Two Parties and Two Performers

With just a week between, we celebrated the 60^th birthdays of two of our friends. It is not usual to divulge the age of ladies but I will claim that the power of social media does not allow secrecy to be maintained. This might be something that ‘we have to get a grip on’.

On Friday it was my turn to play the music for the sequence dance. The lap top is making the job much easier and it seems that a lot of people were pleased with the evening.

On 3^rd of November our usual visit to Nan was followed by attending the birthday of our good friend Liz le Voi. We have known Liz and her family from our time when we lived in Milton Keynes in the late 80’s. In fact Irene remembers playing the piano at her 40^th birthday. A few years ago, thanks to social media, we were reacquainted and have kept in touch since. Sometimes there have been face to face meetings, but also Skype and social media has come into its own.

Liz’s party was held at the ‘Red Hot World Buffet and Bar’. It was our privilege to be among the select few. There was good conversation while we tasted an amazing selection of great food. Unfortunately we could not go back to their house for the rest of the party as we needed to return home to light our allotment bonfire. There is only one day in the year when we are allowed to this.

Normally we light the bonfire in the afternoon and it is out well before dark. This year it was dark when I lit the bonfire. After changing, I was the forward party to start the proceedings . A number of bonfires were already lit and our neighbour, Anthony, was leaving with his family. Although it had been raining earlier my bonfire went off at first try. I had stashed an amount of dry wood in a cardboard box. A couple of fire lighters and a match started off the inferno. The heat from this blaze soon dried out and ignited the main bonfire.

Irene’s job was to come later with our tea, a can of brown ale and marshmallows to toast. Being on top of the hill we had a good view of fireworks near and far. Toasting marshmallows is harder than we thought. We did need much longer implements and a method of cooking the sweet all the way through. However we were pleased with our effort. The blaze died down in time for us to be back out of the cold by 9.30.

During the week following there was to be a disappointment. Having ordered floor covering, I took up the carpet on Tuesday morning. Unfortunately the shop rang in the afternoon to say that all their fitters were ill and that we would have to wait till next week. At the time of writing the three fridges are standing in the living room and we can only hope that the workmen will come tomorrow.

On Tuesday afternoon I spent a pleasant time with my friend Paul. His photographs of aircraft are exceptional.

On Saturday, a week following Liz’s birthday, we attended  the 60th birthday party of another dear friend - Sue. We have known Sue for almost 12 years. In recent times, since she moved away, social networking has again come into its own. Sue’s party was within walking distance, at her daughter’s home. There were many friends of hers there and we all squashed comfortably together to enjoy more good conversation and an abundance of food. The party ended with a great firework display.

Sunday 11^th was to start an even more eventful two days. Tim and family had invited us to go and see the girls play in the National Children’s Orchestra in Cambridge. We decided to make it into something of an outing and so we set off earlier than necessary at 9:30 am to arrive in the city at 11:30. The first issue was car parking. The advice said that there would be parking on the street. But being a blue sky autumn day the street was already full. We parked about 5 minutes walk away and then set off to walk into the city. The walk took us through the ‘Backs’, over the ‘Cam’ by Claire College bridge. From the distance all that could be seen of the river was a punt pole sticking up. Many people had already taken the opportunity to indulge in the favourite Cambridge sport of punting. As we arrived at John’s College chapel the chimes rang out for 12 noon. It would be another 30 minutes before we found a suitable coffee shop for a hot chocolate (mine was topped with cream and marshmallows) and chocolate muffins. We needed the sustenance as we had calculated that main meal would not happen till after 3:30.

After lunch we walked on through the city. We spied the Victorian letter box outside King’s College and I needed to take a picture of Irene next to it since the last time I had done so was over 44 years ago. Cambridge is one of those ageless places, unlike us who show age all too well.

Bicycles and Posters

King's Chapel

August 1968

A final circumnavigation took us back to West Road, and as we walked along we met up at almost exactly 2:30 with Tim and family walking towards us. Once more we set off for the Claire’s college bridge. From the bridge we could see the sloping grass which had been our picnic spot on about the same day when I took the first Victorian letter box picture.

 Isla and the girls went back to the concert hall. Tim, Irene and I went off to find Weathespoons,  where we would have our meal. Isla joined us and we placed our orders and had a good time together, before finding our way back to the West Road venue.

Isla, Tim and Irene

The place was packed, but eventually we found our places on the third from front row. It was a very impressive, modern auditorium and a full orchestra easily filled the stage. The orchestra entered to applause which went on until all the well dressed musicians filled the stage. After introductions the concert began. The sound was amazing. To me it was a flawless performance and ended all too soon. Both girls played with real passion, giving their all to the performance.

Iona on the Viola

Izzy on the Double Bass

After the concert we said our goodbyes. Tim and family headed back to Milton Keynes, with the promise of food on route. We set off back along the M11 and fifteen minutes later we arrived at the motel.

It was not the best one we have stayed at. The curtains did not fit properly and the bed insisted on moving away from the bed head. The people upstairs sounded as if they were on exercise bikes. However, after supper, a card game and some telly we slept well through the night. The next morning  we discovered that the shower did not work.

Breakfast was at the ‘Little Chef’. I had pancakes with syrup. Irene had the cereal and yoghurt. Then we were on the way.

Woolsthorp Manor

   Our first port of call was to be the birth place of Sir Isaac Newton, Woolsthorpe Manor, just off the A1. However, it was closed. So we decided to move on. In view of the rain the nearest possible place of interest was the museum in Grantham. Once parked we started our exploration by taking a stroll along the ‘river walk’. We were able to enjoy the autumn colours. 

The rain set in and we returned to the town centre. First we came to the Guildhall Arts Centre just in time for lunch. They served a good soup for Irene and a very filling baked potato for me.

Statue of Isaac Newton and the Guildhall
Arts Centre

Then we went to the museum. It was closed. The guide book said that St Wulfram’s Church was worth a visit and that it had a visitors centre. Once again it was closed. Now we remembered why we usually chose not to go exploring on Mondays.

It was time to start the journey home. Grantham is worth another look, on another day, sometime next year.