What are you all up to
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It was a dry and quite warm day so OH did some washing before we went out. We drove over to Much Wenlock and had a walk along the old line from Gaskell Park before lunch and around the village afterwards. I took another walk around Broseley in the late afternoon to have look at these sculptures, in memory of the miners fron the area.
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Some of our favourite places as well there, Burton Agnes and Much Wenlock. Wallington was lovely inside, vintage style Xmas decor, including a real Xmas cake, fruit with full on marzipan and royal icing, it mus5 have been 7-8 inch deep. Kicking myself for not taking a photo.
Very tall Christmas tree, in central hall area
Detail of one of the wall panels in the central hall.
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@nelliethehooker try to make it to see Broadway if you go, it is so beautiful at Christmas. It seems everyone makes such an effort, white lights everywhere. By far the best village to see there at Christmas.
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Agree about Broadway, @DEBSC. 👍👍 Broadway is delightful....
In the meantime, Carol insisted I got a new Christmas pullover for our pub carol singing sessions.... didn't realise it looked that bright... 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Last nights session was a bit crowded. Not sure how we managed to get almost 30 singers into a small space + electronic bit's and bobs to provide a reasonable accompaniment.... It's a good job there were quite a few singers unable to attend!!!
Anyone been to Chatsworth Christmas Market this year? We went a few years ago and quite enjoyed it Didn't take the caravan up though. Fortunately, it's not too far from home, so we drove up for the afternoon.
Today just has to be Christmas Card writing and posting, or else they're just not going to get there. We got some cards today posted on 26th November.... that 14 days for them to arrive..... At that rate, folk will be lucky to get ours by Christmas.....
David
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Not posted much on here for the last few days - but I have been looking and am enjoying all the Christmas pics - particularly like your new jumper David - @DSB !
Been a bit frought here at home - it's Ros's colonoscopy tomorrow and she's had to endure a week of a low residue diet which means, basically, not eating anything that's good for you! No fruit, veg - only white bread and white fish and chicken, rice and mashed potatoes. I think we'll both be relieved when tomorrow's over.
Really looking forward to Christmas at Sandringham. With not getting away last month, it seems ages since we did so.
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it's Ros's colonoscopy - I think we'll both be relieved when tomorrow's over.
Wonderful synchronicity of writing there Richard.🤣 Hope all goes well for her.
Another rain lashed morning here but we had to go to town for multiple matters, one of them being visiting our main Post Office as I have cards that need posting to Europe but it was closed due to "Unforeseen circumstances" We nipped into the Library and asked them if they had any information. All they knew was that there was some sort of medical issue yesterday as there was an ambulance outside for quite a time. A mystery why its remained closed for today though. We do have access to another P.O. a mile away but it closes in the afternoon so will have to go then.
I hope all remain safe in this latest storm.
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It’s blowing a right old gale here tonight! Wasn’t too bad this morning, so we walked up to The Sill for a good look around, they have the remnants of the Gap tree in the exhibition space now. Some fabulous photographs of an Astronomy images competition, astonishing some of the different aspects. There’s always nice hand crafted gifts for sale as well in the shop. We popped next door into Twice Brewed Inn for lunch after, then walked back to our cottage. Had a drive literally as far as we could get the Jeep into one of the forests in the afternoon, only turning back when it became a MTB track rather than a road🤣 Didn’t want to get stuck. Very bleak the other side of the Wall. We didn’t get out for a walk as you could barely stand up in the wind.
Stump, with meaningful words and memories growing. (My photo isn’t very good, I have got the air con unit at the top of the tree.)
Poem and artwork in the pub, there’s a huge slice of tree in there as well. Tree is the logo for the micro brewery there.
The end of our drive today. There are Roman’s over the hills in the distance!
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Fingers crossed that all goes well with Ros's examination @richardandros
Like the new jumper @DSB very bright!!
@DEBSC we do hope we can get through to Broadway to to see the decoration. There are a couple of other Cotswold towns we hope to visit too.
That is certainly a fine looking tree @Takethedogalong Hope you have survived the storm.
It has rained for much of the day so we didn't venture out in the car and I just took Flyte for his walks in the rain. It was not too windy and our pitch is well sheltered by a hedge behind. It did clear up in the late afternoon and I was able to get a dry walk into Broseley. It is an interesting town, well worth a visit, with numerous unique features including Ironmaster's houses, a number of "Jitties", passageway where there used to be miners cottages, and a Pipe Museum, which is fronted by a Quacker graveyard.
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Lovely day to ourselves as MiL had a lunch date with her friends. They were picking her up, entertaining her then returning the goods for a refund.😁
Meanwhile we headed along the Welsh coast to Conwy. First off to the RSPB reserve as we wanted to upgrade our small binoculars as they were quite old now. We bought some new ones which will probably outsee us. After coffee and a walk to try the new ones out we headed into Conwy itself for lunch. We walked into town along the former main road which used to have a Toll house. We then treated ourselves to a Fish and Chip lunch. The weather was mostly kind particularly as the day wore on although too windy for a trip to a beach as originally planned.
Back home more or less as MiL returned.
The old Toll House
The former main road over the suspension bridge heading towards the castle, the road veering off just before it. Now a pedestrian way into town.
The parallel new road bridge with the harbour in the background.
All in all a thoroughly enjoyable day
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A bit of an adventure for me today, our son took us to the local Tesco.Margaret likes their gammon joints.It was a bit strange as I am not so used to having lots of people around me but I managed without any mishaps. I thought I would push the trollet but that didn't work out as it was a bit light and I was worried about it running away. I kept to my three pronged stick and people were kind to me. I now appreciate the benefits of the Blue Badge and being ablt to park nearer the entrance, although it didn't seem that near!
David
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Adventure for us as well today, we made use of our railcards and hopped onto a local train at Haltwhistle for a day out in Carlisle. We have only been to the Castle on the outskirts, but wanted to do the Cathedral and Tullie Museum today. Easy peasy, free parking at station, 30 minutes on train which was clean and comfy, and on time. 10 minute stroll to Cathedral, good look around there, and then a couple more hours in the Tullie. Another off our Cathedrals list, and an excellent Museum. Good journey back to cottage as well.
Some of the Christmas trees on display in and around Cathedral.
One of the beautiful misericord carvings
Exterior, has a very nice cafe in the Friary buildings. The tree stump bottom left was huge.
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You seem to be blessed with the weather in Cumbria @Takethedogalong as they have had a really wet few days. Smashing photos again and I'm glad you had another good day out.
Pleased to read that you both felt fit enough to get out and about @Wherenext and that you too had an enjoyable day.
Well done @DavidKlyne a few big steps in the right direction!
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Yet more rain through the night but it was dry when we arose, the clouds cleared and the sun appeared. OH did another round of washing before we left the site and was able to get it out in the fresh air when we arrived at our next site, the C&CC's Wolverley one. We did have a short shower of rain just after our afternoon walk so had to take it in to dry off fully in the caravan. The site is quite quiet with just 15 caravans/MHs and one small tent.
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Shopping today, and a visit to Lidl after noticing that we had been overcharged for a purchase last week. OH had taken a “funny turn” just before we got to the check outs, felt faint etc, so we had not done our usual check of the receipt.
We had a 10% off voucher so had stocked up on a large number of things, so the bill was considerable, but as it was a very full trolley, and OH said we had to go before she keeled over, we went quickly to the car and off to DD’s house.Today I commented that we were running out of butter, OH asked how that could be as we had bought 2 tubs last week? I checked the fridge, no butter. OH said they must have been left at DD’s as I had put all the perishables in the fridge. I checked when we got there, no butter. Thinking we were crazy, DD checked the digital receipt and asked “how much butter did you buy?!! It says 22 tubs here, did you not check the receipt?”
She then checked her fridge herself and found our butter right at the back of the top shelf, out of sight behind her shopping. We then went straight to Lidl, explained the problem, and the very helpful assistant at the checkout immediately agreed that the 22 should only have been 2, and refunded almost £40 to my card. Phew!
I suppose they might have remembered someone buying 22 tubs of butter!
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Sounds like you had a really interesting day @Takethedogalong - and some lovely photos too. For whatever reason, I've never thought of Carlisle as a place to visit but you've opened my eyes! I'll keep that in mind for the future.
Thank goodness we've got yesterday afternoon out of the way. We left home at 1200 and didn't get back from the hospital until 1630. Ros was in theatre for about an hour and they removed 7 polyps - that's on top of all the ones they've removed on the previous two occasions, this year. Let's hope that's the end of it. The unit has moved to a new building - built courtesy of funding from the Allam family - he was, until fairly recently, the Chairman of Hull City FC and has also funded facilities at Hull Royal Infirmary and the University. As @DavidKlyne, says - I was also able to benefit from my Blue Badge as I was able to park virtually outside the front door. (And no - I wasn't breaking the BB rules - I had to escort Ros back to the car, otherwise they wouldn't have let her out - and - she wasn't allowed to drive for 24 hours, having had a general anaesthetic🙂)
Now we can concentrate on getting things ready for our Christmas trip away😀
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@richardandros I do hope that Ros is feeling much better today. I also have had polyps removed during a colonoscopy, most uncomfortable. And all the drinking of that awful mixture the day before isn’t pleasant either, so she has my sympathy. Things are very different in our hospital, all done with just gas and air now. They used to offer a sedative injection, then after, a bed for a few hours and a sandwich. Now all changed, gas and air only, a chair afterwards then out the door. Our hospital is very overstretched, all the new estates being built here now and 50 miles from another hospital it’s ‘catchment area’ is huge. Even after my cancer op and mastectomy, not carried out until 3pm, I was sent home the same day, despite being unwell with very low blood pressure. That was a very difficult night. No one wants to be in hospital but I think it was necessary then for at least one night. It really is a post code lottery it seems.
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@richardandros good for a couple of days. Castle, Cathedral, excellent Museum. We wanted to look at the other end of Hadrians Wall as well, plus Lanercost Abbey. Countryside around city is lovely. City is trying, similar to a lot of other places, empty shops, quiet streets. But those three gems are each worthy of a visit alone.
Beautiful here at the moment, so I think we are going to do a walk today.
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We had a little bit of time to look around Carlisle a few years ago when we stopped at a hotel there to attend an early morning funeral in Moffat. Nice place, lovely cathedral.
@KjellNN - same sort of thing happened to us when we bought 1 pepper but were charged for 11. Not quite the same price differential but I think its a regular type of error particularly as we use those self scanners so weigh the product and operate the weighing machine ourselves.
Joined the masses for food shopping this morning, giving the van a run out. Quite a few people beginning to panic, a lot of angst on show.
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Another vote here for Carlisle we have visited regularly over the years as we stay at a CL in Longtown often as it’s only a couple of hours from home so great for a long weekend. The castle is a good place to Visit fascinating history and a good museum also the air museum just outside the town at Carlisle airport is a good place to spend afternoon
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It stayed nice today here, good bit of sunshine as well. We did a lovely little walk we have never done before on Hadrians Wall, took in Thirlwall Castle, walked the line of the Wall to Walltown Crags and had a picnic lunch there. Decided against trying to slither back down to where we started, so took to a minor road, then picked up the HW cycling path, back into Greenhead. Only around 3 miles, but it felt a lot more going up a long steep climb at the start. Fabulous scenery. We had been to Thirlwall before, as it’s close to a CL we like at Gilsland, but Walltown Country Park was new to us, and well worth a visit. Couple of small lakes, some well surfaced walks, visitor centre.
Thirlwall Castle, right on the Wall, classic bit of medieval stone re using!
Walltown Crags, with a good section of HW running along the summit. The Romans didn’t go round things! Taken from the Country Park, which is right next door to the Roman Army Museum.
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Talking over supermarket mistakes………during first COVID lockdown, I did a home Tesco order and clicked on what I thought was I piece of fresh ginger. Delivery arrived, and I found I was the proud owner of a kilo of fresh ginger! We had a good laugh, and decided to freeze it. Turned out to be a great idea as it was so easy to grate into things like stewed rhubarb, stir fries, etc…..
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Glad to read that Ros is feeling well enough to go out for a walk today after her operation yesterday @richardandros
More fine photos @Takethedogalong you have certainly found lots of places to visit. We have not been up to Thirwall Castle or to Walltown Country Park, so must make an effort to get there next year.
We too have had a fine dry day for our visit to Wightwick Manor. The outside looks much older than having been built the 1880s for Theodore Manders, of the Mander Brothers paint and varnish manufactures. The interior is decorated and furnished under the influence of the Arts and Crafts movement with many examples of the works of William Morris. We had a walk around the grounds before lunch and then went round the house in the afternoon. There were many beautiful Xmas decorations both inside and out.
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So glad to hear that Ros's op went well @richardandros . I expect she is pleased that it is over and done with. You can now go ahead and plan your Christmas getaway.
Wonderful photos @nelliethehooker I love the Christmas decorations at Wightwick Manor.
You sound as though you are having a really successful holiday @Takethedogalong with good weather. Such a lovely part of the country. I love all the photos. I hope you get home feeling refreshed and reinvigorated.
All our medical appointments now successfully completed culminating with a 45 minute dental appointment for me this morning. We spent a morning earlier in the week joining the Christmas masses. We had to go the Sainsbury's to take something back to Argos and do a bit of shopping which was manic both in the car park and in the shop. As @Wherenext says people are beginning to panic. We then went to M&S to take 2 items back and collect to more items I had ordered - Oh the joys of having to order online! I did have a very enjoyable afternoon at Peterborough Cathedral as when I was on duty in the shop 3 local primary schools were performing a nativity play. The children were so cute and did so well.
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@milliehull we have had a really good time, we planned our week carefully, mainly to ensure we had some get out of the weather things to do, but rather luckily for us, it’s been mostly dry and sunny in the day time. We even managed a couple of unplanned, but really enjoyable walks. We have been tired though, think it’s partly this lingering cold of mine, and the fact that we are just not used to racing around packing things into a day like we used to do.
We had a slow morning today, then drove all of a mile to Vindolanda. Had an hour outside inspecting Roman sewers, burials, all sorts of other things, then had a lovely lunch in the cafe before going round the jaw dropping museum. It’s just so different from EH, NT, type visits, as it’s being continuously excavated, so every visit brings something new. We walked back up doing the second part of the outside, so a very Roman afternoon. Bit of packing up to do tonight, we head home via Hexham Xmas Fair tomorrow. Have already decided Bath might be a good few days away for us, by rail. We both want to see the Roman Baths. Something for the new year.
Love the Arts and Crafts photos @nelliethehooker somewhere else we need to add to list.
Part of the Roman Fort. Apparently there have been nine forts on this site, and a village just outside. Lovely setting as well.
Roman shoes, highly decorated.
Plenty of choice, styles to suit all ages and budgets🤭
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@Takethedogalong that looks a great place to visit. Thanks for the pictures. Apparently OH says we have visited some of the Roman Fort but I have no recollection, it was many years ago. The museum looks pretty good too. On a list for sometime next year.
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Yet more rain over night, grey and damp when we got up, but it gradually improved thankfully. We had a walk along Kinver Edge today from the NT's Rock Houses carpark before do some shopping in Kidderminster. We had another Red sky this evening so hopefully it will be fine again tomorrow.
These are a couple more photos from yesterday's visit.
A veritable forest of Xmas trees
Another fine one inside the house.
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Likewise @Freddy55 (and @richardandros )!! I have a longstanding condition (mainly cured now), which means I am also prone to polyps. So I too have this regular procedure, every few years. I always feel I have to apologise to the Dr for having to do the procedure. I know someone's got to do it, but it just makes me wonder why anyone would choose to do this as a career.... 🤣🤣🤣
David
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Still very deaf in one ear. I sometimes had to see the nurse as earwax needed to be removed. Now, apparently, GP surgeries no longer do this since Covid. So a trip to Specsavers costing £60. I had already been using stuff recommended by the pharmacist but no joy. The lady at specsavers said they can’t carry out the irrigation used at GPs so they have a machine to suck it out (sorry 🤢) Well that hasn’t worked at all, it will be my 4th weekly visit on Tuesday for this procedure and still no joy, still not moved and still deaf. One visit to the nurse used to do it, now all this faffing.
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Thank you to everyone for your kind wishes / thoughts about Ros who is now back to her normal self. Although, like @DSB, it has been a long-standing issue with her for the last 30+ years - but this year - having to have three colonoscopies all in the same year, was just a bit too much.
@DEBSC - I don't know if it helps - but a few years ago - I had the same problem and I went to a private 'practice' in Beverley. It was long before Covid and GP surgeries weren't doing it even then. They used an ultrasonic probe (I don't really understand the technicalities) - but it did the trick. I wonder if there's anywhere near you with the same equipment??
Given that Ros is back to normal - I took her the the hairdressers in Beverley, this morning. Who on earth books an appointment - in Beverley - on a Saturday morning - which is bad enough for parking as it is - but also on the day of their Christmas Market!! I dropped her off and spent a very pleasant hour sitting on Beverley Westwood (open pasture near the racecourse), reading my Kindle. At least there was plenty of parking there!!
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