Birthday, Bath n Beckford Tower

It started on the rooftop Thermae pool in Bath.
Quite an experience n we reckon the views must be panoramic if the mist ever lifts.

Then on to Beckford Tower, a Landmark Trust - our third and most luxurious yet, a real des. res!

If ever you needed a landmark to your bed on the way home from the pub on a dark evening the tower has to be it.

The Scarlet Drawing Room was incredibly atmospheric, warm and comfortable. All creature comforts were catered for - and the key to your own tower thrown in for good measure, though there were 154 steps to the top:

then the Belvedere with panoramic views over Bath (when the mist lifted :)

The Start of It

Woolley, aparently, does not directly relate to a shepherd but rather describes a wooded area on the ley of a river - and here it is. One of a number of Woolley's but we suspect this might be the original from the Doomsday Book. It is a bit odd walking through a village that has your name scribed everywhere - on houses n churches:

Autumn Arrives Again @ Westonburt

Richard n Jean

Had a great weekend with old friends from Leicester. Did Malmesbury gardens and . Richard found this amusing sign :)





"Historic Church and Toilets"






n saw a little water vole eating floating weeds in the river







Really was a fabulous day

Brizen Young Peoples Centre

Another community resource centre opens, just a little one this time, but v popular n met with bags of enthusiasm.

Mo's 60th

Yes, another 60th, time of life ;) Venue this time was the Brush Club Loughboro and the group the amazing Salmagundi - ever heard Egyptian Ska :)



Thanks Mo - great night, great spread :-p

n thanks Sue for the bed n breakfast :)

Malverns Reloaded

The Malvern Crest is really quite spectactular. Incredible views. The breeze certainly blew the cobwebs away. Then down to the http://www.malvern-theatres.co.uk/ for a bit of live theatre to see Michelle Collins and Rupert Hill http://www.malvern-theatres.co.uk/events/466.html. Well scripted, a solid play well acted.

More pics http://s212.photobucket.com/albums/cc96/elantra7/Malvern/

Marion's Moving On

The Trip North

Where did that month go :-/ Only seems yesterday we were smugglin Marion into the country for her Mam's surprise, @ the 60th birthday bash, and it's time to depart for Heathrow once again. Missin her already :'(

Managed to fit a trip north in before she left to see Sis in Carlisle, a tour round the Lakes and a stop off @ Castlerigg stone circle on the breathtaking fells outside Keswick.

Took the trip in Jean's new pride n joy :)

Before taking a rest in her other pride n joy, the re landscaped back garden.

So until Christmas and the next round of adventures (might even let you drive my car again if you promise to stop playing around with the windscreen wipers :)) Have a good trip back n Luv Ya x

Shuttifield Cottage

Another garden from the Yellow Book. Three acre plantsman's garden backing onto walks through a 20 acre wood in Storridge, Worcestershire.











M relaxin by the pond after a stroll through the woods





and just before tea n cake in a well thatched gazeebo

Julie @ 60

What a night it was! What a surprise.

Marion arrived v early @ Heathrow. Marilyn and I decided to stop over but as we were only going to be there, and sleeping, a few hours we went for the cheap, and hopefully cheerful, Easyhotel. OK if you just stopping over prior to a flight out, but it’s half acre of plastic pod en suites, toilet/bathrooms designed by First Great Western in Stavros orange, permanent green night light and noisy air con (due to the lack of windows) is not conducive to a good nights sleep.

Still all went well – apart from the ‘welcome home’ balloons that took off with the wind over Heathrow probably downing a coupla jets on their way :-0

At the bash Julie was busy organising things in the kitchen. Fortunately guests were arriving by the side entrance to the village hall. We sneaked Marion into the front porch unnoticed. Got Julie sitting down with her back to the porch, on the mobile thinking she was talking to Marion in Rwanda. When she turned round, well, the result can be seen in the opening scene of the enclosed video clip :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unRT__jbahE

click the squre on the bottom right of the video for full screen - not the best system but too large for photobucket/flkr

The band were great. Their first night playing together but you’d never have guessed. Great way to get people mixing – even the village CPSOs joined in.

Great spread, amazing cake :-p Great catering staff n dish washers :)

Fiesta in the Park

We were sooo lucky with the weather, clouds threatened but the sun shone through on the thousands of visitors to Pitville Park, Cheltenham. Used to be a v "brit party in the park" 'till it's sponsors ran out. We've been trying to revive n rebrand to a celebration of multi cultural music, dance, fun n games for a while. Got a kick start last year with some unexpected funding for what central gvt wanted called 'Citizens Day' (our title is better!)

There were taster sets in Asian, Afro n Salsa dance (some of the Salsa practitioners were sensational).

The kids entertainers were exceptional too.

More pics @ http://s212.photobucket.com/albums/cc96/elantra7/Fiesta/

Highnam Court

This is an amazing 35 acre Victorian landscaped gardens laid out by Thomas Gambier-Parry. There are water gardens with pools, lake, grottoes clad in Pulhamite, terrace, urns & steps. Yew avenue, mature trees, formal bedding & gravel walks. The walks are beautifully laid out n cream teas in the Orangery :-p


http://www.royalforestofdean.info/gardens/gardens-to-see.shtml#highnam_court



There are some amazing chain-saw sculptures of natural wildlife from the trees that were damaged in the gales. I remember these creatures from my kayaking days - v dangerous when riled!

More pics @ http://s212.photobucket.com/albums/cc96/elantra7/HIghnam/

Farewell Marj

Marilyn's Mam died peacefully in her sleep at home where she wished to be. One of life's lovely people she loved life n loved people.

Were both orphan's now :'(

Sis @ 60

Celebrated in style. If you have to turn 60 then Cyprus is the place to do it. Sun, sea n ratsina!






Stayed at the Dianna Gardens appartments in pafos - http://www.cyprusholidayrentals.net/diana_gardens_apartment_1288.htm - yes the pool is that blue, lots of little extra's, well recommended. Slight walk outa town but no probs if you hire a car or taxis are regular, reliable with fixed reasonable charges - even to the airport.

One trip that was both interesting and a little disapointing at the same time was Nicosia - the divided city. When Marilyn and I were there some years ago you walked up the bustling greek streets to a breeze block wall overlooking the UN buffer zone to a part of the city that had stood still since the Turkish invasion of '74 - an amazing site as those who have been will know. Now it is being rehabilitated. They have made an industry out of crossing a road, through the greek customs then the Turkish customs, need a special day visa, just to cross the road. It is right that this part of the city is being used again, even if just for tourism, it was a waste. Bet those giant new minorettes right on the border annoy the orthadox n secularists alike when they call to prayer.


Pafos harbour is a wonderful place for strolling n people watching. It is also a cruising strip for those with vehicles to match their egos (and the young with drilled out silencers to make them sound like super sports cars :) Can recommend 'Tea for Two' as a great place to relax, take a drink of wine n watch the world go by.




Our car was a Mitsi Lancer. Heard they had a good reputation. Certainly comfortable but the car did seem a bit too heavy for the engine although it was a 1.8. Still the speed limits on the Island are understandably restrictive so no great prob.

When going up Troodos can recommend the 'Waterfall Cafe', they have made the most out of v little and was an interesting diversion.


So all in all a great break. Back to overcast skies, recession and swine flu :-/ Still those amazing escapologists, better known as Carlisle United beat the drop again by one point in the last game of the season with an unexpected win over Milwall (sorry to all Cobblers supporters).

If you want to see more pics/vidz of the trip tune into -http://s212.photobucket.com/albums/cc96/elantra7/Cyprus/