all the way to the station. I can only say I am glad i have a contactless payment debit card or else we would have missed the train. It was on the platform as we dashed up the stairs, thankfully we made it.....JUST!!! We arrived at Victoria and met the lovely Mandy for a coffee, and then it was off to Southwark. We discovered the underground had temporarily been closed due to crowding and we had to wait a few minutes before they let us all go down. Once at Southwark we headed to Borough Market, I love the place. It was full of delicious smells. Its wonderful to explore the stalls and see what is for sale. Somethings are familiar, but around every corner is some interesting discovery. Next stop was Southwark cathedral. We arrived just at the right time, a wedding had just ended and the guests were just leaving. What a lovely place to get wed!! We spent a while walking around the cathedral, its beautiful.We also visited the excellent gift shop. I bought a lovely christmas decoration which I love. I had booked us a table at the Anchor Bankside for lunch, so we had to make our way their for 12.30pm. The place is one of the oldest pubs in London and has a colourful history. Inside the pub is huge, and full of nooks and crannies. You could almost imagine it full of smugglers and other such unsavoury characters in bygone days. The pub was very busy, but the service was good and the food lovely. The pub is famous for its fish and chips, that's what Paul had and he said it was lovely. After lunch we shared a dessert, churros with two dipping sauces - custard and chocolate orange, absolutely yummy!! I really enjoyed the experience, and best of all it was a Spirit owned Pub so I was able to use my staff discount!

After lunch we went back to the cathedral as Mandy wanted another look around the gift shop, and from there we headed off to do one of our London walks. To start this we had to make our way along Bankside. I love this part of London, add to that the weather was beautiful. There were many street entertainers, and we stopped to listen to some live music. At this point we managed to lose Paul....a moment of panic, but thank goodness I found him! Along the way we found an art gallery, so we popped in to admire the artwork. They were all watercolours and some were beautiful. Finally we arrived at Blackfriars Bridge, we crossed the river here and there started our walk. I love doing these self guided walks, you see so many hidden gems. This walk took us past St Paul's Cathedral, Temple bar, haunted pubs etc. There is so much history at every turn in the road. I love this city!! We had coffee in the shadow of St Paul's at a coffee shop called Pauls! I was shattered by then and glad of the sit down. After our walk ended we made out way to the Tower of London, easier said then done as the District and Cirlce line was out of action....BOO HISS!!  But we got there and it was so worth it, what an amazing sight, very moving. It also made me very sad. As we walked around the tower the sun started to set and the daylight faded. Finally it was time to make our way back to the underground station, sadly it was also time to say good bye to Mandy. But what a wonderful day. 

We had to make our way back to my parents house via London Bridge because of the underground closures, which meant a long walk back from Clock House to Penge, where we met mum and dad at the Moon and Stars for dinner. It was a lovely end to the day, we made use of the free wifi to show mum and dad family photo's on facebook.

On sunday after breakfast we went for a wander around Penge with mum. We did a little shopping, and I bought a few things from Wilkinsons.It was nice walking around the shops arm in arm with mum. I miss her and dad so much. If only they didn't live so far away. On a lighter note, i found a wonderful card in one of the shops....Happy christmas to our dog it said, so obviously i had to get it for Lucy.....shhhh.....don't let on!!

We had lunch with mum and dad, and then sadly it was time to head home. I feel so sad, the home sickness never really goes away. It stays there simmering away in the background. You learn to live with it, but its there. That said, this has been a lovely week end, one I will never forget. Thanks Mandy for being part of it, and for being an amazing friend.I can't wait to head back to London, soon I hope!!

following our hearts to Wales

At last the week end was here, and despite being full of cold i was up early on saturday so we could head off to Wales. Its been way too long since we were last there, and how we have missed the place!! We arrived at Tredegar House around 11am, a lovely National trust property near Newport. It was fun to explore the house, gardens and parkland. The weather wasn't too bad, though we had to dodge a couple of showers. It was no where near as bad as we had expected. So can't complain!! Tredegar House was once the home to generations of the Morgan family. I think we all know of one infamous member of the family, none other that Captain Morgan the pirate!! Now best known for bringing us rum....ha ha!

After leaving Tredegar we headed into nearby Newport, we haven't been there for several years and quite honestly were disappointed to see how many shops were closed and boarded up. The high street area just looked forgotten about! We had a quick lunch, and popped into Primark, and then left. I did get some fab boots, so all was not lost. But would i go back? Sadly, no!

I am still full of cold and was shattered, so we headed off to Langstone to find our hotel. We were staying at The New Inn, its a Goodnight Inn and part of the Spirit family, so for me a fab choice because of the staff discounted rate. The hotel was along the lines of a Travelodge, and maybe in need of a refurb.  But for what we paid, it was a bargain! Its a nice area, and the staff were lovely. Everyone we encountered was friendly and made us feel welcome. Our room was tiny, thank goodness I had no desire to swing a cat!! It wouldn't have been possible. After having a rest and a shower, in the hopes my head would stop pounding, we headed down to the pub for dinner. There's a big Fayre and Square adjacent to the hotel, and the food was good....especially the golden syrup sponge and custard we decided to have for dessert....loved it! I was so full after dinner we had a walk around the car park....LOL!! We spent the rest of the evening chilling in our room, and me watching the X Factor. It was nice to do very little!

This morning we woke up to heavy mists, we headed to Tintern Abbey, somewhere we have been many time before and love. It looked stunning shrouded in mist, you could almost imagine you could hear the monks chanting, and out of the corner of your eye you could just catch a glimpse of a robed figure making his way to morning service. I love the atmosphere  the place is steeped in it! There is also a wonderful gift shop - National Trust should take note - and I was able to do a whole bunch of Christmas shopping, with a lovely 10% off for being a CADW member. I was very happy with my purchases. On leaving Tintern, we had lunch at the Sloop Inn at Llandogo, a little village we are very fond of and then we stopped off at Labels Outlet centre, this has gone thru a major over haul since we were last there. Looking good, and much better stocked. Paul bought a couple of books, and we got some biscuits. Does anyone remember Lady finger biscuits, I saw some of them and had to buy them. They reminded me of my child hood and i probably haven't had them since then. They tasted exactly how I remembered, and took me straight back to my childhood in the 70's!!  Sadly then it was time to drive home....stuffing biscuits in our faces....poor car is covered in crumbs!  Another week end bites the dust.....BOO HISS!!!

From Crewe to Benidorm....!!

The weeks seem to be flying past at the moment, works busy and the days just melt away. I am always delighted when Friday arrives. This Friday especially as we had a room booked at DeVere's Wychwood Park Hotel in Crewe. A room i got when DeVere were having one of there flash sales! We left home at about 7.15pm, i didn't get back till after 6pm and we decided to have dinner before we left. We know from experience how expensive the hotel restaurants can be!! Anyway we arrived at about 8.30pm, checked into our room and then headed up to the bar for a drink. Its rare for us to be out late on a Friday with the grown ups, so it was nice to  chill out with a glass of wine, and wind down. The bar was quite busy, and it was nice to people watch. I am always curious as to why some groups of people have to be so loud. Maybe they feel if they are the loudest, it must prove they are having the best time! Our room was lovely, and very comfortable. 

After a good nights sleep we woke up to a grey and dismal morning. It had clearly rained heavily in the early hours, the ground was wet, the sky was grey and the wind was blowing leaves everywhere. We checked out around 9.30ish and headed to Bridgemere, a large garden centre not far from the hotel. We had a great time looking around, as well as the garden centre there are several outlets like Lakeland, Hobbycraft WH Smiths etc there. Best of all they have several show gardens and they are beautiful. Wondering around those was the high light of the day. Sadly, I have a horrible cold and feel shattered so we decided to head back fairly early. Not a bad idea to be honest, we stopped at the Cornerhouse in Burton for a late lunch. Quite the bargain, its part of the Spirit family, and with my staff discount, we had a very nice and cheap lunch. Cannot go wrong with a fishfinger wrap!! 

After lunch it was off to Burton, where we headed straight to Thomas Cook. We have decided to throw caution to the wind and go away next month. We've booked a week in Benidorm, and honestly....I can't wait. Its nothing fancy, an apartment in a quieter part of the town. Somewhere we can escape too for peace and quiet (I hope) at the end of the day. I am so excited, and now its all sorted and paid for, all I have to do is pack and count the days till its time to .... leave on a jet plane! Walking back to the car was an adventure, the fair was setting up in town, roads were closed and there were lorries and fairground rides blocking the pavements. I wonder whether many people went this year, with the weather being so horrible?

We didn't get too far on Sunday, grocery shopping had to be done but mostly i wanted to curl up on the sofa and feel sorry for myself. Colds do that to you! And as usual, i blinked and Sunday afternoon had disappeared. I hate that!!! I always seem to run out of week end with still so much to do!

This morning was dark, cold, wet and very windy. I silently gave thanks that I didn't have to drive to Derby. That was never any fun when the weather was bad. My little car would get blown all over the A38, a bit like a runaway car on a roller coaster!  I don't miss the journey, but I miss my old colleagues. I found myself sitting at work this morning munching on grapes, and thinking - Alisha would never believe I am eating fruit! That made me smile! Well, I made it through Monday.....let me survive the rest of the week!

Life is Lush

Well, another week end drawing to a close....how can they possibly fly by so fast!! Its been a good week end and we have crammed a lot in as usual!! Friday evening started off as a bit of a fiasco, our hairdresser has gone mobile and even though she doesn't live locally she has carried on cutting our hair. Only trouble is she doesn't know this area at all, and last time got lost! So I agreed to meet her somewhere she knew and let her follow me home. This should have been straight forward, only she got lost getting there (She missed the exit off the A38!!) and then the road from Walton to Swadlincote was closed, luckily I had my Satnav with me, and we managed to make it home via all the country roads. On the way, we passed a nasty accident, a car had obviously been travelling too fast and had come off the road, and landed on its roof in the field. Looked bad! We finally got back, and i was glad to get my hair cut!! Of course once that was done and Paul had his hair cut too, he had to escort Irene all the way back to the A38...c'est la vie! We did go out for dinner tho and that was lovely. We had a fabulous meal at Spice Touch.....YUM!

On Saturday we headed off to Loughborough, haven't been there in ages! Its a nice town, with some interesting shops. We had a wander around the shops, and brunch at the Varsity. I did find some fab shoes in the childrens dept of New Look, sometimes you have to think outside the box - ha ha! I love them, and they're so comfortable! I am kind of wishing I bought the purple ankle boots too! I was disappointed at Bojangles though, they really didn't have much in stock. 

Today it was off to Derby to meet the lovely Alisha, it was so great to see her again. I miss my old colleagues so much. It was great to see Alisha, and catch up on all her news. I tell Paul every day how much I miss everyone, maybe i will get over it at some point.....but right now, I just miss everyone! After i parted company with my lovely friend, Paul and I headed to Lush. I haven't been able to shop in Lush all summer, cause I've been broke so I couldn't wait to get there. An hour later, after a wonderful time with Meesh, I left with a bag of goodies....Flying Fox shower gel, Godiva shampoo, Let the good Times Roll and Toothy tabs! And a little freebie - happy me! By then it was lunch time and we were hungry, so the only thing to do was eat Thai food! And then it was off to look around the shops. I was happy to get the new Maroon 5 CD, and Paul did some christmas shopping, so a day well spent! To be honest i couldn't wait to get home and enjoy a very long soak in the bath in the company of my Lush lovelies.

And so yet another week end has flown by....its so not fair! Oh well.....be brave Kathie...the next week end is only 5 days away!!

A little catch up!

I have sadly been neglecting my blog these past few weeks, mainly because I've been shattered and we've been so busy. Its been a difficult summer, and a very unhappy one. But hopefully those unhappy days are way behind me now! If nothing else, I have learned some valuable lessons this summer. For example -

• its not always just those you consider your closest friends that will step up to the mark for you, sometimes support comes from unexpected sources!
• just because you work in a professional environment, it doesn't mean the people you work with are going to be professional!
• Giving up is never an option, you have to keep hoping and believing that things will get better.....even in your darkest hour.
• Buying a National Trust membership was a brilliant idea, it has kept me sane this summer!
• Even out of the most negative experiences, positive things can be born.

With these things in mind, I've tried to make the most of the time i had at home with Paul. We've been on all sorts of adventures these past few weeks, visiting lovely places, exploring many beautiful national trust properties and spending time with good friends.

This Sunday we visited the Derbyshire Show at Calke Abbey. Its the first time we have been, and we really enjoyed it. I am so glad we went early, the queue of cars waiting to get it was getting longer and longer by the minute. The weather was beautiful, and there were lots of stalls to wander around, all selling a variety of things....food, jewellery, crafts etc. There was live music, dance displays, and many exhibits about WW1. We stopped by one of the tents to listen to some guys dressed up as soldiers singing old songs from war time. There really was something for everyone. We had a coffee at Calke's coffee shop, and finally left at noon so we could head over to Belper to visit my old boss Sian. Oh wow, the traffic was horrendous! We finally arrived tho and spent a lovely afternoon with Sian and her beautiful baby Rhian. It was so good to see them both. I miss Sian and all my old colleagues so much, its hard to put into words. It was devastating losing my job in June, and I know at some point I will come to terms with it, but that hasn't happened just yet. But seeing Sian, and knowing these lovely people are still part of my life helps!

So with the summer drawing to a close, and me settling into a new job I am hoping there are way better times a head. I like my new job, the people are friendly and I am back working closer to home. Those are good foundations to build a better future on. 

Return of the Blog - Part 3

On Thursday we decided to visit another National Trust property and found ourselves at Shugborough Hall. Its not that far from us, just over the border in Staffordshire. Now although its a NT property, its part owned/operated by Staffs County council. So our membership got us into the Hall and gardens but not the museum, servants quarters etc. I wasn't willing to pay any more and there was still lots to see. Now, while we are glad we went and its a beautiful property, we both agreed we are unlikely to go again. Not when we have Calke Abbey up the road, and it costs us nothing! But we had a lovely time! It was just nice to sit on a bench with Paul and watch the world go by. Though its been a nice week off, I've been so stressed that it was hard at times to remember to breathe.

On Friday we collected our new car, well i use the term new very loosely. She's new to us! We are now the proud owners of a Silver Chevrolet Matiz. Who would have thought that we would own a Chevy. We are now looking for a levee to drive her too! She's a nice little car. I think we will have lots of happy adventures with her. After we picked the car up we decided to take her for a spin, and went to Tamworth. Paul and his work colleagues go to the Tame Otter for lunch every Friday and i have been saying for ages that I would like to go there. Its a lovely pub, and the food was very nice, I can really recommend the place.  After lunch we went to a little garden centre, and I bought Paul his first Christmas present. I am delighted with it! On friday evening Paul and I met up with our friend Rachel for dinner. It was nice to catch up with her, and have a natter. I believe there is going to be something of a baby boom at Burton College from what Rachel was telling us!

On sunday we went on a magical mystery tour thanks to Paul...LOL....not!! We ended up at Ashby de la Zouch castle, i love the place. We took sandwiches and had a picnic, it was the perfect day for it. And unknown to us there was a special event going on, there were re-enactors camping there and they were giving weapons demonstrations etc. It was interesting and NOISY!! The guns go BOOM!!! They were also doing free tastings of wines and preserves, would have been so rude not to stop and sample! It was lovely. Finally we went to beautiful staunton Harold garden and craft centre. Our days off are always wonderful, and mostly that is because I get to spend them with Paul, what would i do without him. He puts up with me when I am down and unbearable, and that has been a lot lately. I am sure we knows it, but to me he is perfect.

Return of the Blog - Part 2

Wednesday dawned bright and  once again sunny.....darn it!! I will never be a summer person! Paul and I had talked it over and both decided we couldn't face a trip to the city and the thought of travelling on the underground in the hot weather filled us both with horror. So instead we decided to visit Chartwell, the former home of Sir Winston Churchill. Its a lovely property and we ended up spending most of the day there. We started our visit with a talk by one of the guides. He walked a group of us from the ticket office up the long winding path to the house, telling us some of the history of the property and a few anecdotes about Churchill. When we arrived at the house it was time for us to go in (entry is by timed ticket). The house is lovely, with many things to see. You need to take your time and take it all in. We so enjoyed exploring the house, and when we left we spent lots of time in the gardens. There were so many people there just enjoying the day.

After we left Chartwell, we stopped in the pretty village on Westerham for an hour or so. That was plenty of time to stroll around the village, visit the local church and have a drink in the Inn on the Green. Nothing like a small Kent pub, the beer tasted good! 

Nestling in the valley of the ancient River Darent, Westerham's roots can be traced back to the Vikings and the Romans, and today has evolved into a charming market town attractive to residents, business and visitors. It is perhaps best known for its famous residents: amongst others, Sir Winston Churchill and General James Wolfe. Both had homes here, which are now open to the public. 

Having walked around this pretty village Paul and I both decided, we need to move. Personally I would like nothing better than to move home to the south of England. Alas, I think we will never be able to afford too....mon dieu, the house prices!! 

Finally we headed back to my parents house, and we all went to the Moon and Stars for dinner. The pub is just across the road from my parents house, but they won't go unless we are there to go with them! Dinner was good, and it was nice to get my parents out of the house!

Paul and I decided to head home on Wednesday night, while it was cooler and traffic was also lighter. We made it home in three and a half hours which is way better than the 5 hours it can sometimes take.

Its nice going away, but its also nice getting back to your own bed. And tho we weren't away long, we managed to pack a lot in as usual!

Return of the Blog - Part 1

Its been a while since i felt the motivation to write, its been a tough month and I've had so much on my mind that writing a blog was the last thing I was thinking about! But I've had a week off with Paul and despite the constant stresses that seem to be my permanent shadow these days, we've managed to have some good times. I am going to avoid the negatives and concentrate on the good and lovely things that happened this past week. On monday we drove south, stopping at Lakeside for lunch and a look around the shops. Being at lakeside always reminds me of my friend Mandy. We have spent many happy times there shopping, talking, seeing movies etc. Paul and I had a wonderful lunch at Strada and I have to say they do the best spaghetti bolognese I have had in a long time. We chose to eat there as we have recently acquired a Gourmet  Society card which gave us 25% off the bill. Lunch was good, and it was nice to walk around the mall, though we bought nothing!! After leaving Lakeside we crossed the river via the Queen Elizabeth Bridge and headed to me parents house. We arrived around 5pm and mon dieu....there was somewhere to park!! 

On Tuesday it was HOT....so we decided London probably wouldn't be a good idea, instead we headed to the sea side and spent a lovely few hours at Whitstable. We ambled around the town looking in the expensive little boutiques, and had lunch at a little pub. I have never seen Whitstable so busy, but I guess it is the summer holidays and apparently the world and his wife....plus assorted relatives....and lots of children were there!! Being there reminded me of last summer when we visited the same area, and met up with Mandy. Its funny, but everywhere we went reminded me of her this year! From the sea side, we decided to visit a farmers market in Faversham, luckily i just about remembered where it was. I loved looking around, and we bought a few things to bring home with us. I remember buying biscuits there last year to take to my new job with me, a little treat for my new colleagues....now sadly my ex-colleagues! Lastly, we stopped at Bluewater, what a lovely time of day to arrive! At 5pm, the crowds were less but everything was still open. We had coffee and a lovely couple of hours strolling thru the mall. I used to live very near Bluewater, but that seems like another life time now. We finally arrived back at base, to eat way too much Chinese food with my folks....who seemed rather glued to the TV watching the commonwealth games.

I will Survive!

Well, I made it to Friday and that in itself is quite an achievement. The week has left me feeling drained, and i suspect that all effected are feeling the same. I spent today, searching job sites, and applying for another job. There really haven't been very many that are suitable....should I panic now? At lunch time when i was in town, I bumped into an old colleague and she asked how I was doing. Oh I said, I was made redundant again. To which she replied - and you're still smiling??? Well yes, what else can I do? And lets face it, who is going to employ someone with red eyes and a snotty nose! I finally sat myself down this afternoon and did something I was hoping I would never have to do....apply for Job Seekers Allowance, but now is not the time to be proud, now is the time to find money to pay the bills!! On line application done, I guess I will have to wait for someone to call and summon me to the jolly old job centre. 

But today is Friday, and i am taking the week end off from being unemployed. For the next two days I just want to be me, I want two happy days with my lovely husband. Monday and the horrors of more job hunting will soon come around again. Along with the obsession of checking my phone and laptop every few minutes.

Thursday....unemployed....but still smiling!

Well I have come to the conclusion that i have a serious affliction.....Pollyanna-itis! A little known condition that renders the stricken with the inability to feel down. Surely having lost my job this week, and being in financial dire straits.....I should be down, depressed or just down right grumpy? But I'm not, I actually feel happy and positive. I am looking at this as an open doorway to new opportunities! This afternoon brought a phone call from the recruitment agency to say that the Uni were interested in interviewing me for a post. It is alas a one year fixed term contract, but apparently a good way to get a foot in the door. And at least I know this is only for a year, I'm not going to get the rug pulled out from under me next summer....I'll be prepared. The lady from the agency assures me its a lovely place to work, so fingers crossed!!! I already know the traffic is horrendous, cause its very near to where i was working up till Monday. Forewarned is forearmed!!

So, whilst delighted that I now at least have an interview lined up I am not being complacent. Two other jobs applied for, and tomorrow morning will find me checking the job sites again!

My life is full of good friends, amazing family, millions of wonderful memories that no one can ever take away from me....what's not to be positive about!!!

Diary of the unemployed - Days 2 & 3

Well i know this blog was supposed to be about our lovely week ends, but i thought i would go off on a tangent ....maybe just for a little while. This week has been pretty surreal, i woke up on Monday and Paul drove me into work. Not something he would usually do, but my car had gone into the garage for a service. It was otherwise like any other Monday, get to work, turn on my computer....think....I must have coffee!! And then you read an email that turns your world upside down and changes everything. Everyone is summoned to a mandatory meeting, and you know nothing good is going to come out of it. But still, when the doors open and two strange men in suits walk in ...you know its over. They may as well have had receiver written all over them in big black letters! But still you are forced to sit there and listen to them say the words you don't want to hear. And just like that your job is gone and you're left feeling shell shocked and lost. So what do you do next? Go home, curl up and give in....that's just not my style. I haven't cried yet, tho the tears may still come. I am devastated at losing my job, but probably more so at the thought of not seeing my wonderful colleagues again! 

So I am on day 2 of unemployment and determined to stay positive and just get out there and keep going. I've managed to get my CV updated and circulated, have signed up with two recruitment agencies and applied for a job.This morning was spent at Extra Personnel in Derby filling out what seemed like a million forms. But it needed to be done, because apparently they have an ideal job to put me forward for. So fingers crossed. When i finally left them, i decided to visit Kedleston Hall as its only up the road, and wouldn't cost me anything, a nice day to sit outside and read. It'll be wonderful i thought, till i got there and found the Hall completely closed to the public....boo hiss! There were people on the gates turning everyone away, but they did suggest a little garden centre up the road if i wanted to stop for tea. Why not i thought, so off i went. A cup of tea, in a very busy tea room (on a wednesday??) and then i literally took some time out to stop and smell the roses!

What will day 3 have in store for me......

A tale of two marina's

Its been a quiet week end for the Ivans - for two reasons, firstly its been wet and miserable and secondly, i seem to be getting a cold, and feel pretty darn awful! Yesterday we only made it as far as Burton and Byrkley Park Garden centre, which worked well given the rubbish weather. I hadn't realised that Crafty Links had gone till someone told me last week. There is still a jewellery shop in that unit, with a lot of the same things. I was rather shocked at the price of the silver rings though....over £2o....really?? I think not! Swiftly moved on to the craft shop and bought stickers instead....ha ha! Its always a nice place to while away an hour or so, but i always find myself asking - why do garden centres have to be so expensive and who are they really catering for? We came home to have a movie afternoon, cannot tell you how much i enjoyed that! First we watched 'Letters to Juliet' and i found myself one again wishing we could visit Verona! Oh my gosh, it looks so beautiful! Next was 'The Last Mimzi', a film we both love and finally a 1932 classic 'The Cat and the Canary' starring Bob Hope. Wonderful film, Bob always makes me smile! 

Today i was faced with the mammoth task of tackling the pile of ironing that seems to have grown faster than weeds in a wet summer! Seriously, who likes ironing?? It did not leave me in a good mood! We then headed off to Barton Marina, there is a craft fair on the last Sunday of each month. I love to look around, and there is usually an interesting mix of stalls. I found the jewellery stall i particularly liked, and Paul bought me a very nice Jack Skeleton nceklace. I love it, he's a favourite of mine....Jack that is! We had a walk all the  way around the marina and stopped at the cafe for tea and tea cakes....a nice late morning treat! While we were at the marina we also visited the art gallery, they had some amazing work by Fabian Perez, an artist i love. A lot of the other work just didn't do anything for me at all. But art is such a personal thing, we all know what we like and what we don't.

After leaving Barton Marina we headed to Mercia Marina in Willington, we've never been there before but once i read about it I wanted to go. We parked up and went for a walk, there's a cafe, a little shop and at the moment that's about it. However there seems to be a lot of building going on and a new development is due to open later this year housing retail units, a bistro etc. Will be worth taking another look in a few months time. On the way home we stopped at one of the car super markets in Burton, we're still on the hunt for a replacement car for Paul, Our beloved Micra is nearing the end of her life, she's an old lady now and has served us well, but i fear the time has come to let her go. Looking at car's is depressing!! The ones I like - like the bright blue Nissan Pixo - I can't afford, and there is very little I can afford.....mon dieu....what will we do? Finally we made a quick stop at the Chuch hall in Stapenhill to visit the Strawberry Tea Party. It was being held to raise money for Breast Cancer Care. We bought cakes, a small gesture but I wanted to show support. The ladies who arranged it all had worked so hard! And finally we came home for another movie afternoon. Today's features were Avanti, a classic from the 60's starring Juliet Mills and Jack Lemmon, and The Core. Really enjoyed them both, and now the day is nearly over and think I am losing my voice. I have only one thing left to say, well actually ask.....why is that week ends fly by this fast??

Birthday's - 2013 v 2014

Well hello there wonderful people, i don't normally do mid - week posts as this blog was all about the wonderful week ends we have. But today i wanted to share my happiness with those of you who  choose to read this. As some of you know, my birthday last year was dire with a big fat capital 'D'!!  Due to the circumstances i had found myself in i had spent the previous few days crying and feeling desperately scared and lost. The day itself was no better, spent in almost silence as my colleagues at the time chose not to speak to me. Birthday cards were left covertly on my desk as though people were almost scared to be seen fraternizing with the unfortunate few who'd so recently had bad news. It was a miserable day, and even a dinner out with Paul did not rescue the day. I remember eating the food, and thinking it doesn't taste of anything. In all.....a sad day.

Fast forward a year, this morning i arrived at work to be greeted by a hug, a lovely birthday card and presents. Later in the morning, i was given a beautiful bouquet of flowers - totally unexpected and so pretty! At lunch time five of us went to Zizzi's for lunch, a very happy occasion with much laughter, balloons and a lot of discussion about what desserts to have. I thought it couldn't get any better....until the waitress appeared with a very pink Disney Princess birthday cake complete with sparklers and candles, and my wonderful work family sang happy birthday to me. So this is what a birthday should be like? I feel so blessed that this year i got to experience such a happy occasion. My day has been full of laughter, presents, cards, cake and a lot of thoughtful messages on Facebook. Surely i must be the luckiest girl in the world, because with out doubt my world is now full of the most wonderful people in the world.  And i just wanted to say to those people - THANK YOU!!!!

 

Pre-birthday celebrations

Well here we are Sunday evening and i am wondering where the week end went. It was here fleetingly, and now....its nearly gone. I have had a wonderful week end, it started on Saturday with a trip into Burton for a quick wonder around the shops, and then we were off to Sudbury Hall. Even though i have lived in the Midlands for many years, i have never been to Sudbury. Now that we're members of the National Trust, there's no stopping us. Nobody could accuse us of not getting our money's worth out of our memberships. Our first stop was the coffee shop for a sandwich and a bottle of lovely sparkling elder-flower  And then it was off to the Museum of Childhood. We loved it, there was way more than i expected and so many things that reminded us of our own childhoods. They had such novel ways of displaying things, like the bedroom on the ceiling. Not to be missed, so if you ever go....remember to look up! While you are walking around, you will suddenly hear a bell ring - it is summoning you to school. You will find the school ma'am doing the rounds of the museum looking for wayward students. Paul and I decided to be brave and attended   the Victorian school room, what a hoot! Luckily we weren't made to stand in the corner or wear the dunces hat.... but someone had too. Hilarious! When we left the museum it was time to explore Sudbury Hall. A lovely place that dates back to the 17th century, and definitely somewhere i know we will go back too. Luckily it is very close to home. It was home to the Lords Vernon and is absolutely beautiful inside.The Long Gallery has to be seen to be believed, absolutely beautiful! Once again the Great British weather let us down and it rained, so we couldn't explore the grounds very much. Some of the paths were already muddy, and definitely best avoided. 

Today we headed over to Atherstone to have afternoon tea at Dobbie's Garden Centre, a pre-birthday treat i had been really looking forward too. We got there much earlier than we needed too so that we had time to look around the garden centre. At last it was time to make our way to the restaurant, one section is set aside just for afternoon tea. What can i say, it was lovely especially as we had decided to throw caution to the wind and have the luxury afternoon tea which came with a glass of Prosecco. The waitress was lovely, and brought everything out as we wanted it, a glass of Prosecco first followed by the three tiered stand filled with sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam, chocolate dipped strawberries, and several small cakes. And of course a very nice pot of tea. What can i say, it was lovely and a real treat! I am so glad we decided to do this, I have to work on my birthday (as most people do) and this was a wonderful way to celebrate a little early. Of course we are total lightweights and couldn't eat it all. So i dashed into the restaurant  and found one of the childrens happy meal boxes, just the right size to stash a couple of cakes. I certainly wasn't going to leave anything behind.

History and Magic - part 2

The Magic Bit

On Friday afternoon we drove on from Baddersly Clinton to the Travelodge in Borehamwood that we had booked, unfortunately they were having problems with their boiler and several of their rooms were out of action. So they moved us to another Travelodge about a mile away. It was a new hotel, and fine. Plus they gave us free breakfasts. So, it all worked out ok!

On Saturday morning we were up early so we could enjoy our breakfast before setting off for the Warner Bros Studios. We used the postcode from the Warner Bros Studio Tour website for our Sat Nav, and be warned that caused us some stress in the morning. I was convinced we were lost at one point. The postcode takes you out to what looks like a building site, a new housing estate by the looks of it, and the panic set in as there is no Warner Bros Studio in sight....and then when all hope is lost, you spot the Brown Sign pointing the way...phew!!! At last the day had arrived - Harry Potter Studio Tour!! Woo hoo! We were there early, so we had a look around the huge gift shop, then joined the queue. It moved quite quickly, and soon we were entering the magical world of Harry Potter. First there is a short film, then the screen goes up, doors open and you enter the great dining room of Hogswarts. It is incredibly impressive, as is the rest of the tour. You get to see various sets, props and costumes. It really brings the films to life! There is so much to see, as well as numerous information panels to read and videos to watch as you make your way around. We loved it, and i am so glad we went. Once you get past the Dining room, you can make your way around at your own pace. We were there about four and a half hours, but that included a stop in the backlot for butterbeer....ooh yum....and lunch at the studio cafe. The cafe was quite large, and the food was good. We both had something to eat and hot chocolate. Of course we also had a look around the gift shop. Its huge and well stocked, but most everything was expensive. Paul got himself a really lovely notebook, and i had some Harry Potter stationery. So we were restrained, but some folks were spending enormous amounts of money.

All too soon it was over, but we have so many happy memories! Its something we will never forget!

History and Magic - Part 1

The History Bit

Having just joined the national Trust, I have been determined to make the most of it. Luckily I had friday off work, so we set off at 9.30am and headed to Packwood House. Its only about 50 minutes away from us and i can already see us going back there. There is a lovely cafe at Packwood, so as we were there so early, we had tea and at 11am we were ready to explore the house. The National Trust describe it as - 

The culmination of a lifetime of dreams: salvaged objects and exotic pieces come together in a Jacobean meets Edwardian style. Beautiful, homely, warm and welcoming. We can't put it better than a visitor in the 1920s did: A house to dream of, a garden to dream in.

The house was originally built in the 16th century, yet its interiors were extensively restored between the First and Second World Wars by Graham Baron Ash to create a fascinating 20th-century evocation of domestic Tudor architecture.

Its a lovely house, somewhere you could imagine yourself living. Not large or opulent like Kedleston Hall for example, but a home you could be comfortable in. I was totally enchanted by the place, and was quite disappointed that Paul wouldn't buy it for us! 

We had lunch at Packwoods Garden Cafe, and then made the short drive to Baddersley Clinton, our second NT property of the day - 

This atmospheric house dates from the 15th century and was the home of the Ferrers family for 500 years.

The house and interiors reflect its heyday in the Elizabethan era, when it was a haven for persecuted Catholics - there are three priest's holes.

There is a delightful garden with stewponds and a romantic lake and nature walk.

We fell in love with Baddersley, its a beautiful property. A lovely house surrounded by a moat and pretty gardens. After exploring the house, we walked around the gardens and enjoyed a beautiful afternoon. In the coffee shop we had coffee's and shared a spiced apple puff...scrumpious! I am loving being a National Trust membership, in one week we have already had our money's worth and got back the cost of our yearly membership.

The final property of the week end was Ascott House which we visited on Saturday afternoon. It was a beautiful house, sadly we only got to see a small part of it. The house and gardens seem to be full of 'do not enter' or 'private' signs, restrictive and not very welcoming. The house was interesting and had an amazing collection of Ming pottery, probably worth thousands! But it was really the gardens that impressed, extensive and gorgeous. I enjoyed the long walk we had. Paul and i both agreed tho, we would happily return to Packwood and Baddersley Clinton, but Ascott probably not. 

I am excited about all the other NT properties we are going to discover over the course of the next year.

A very special De Vere week end

After taking a short break from the world of blogging, I am back! This past week end has been absolutely wonderful. We started with a trip into Derby on Sunday morning and of course first stop was Lush! I was in need of a Fizzbanger, just having one in the house makes the bathroom smell wonderful. After a wonder around the shops we headed to the Babbington Arms for brunch. Next stop was Kedleston Hall, i recently joined the National Trust - a present for Paul's birthday - and i was eager to make use of our membership. Kedleston Hall is amazing, you drive down a winding country road to be welcomed by sheep blocking the way and apparently curious enough to wander right over peer in the window! The Hall is really beautiful, opulent and absolutely stunning inside. Each room brings another gasp of delight as you take in the splendor. We had a lovely afternoon exploring the property, and are already planning a return visit. 

On leaving Kedleston Hall, we made our way to De Vere's Orchard Hotel in Nottingham. I booked the room as a birthday treat for Paul, he knew about the week end away but not that the hotel had upgraded our room to an executive room and also that they had included complimentary breakfasts. How cool is that!! Our room was gorgeous and was the best in the hotel! It was certainly the only room with windows on two sides of the room and stunning views! It was a large room, and you know its posh when you find dressing gowns and slippers in the cupboard....LOL! But best of all, when we got there we found a plate in the room with chocolate brownies on and the words 'happy 60th Birthday' iced on in chocolate. I was really impressed, and Paul was delighted. It was a  lovely touch, and i can't tell you how impressed we were with the hotel. We went for a walk around the grounds, and then returned to the hotel for dinner. The hotel was too nice to leave, so we decided to eat in the bar. The meal was delicious (tho a tad pricey) and i very much enjoyed the peach bellini I had. I had my heart set on a cocktail! After dinner we returned to our room for a little while, i was feeling very tired. But after a rest we were ready to head back to the car and experience more cocktails. This time I had a raspberry daiquiri, oh my.....good! We sat down in the bar people watching and enjoying a night out! I guess neither of us wanted the day to be over.

On Monday morning we started the day with a wonderful breakfast in the hotel restaurant. Everything tastes better when its free! We sat and chatted while we ate, a cooked breakfast, yogurt and fruit, and danish pastries and croissants. YUM!! After breakfast we went for a walk to the Millennium garden and sat there for a while just enjoying the morning. The Orchard is such a lovely place, we didn't want to leave. But alas we had  to eventually! From the hotel we drove to Hardwick  Hall. It was so crowded, but we still enjoyed the day. We explored the house, its a beautiful and interesting property. You are filled with wonder at everything Bess of Hardwick accomplished. Quite an amazing woman! While we were in the area, we also decided to visit Hardwick Old Hall, its an English Heritage property, but luckily we're members! Its mostly a ruin now, but you can still climb the 127 steps to the top. A free work out and amazing views. 

The whole week end was fabulous, and i really feel like we made the most of it. And i can't thank De Vere enough for making the week end so special for us.

Wonderful Wales

This  time our heavenly week end started on Friday evening. After getting home, we had pizza for dinner then threw all our things in the car and at 7.30pm headed to North Wales. The journey went smoothly, and by that time the traffic had eased up. The weather was surprisingly ok, and we finally arrived at Old Colwyn at around 10pm. We found the house we'd be staying at easily and i have to say, we were glad to arrive. This week end was a real treat for us, as a colleague at work had said we could use it over the week end. The house belongs to her mother who is currently living over seas. How cool is that!! The house was lovely, not huge, but beautifully decorated throughout with a conservatory that had views to die for, as you can see from the picture.By the time we had made up the bed and unpacked it was late and time to go to bed.

Saturday turned out to be a good day weather wise, very blustery but mild and DRY!!! Lucky or what?!? We had breakfast, and then headed to Llandudno. Why the heck did no one ever tell me how lovely it is there, we instantly fell in love with the place. It was nothing like we had expected. We took delight in strolling along the quaint streets, looking around the remarkably good selection of shops. We didn't really do much shopping, just some postcards and sticks of rock. But, i did pop into Superdrug for something, and while at the counter paying, the saleslady was trying to sell me a new Ghost fragrance called 'Eclipse'. She described in detail its top notes, and base tones while inviting to try the fragrance. How could i refuse? Actually it smelled Divine, and after having a cup of tea and letting the scent 'settle' i had fallen in love with it. So, i ended going back to buy some. It is rather gorgeous....*smile*.

After lunch we visited the Home front museum, what a hidden treasure, from outside it doesn't look like much, but once you pass through those doors, you  have entered the 1940's. They have a wonderful collection of memories, and it really is well worth a visit. I love the era, and found this place fascinating. I am so glad we went along. We also walked the Alice Trail, i had been hugely disappointed earlier in the day to find The Alice in wonderland visitor centre had long since closed, but following the trail took us past 4 of the huge wooden sculptures. We saw The Queen of Hearts, the White Rabbit, The Mad Hatter and of course Alice. The day flew by, and by about 4pm we were tired and decided to head back to the house. We spent a couple of hours sitting in the conservatory watching the sea, and reading - or in my case writing a letter to the lovely Mandy!! It had started to rain quite heavily by then, but when it eased up around 6.30pm we decided it would be a good idea to go out and eat. My colleague had recommended  a local Thai restaurant, and that is where we went. She had failed to mention it was actually situated within a hotel, but we found it. The food was delicious, and we enjoyed the rarity of a Saturday night out. When we returned we spent the evening sat in the conservatory, we both enjoyed this immensely  The reception on the TV was actually so bad it was unwatchable, however this saved us from Eurovision!!

On Sunday we awoke to howling wind and rain lashing down on the windows, and it showed no sign of easing up. We decided to change and plans and head for the Tweedmill outlet centre which was at least all under one roof. This turned out to be a good move, and we had a great time looking around. We both found several things we wanted, and this alone made it well worth our while stopping. We spent a while there and then decided to head homewards, though we did stop at a lovely pub on the way for a late lunch. I have no idea where we were, we just saw the place and thought it looked nice. Finally we arrived home at about 4pm. The weather had not improved, and it had in fact rained most of the way home, quite heavily at times. But the bad weather didn't spoil the week end and we had a great time. Already talking about how and when we can return to Llandudno, we absolutely loved it there. Already missing the sea air, and amazing views.

Splendid Hardwick Hall

Saturday started early for us, as we left home and headed north up the A38. We arrived at our destination- Hardwick Hall at about 10.15am, and people were already arriving in droves for the Great British Food Festival. We joined the crowds and headed to the big marquees that had been set up. There were two, both filled with many stalls selling a variety of things – food, drink, crafts....even stationery items. We had fun looking around, but the marquees soon became so crowded that you could barely move.  Believe me at this point, it had stopped being fun! We had bought some cheeses, oat cakes and a couple of the most delicious heart shaped cakes though! We headed back out to the open area and had a wander around, there were mostly stalls selling food, and we did stop at one to have some Thai food for lunch. It was delicious!! There was live music all day, a bouncy castle and even guide foraging walks (which we didn’t join, the only foraging I do is in shoe shops!) By early afternoon we had decided we really wanted to visit Hardwick hall, and as our festival tickets allowed us 2-4-1 admission to the Hall it seemed crazy not to go. Admission prices are very steep! Having said that I am very glad we went, Hardwick Hall is amazing inside, truly beautiful!! A little bit of history below courtesy of Wikipedia -

Hardwick Hall, in Derbyshire, is an architecturally significant Elizabethan country house in England. Built between 1590 and 1597 for the formidable Bess of Hardwick, it was designed by the architect Robert Smythson, an exponent of the Renaissance style of architecture. Hardwick Hall is one of the earliest examples of the English interpretation of the style, which came into fashion having slowly spread from Florence.

We had a lovely afternoon exploring the house, and the many wonderful rooms. We had tea in their coffee shop, and of course visited the gift shop before leaving at 5pm. How quickly the hours flew by! On the way home, we stopped at the East Midland Outlet Centre to have a wonder around the shops, only for an hour though as they shut at 6pm. Well, an hour is better than nothing. Finally we arrived home around 7pm, tired but happy.

On Sunday we decided to visit Derby, we had grand plans for the day including a visit to Pickford House Museum as Paul has never been there and it is open on Sunday afternoons from 1-4pm I believe. We arrived in Derby bright and early, parked in the cheap car park and walked down into the town centre. The first stop of the day was Lush as usual; best to get in there early before the crowds build up. I was delighted to see that Michelle was at work, and as exuberant as usual! With basket clutched in hand she bounded around the shop pointing out what was new, and extolling their virtues. I didn’t need much convincing. I adore Lush products as some of you might have picked up on. Ok, so they are on the expensive side, but they are gorgeous. It’s a joy to shop at the Derby Branch as the staff are all fun, and happy to let you sample the goods. I came away smelling wonderful and with very soft hands!! I also came away with a Fizzbanger, Cynthia Sylvia Stout shampoo, Popcorn lip scrub and Let the Good Times Roll body scrub……and of course a little freebie to enjoy!! An hour later…..I wondered where the morning had gone?! We stopped at Costa for lovely latte’s and then continued our journey around Westfield. I happily found a fab pair of boots in New Look reduced to £7 – a 75% reduction!! They were children’s boots, but fit perfectly. Happy me, and better still there was still some money on the New Look gift card I had for Christmas. We wondered down to the Walkabout for lunch! We haven’t been there in years. Lunch was nice, and strangely enough everyone was walking the right way up – go figure?! Somehow the time just evaporated away and we never did get to Pickfords House, which was a really shame.