Thursday 17 June 2010

Summer

Beautiful weather. This could be summer and being in England we have to make the most of it, we can't expect it to last more than four days. Just the right temperature, about 20/21 degrees for being outside whether to work or play. As we'd done quite a bit of work and HoF needs physical removal from computers from time to time, we had an outing yesterday.
First we drove to Button Oak Inn where one of his forebears, his grandfather's uncle (yes, my researches do go rather wide) was once the publican. We explored Kinlet churchyard, in the middle of a park far from the village, but no gravestones which is usual for our ancestors. Gravestones are an expensive proposition even now and we are still debating what to tell our descendants. HoF tends towards cremation, and I who like foraging in cemeteries, prefer burial. Tombs are reminders of death and decay rather than life and good memories, he suggested. Probably right, I thought.

No, really, we did have a good day out. We went next to the country park in Highley, a stone's throw from where I grew up, but a river apart. The Severn between us meant that I never went there, or maybe once. The pit closed in 1969, after I'd left, and now a lovely green space with a memorial to the hard work of the coal miners replaces it. I walked down to the station and watched two Severn Valley railway trains (real choo-choos) come through, and to the river. We read and picnicked in the sunshine before some more exploration. In the evening we ate dinner outside for the second time this week, this year even.
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Friday 11 June 2010

Retreat


Miss P and I did go on a retreat as planned. Don't know quite what I expected, something austere perhaps. But I loved it. My bedroom was on the top floor, centre window in the picture. I could be peacefully quiet in there, or go for a walk in the lovely grounds, or in the village or by the flower-filled meadow nearby. Breakfast was taken in our rooms and other meals with the fellow guests and wardens, and lovely meals they were too. It was really good to get away from all the 'oughts' of life, the things that tend to make one feel guilty about sitting down to be quiet. I always hoped I'd do this sort of thing daily when I retired but it hasn't worked out that way. The Retreat was a Treat.
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Greys Court

We had a week away in old haunts, staying with Miss P and visiting old friends. One place we revisited was Greys Court, e delightful NT place with a brick-and-flint house, a wisteria avenue and a turf maze.





HoF climbed the tower for a view, and for another he decided he'd take a photo down the 200ft well whence water was once drawn by a donkey walking round and round, pulling up the buckets. Sadly, his specs fell off his nose! Too far for the splash to be audible. It wasn't quite his week as he left his hat on a bus too. But I bought him another, more respectable which will be good for his upcoming Tanzanian trip.
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Saturday 5 June 2010

Mark Knopfler

I am just going to sneak this in whilst herself is out in the garden. This was yesterday's jolly for me preceded by picnic in Kensington Gardens in the sun. Helps to offset the general impression in this blog that H0F is a bit of a square.
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