Warhorse by The National Theatre

PJ and I managed to get to see the stageshow after all.  We were up in the Circle but our view of the stage was excellent.



The couples sat either side were friendly so that was a bonus as the seats were a tight fit and there wasn't much leg room but Warhorse was magnificent!  


Such artistry working the 'horses' .... 
and birds ....

and the singing...... unaccompanied folk songs to enhance the story. 



 Standing ovation at the end, well deserved. 




We went to the Dragon Inn for our meal, as per usual, which was quite empty when we arrived at about 17.00hrs but by the time we left at 19.00hrs it was ram jammed.  


While we were in the foyer of the Theatre looking around, PJ decided he would pay for a 'Friend Membership' as a Birthday present for me (yeah! starting way early this year!!!) and then I had a Ginger and Honey ice cream in the interval - spoilt or what?!?!
Going home the bus arrived at the bus stop about five minutes after us so that was another bonus, and then ......
We spotted this crowd of people streaming along the pavement going towards town ...... I thought that maybe they were coming from an evening event at the College ...... they were mostly young men .. .. 


maybe they were coming from the Rainbow which hosts live events .... 

not many women considering ..... 

FOOTBALL!  

As we travelled along the road so the crown kept coming and then we collected a bus full at the next stop up the hill. 

We reached the traffic island the same time as the police outriders so our traffic line was stopped and then ......... coach after coach after coach (twenty four in all, full of Stoke City supports) came past going towards the Motorway.  One of the young men behind me said 'Jesus Christ!' but I told him that Jesus would not be coming in a coach!  Much mirth and merriment ensued...... 
Eventually we continued our journey and reached Tyseley where our car was parked.  While we had been to the Theatre, two carriages had been loaded onto trucks ready for an early morning departure and were also parked up in the dark - it's all happening!!! 

Thoughts on Funerals....

Sometimes when we attend these events love is brought home with you among the sadness.  
I knew that this was one time when I was full of trepidation as my past pitched itself headfirst into the present.  I would be meeting persons not seen for 30 years or more and I didn't know how they would feel about past events. 
I went to say goodbye and to support her husband.

She became a sister to me and I to her, we shared the children, she gave her second name to N and became her Godmother, she helped me name my third daughter - we concocted a name from the Greek Mythology story of Hero and Leander LEANNE and then found out that Hero was the girl in the story!!! - she helped me bury Leanne and pick up life again, she moved to another country .... and then we drifted ..... we stayed in touch by letter ...... and then we drifted ...... she became ill and J kept me updated ...... but I never visited.
During prayers the Minister prayed for us all and, among her words, she prayed for forgiveness for all our regrets ....... there are always regrets at this time ...... if onlys ........  wishes that things had been said ....... 
The Service showed how much Joan had been loved and how much love she had shared to everyone she met.  She never changed until she became just too ill to fight and all she could do was stay brave.
After the service we wandered out to the Garden of Memory, PJ, N and I, looking at the flowers and people - we did not recognise anyone except for J and  ...... after a while her two boys.  We approached one of her sons and he thanked us for coming ..... and then did a double take and shouted out and gave me a big cuddle - my  youngest foster son!  We moved out together and then my other foster son recognised me and came running .... he cried as he hugged me ........ so much love, more than I expected.  After all this time and after all the pain and hurt and anger and lies that happened in my life they still loved me .... so much!
I cannot explain in words how it felt to see them and hug them after all these years.  They are men now with their own lives and families but still my little boys at heart ....... I'm so glad I went .... we will stay in touch .... no more regrets .... no more if onlys ..... just love and laughter.......

Bathroom and Kitchen

I had hoped to be able to show you a nice new fitted out and decorated bathroom but no such luck.
Our bathroom fittings came with the house, circa 1935, so it was time to update ish.
R (our plumber) came to fit the new bath and sink only to realise that we still had lead piping ....... new pipes meant it had to be re arranged for the next week.  We cleared as much as we could from the bathroom, no before photos - sorry.  The bath panel turned out to be a piece of polished concrete - which I always thought was black marble and papered over it!
We lifted the flooring and then cleared and cleaned being left with one old bath and washbasin.
On the day ... the bath was removed....... then the trouble started ...... some of the floorboards were rotten and had to be replaced.......
The new bath and washbasin were fitted and now we wait for a side panel.  We have replaced some of the flooring but the new washbasin is a different shape pedestal so the last piece has to be recut!
The new piping had to be put in through the kitchen so the sink unit had to be moved out.  I took the chance to steam clean the cooker and surrounding walls while R was in the bathroom so I would have clean kitchen walls ready to decorate - I have had the paper for about five years, waiting .......
The new unit is modern ..... my sink is old - yeah!      Doesn't fit!      Great!
So in came the old unit TEMPORARILY.  
While we wait on the new unit, I keep my 'kitchen utensils' in the living room.  Most of my bathroom 'utensils' are in the back office........
..... is it any wonder I spend a lot of time in my craft room!!!

Mapledurham House and Watermill

It was raining the day we had decided to go to Mapledurham House, pouring down with rain actually but we went anyhow.  This was the remainder of N's present to PJ for his birthday - the Japanese Garden visit was the first part.  There was a cruise along the Thames, Cream Tea and a tour of Mapledurham House all included, even in the rain!
After we left the Motorway, we travelled along a very narrow dirt path, drive, lane with passing points along the way, and then came to a really quaint village.  As we turned off we were met by a very pleasant lady who gave us an envelope containing all our tickets and told us where to find the various points.
We were about half an hour early so we parked up (in the field) and sat watching others arrive, the rain falling and then our boat - Devon Belle - arriving.
The boat was the usual river boat except for the lines of red chairs on board!  We took our places and, once all the passengers had arrived, we started cruising down the river on a Sunday afternoon.  (Sounds like a song)
The Captain gave out some interesting information as we cruised along, even though it was raining and quite cold, it was good fun. The boat had been in the D Day Landings and travelled down to London for the Jubilee Flotilla.

Along the banks we caught a view of Hardwick House.....



.... several places connected with 'Wind in the Willows' as the author Kenneth Grahame lived locally.



As we left the boat, the Captain gave us directions to reach the Watermill which was also part of our 'day out'.

So much to see here walking all through the Mill itself, and the Miller and his wife were so pleasant, no question too stupid or difficult to answer.  We bought a bag of Apple Crumble  Mix as a present for N and a big bag of Stoneground Flour so we (PJ) could make some bread when we arrived home.





In the rain...... yes! it was still raining! ....  we walked on towards the House .......... we came in the back way.......... as one should!





Further along we came to a small outlet and collected our Cream Tea ......  now I had seen someone taking their tea to the Manor House and they had to walk under a leaky (streaming) pipe so we (I) decided to eat ours in the Stables!!!  There were two rooms of choice, one was the stalls and quite crowded so we chose to eat in the Tack Room.  This was a good idea not just because we had the larger room all to ourselves but ........ see the TV screen? ......... it showed the story of how the Archimedes Screw was installed, with all the background history.  Amazing!



Suitably refreshed we walked round to the front of the house and entered through the main door ..... love it!  

Those large trees either side of the main door were just sooooo high with enormous buds, something like a Camellia, but bigger.  The staff once again were friendly, knowledgeable and really interesting to talk to.  There was a beautiful Chapel, Catholic and white and pretty .... you get the picture.......

It had stopped raining by the time we left ......... we walked along to the Church.  There were several people in the grounds but as the door was open ..... in we walked and found some wonderful stained glass windows, little old pews....... and a large mausoleum!

We came home in the dry along all the back roads so this was a good end to a wonderful day!

Thank you N

Trying to catch up

We were back to 'normality' last week ....... shopping and gardening!!
We managed to do a bit of catching up in our own garden, N's garden, 131 and an ALLOTMENT!!!
PJ has been making some staging for the greenhouse and I have been making ATCs as well as updating my Groups.
We went round to N for Sunday lunch and finished tidying up her garden, C came round as well so we had a really great day.  It was so good to have the family together, nattering, eating, drinking and best of all....... laughing together!!!



Monday saw us round at 131, the new grass has settled in well so after mowing we started on the borders.  They have not been cleared for many years, the mozzies had a great feed on me, but it looks really good now.

After lunch we went up to the allotment which PJ and M have leased, I just went to look!!!

It is very overgrown, 'very' being the operative word!!!


The previous owners have laid it out in 'beds', some of which are planted with fruit so after weeding and pruning they should look good!

We had a chat with one of the guys who has been on site for a good few years and he filled us in with the goings on (as well as offering one of his sheds to us - we named him Paddy three sheds, he was four but now only has three!!!)
We picked a few apples and some blackberries which were growing wild round the site and then decided to clear the centre path.


There are three paths to the site, one on the left already half laid with chippings ..........

the right one so overgrown it can hardly be seen...........


the centre one, which we discovered after attempting to clear it, was laid with tiles.

Then we came home and said 'ain't we had a lovely day'!!!!  followed by apple and blackberry pie with custard!!!

Down South again

We were given free tickets to Chessington Zoo when we booked our chalet in Brixham so decided to do some visiting at the same time.  
Our 26th Wedding Anniversary is on the 1st October so we went to the Zoo!?!?!?!



We left early to travel down to Bognor Regis to visit my cousin M, the only relative of my Auntie Vi that I stay in touch with.  We had lunch and a good catch up, leaving about 16.00hrs to travel up towards London. 

We were staying at PJ's sister's overnight as the Zoo is not far from there.  We had a lovely evening meal, with home cooked apple dessert, once again catching up with all the news.  We slept in separate rooms in single beds, we didn't mind as we had single beds in the chalet.... but ......I have decided I do not like sleeping in separate rooms ........ no-one to have a natter to!

After breakfast we set off into the unknown to Chessington World of Adventures .........

We decided we would visit the Zoo first and headed off in that direction, distracted by the feeding of some penguins, exotic planting and various goings on.  






We went to Zufari, travelling on a 'safari truck, it was something totally different!!!

We could then wander around the 'village' and see the animals at our leisure. 




We had lunch, found the Wild Cats, visited the Children's Farm 


and the sea life centre. 


 This last was amazing!!



The tanks were HUGE and the varieties of fish, felt like walk in tanks at places .......... amazing......... we loved it, beats London aquarium!


We then made tracks for the Skyride which, as it says, took us all round the site but overhead.  

The centre is quite 'tired' in places but the staff are wonderful, customer service gets top marks - so friendly and helpful.  The whole place is set up for the under 14's, there were a couple of school classes there and families of pushchair age children, but it did not seem packed (being out of season a few rides were closed) although the weather was warm and dry.  

Speaking of rides - I spotted one just after lunch ..... no-one to go on with .......... I twisted PJ's arm soooo hard ....... would love to go back just for that ride .............

Considering the day was free entry, we had a wonderful time, we both enjoyed it sooooo much ........... it helps if you have to try to see it through a child's eyes ......... not difficult for us!!!

Saturday ....... it's a Random

Late phonecall meant PJ will be going to the Philately Club on his own - I'm off to Evesham.

There is a country fair going on so N and I are off to see what's what!

Guess??? 

There's a train there.  

But we were very good..............  

Bought a few cards and some stamps to support the local crafters and then..............

went for a ride on the train!!!!

  We had our own personal carriage ...............


 


...................and driver ...........





 ..............lots of views .................








 .............. and then back to the station.

Strolling round the garden centre we managed to pick up some large lavender plants for N's empty pots and a couple of display pots at the right price..............

............ and this chicken jumped into my basket along with her chicks.............. (hope it's an early birthday present - very early!)

When we came home we found PJ had had a good meeting and set up his flag on the pond!

Sorry for the bad photos, battery was nearly empty, but you get the gist .........

Paignton and a trip home

From Torquay we caught the bus and travelled along the coast to Paignton.  Lots of great views but when we reached the bus station we had no idea in which direction to go.



We bought a coffee and asked directions and arrived at the beach although we did find the railway on route!




We sat on the promenade and watched the world go by, but it appeared to be a very tired town and we were certainly disappointed.  We window shopped on the way back to the bus and managed to find some small flags for PJ's pond - see later post!



The next day started well enough, we even managed to overtake this steam train - only us could find a steam train travelling along a motorway!!!





Then we hit traffic and this slowed us up considerably but we managed to arrive in Bristol only 30mins late to meet our friend. 
He was working on the railway (surprise! surprise!) so PJ chatted while I had 'a coffee and a cake' and chatted to a local business man.

  
We left about 16.00hrs and only hit one or two traffic jams on the way, thankfully, and arrived home to receive lots and lots of fuss from our moggy.