This date of Easter must surely be the latest on record but still the weather continues unsettled. Even today on 9th May there is blustery, cold, wet weather.
The sun managed to shine for the Good Friday service in the town centre. The band played and the people sang and then we went to church to eat a hot cross bun.
Our own Easter Sunday was much more low key but still we kept to our tradition of Easter eggs on the Easter table. Spot the difference.
The Brighton weekend came up. The main purpose was to spend some time with Joe and Julia and, as always, rain was not far away.
On our journey down we discovered that Greggs had started operating in motorway service stations. The offer was any cake and any coffee for £2.50. The man who came in after us did not spot the offer and paid £4.50. It was raining and so we consumed our cream filled doughnuts in the car. Next we stopped at Pease Pottage for a toilet stop before going to find our motel at Hickstead.
We entered Brighton to the accompaniment of rain. Having parked and got a parking permit from Julia we made our way to their new flat. Joe joined us shortly after we arrived. The flat is an improvement on their previous one. It is possible to walk around the main room, the kitchen is good and they have access through a proper bathroom into a small garden.
The rain continued and so we stayed in the flat to have a meal and then to play the families' favourite game of Chartbusters.
At the end of the evening we made our way back to the Travel Lodge, first getting lost (even with a SATNav) in the one way system of the town. The rooms are much improved and the bed is comfortable and does not move when you lean against the headboard. After breakfast of porridge of the instant variety from Asda we returned to Brighton. We parked on their street once more. For some unaccountable reason the rain more or less stopped and we were able to walk into town.
We entered Brighton to the accompaniment of rain. Having parked and got a parking permit from Julia we made our way to their new flat. Joe joined us shortly after we arrived. The flat is an improvement on their previous one. It is possible to walk around the main room, the kitchen is good and they have access through a proper bathroom into a small garden.
The rain continued and so we stayed in the flat to have a meal and then to play the families' favourite game of Chartbusters.
At the end of the evening we made our way back to the Travel Lodge, first getting lost (even with a SATNav) in the one way system of the town. The rooms are much improved and the bed is comfortable and does not move when you lean against the headboard. After breakfast of porridge of the instant variety from Asda we returned to Brighton. We parked on their street once more. For some unaccountable reason the rain more or less stopped and we were able to walk into town.
We were heading for 'Waikikamukau'. This is a vegetarian restaurant. If you are interested in Kiwi the origin of the name then see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waikikamukau. This is about as close to the truth as you will get. Our route was through an alley way of stalls and shops of the 'different' variety.
I was on the look out for a bright shirt for the summer. Once we had settled down in the restaurant Irene said that there were bright coloured shirts on the racks outside the shop. I was not long in finding and paying £3 for an attractive shirt.
After a filling lunch we made our way through the town to our first place of interest. (As if walking through the town was not interesting enough). We passed a sort of garden centre. Joe enjoyed the view of neighbouring alleys that he got by climbing up some steps.
At every turn there was a shop of interest.
I loved the long alley way which had small gardens opposite the row of terraced houses.
Eventually we arrived at the Toy Museum. This was a place that I have wanted to visit. It has featured on television and in my railway books. It is an amazing collection of things that went back in time beyond my childhood but include things from our older children's childhood. I did not know that Pelham Puppets had made a Harry Potter puppet before they finally closed.
After this we went to an exhibition at the art gallery. Local people had access to some London collections and they had made their own choices. It was an interesting selection. Particularly appealing was a painting of a lamb on a kitchen table with the farmer and is wife looking at it with some affection. It was obvious that later the lamb would be eaten.
On the way back to the flat we passed a strangely named shop and above was a strangely juxtaposed sign of a robber. I could not work out the significance.
Then we called into a greengrocer that had a very colourful display at the front.
After a great meal we settled down to play a train game.
Once more we badly negotiated the one-way system but got back to another night at the Travel Lodge. We had hoped to meet Joe and Julia at a nearby National Trust gardens but as we left the hotel the rain came once more. We had a pleasant morning in their flat before heading home.
Our lunch stop was at Cobham Services. We had seen this being built. It was one of the more modern ones. The main food hall was maintained by MacDonalds but around it was a number of eateries. Once more we found good food at Greggs and after afternoon refreshments at Watford gap got back home.
On the 30th the weather was reasonable and so off we set to Clumber Park. It is a little while since we had been there and found that in many places the permitted speed had been reduced. We were not sure that it was the local park that people from Stapleford seem to make it out to be.
Last time we went we were not members of the National Trust and so we missed out on visiting the walled garden. This time we intended to make a visit to it, but after refreshments in the cafe.
After this we popped into the visitors centre which displayed much of the wildlife that could be found around the park grounds. One recorded sound was that of the cuckoo and I thought that the last day of April might be too early to here a real one.
As we were at the car getting ready to go off on our walk I spied a lady that I knew. Parked only a few car away were our friends Margaret and Derrick. They were spending a week away at the nearby Thorsby Hall.
Recently I had had a discussion with another friend who had noticed that whenever he parked his car other people parked next to him. I noticed it too. I deliberately parked in the middle of the car park and when we came back from the cafe we were surrounded by other cars despite there being a lot of room in more convenient parts of the car park.
We had our picnic in the woodland area where a disappointed squirrel came to be fed.
Then we miss-judged the time and the length of our walk as we set off; first to find bluebells and then to cross to the other side of the lake.
Eventually we reached the bridge.
We reached a good view of all the buildings of Clumber Park and then we heard the cuckoo. This must have been the earliest that we have heard. I think that last year was the first time I had one for some years.
Inspired by this and despite time running out on us we walked a little further and came upon the temple.
It is a little disappointing from close-up and not the magnificent structure that can be seen from the opposite bank.
On the 30th the weather was reasonable and so off we set to Clumber Park. It is a little while since we had been there and found that in many places the permitted speed had been reduced. We were not sure that it was the local park that people from Stapleford seem to make it out to be.
Last time we went we were not members of the National Trust and so we missed out on visiting the walled garden. This time we intended to make a visit to it, but after refreshments in the cafe.
After this we popped into the visitors centre which displayed much of the wildlife that could be found around the park grounds. One recorded sound was that of the cuckoo and I thought that the last day of April might be too early to here a real one.
As we were at the car getting ready to go off on our walk I spied a lady that I knew. Parked only a few car away were our friends Margaret and Derrick. They were spending a week away at the nearby Thorsby Hall.
Recently I had had a discussion with another friend who had noticed that whenever he parked his car other people parked next to him. I noticed it too. I deliberately parked in the middle of the car park and when we came back from the cafe we were surrounded by other cars despite there being a lot of room in more convenient parts of the car park.
Off we set to the walled garden. It is one of the most impressive ones that I have seen. Along one side was one of the longest lean-to green-houses we have seen and some of the largest tool and potting sheds.
It was mainly a kitchen garden. The apple blossom was almost fully out. Exactly a week later the local BBC station chose to feature the apples here on their programme.
The BBC did not mention that as well as apples there were 121 varieties of rhubarb. They did not make for interesting photography but the vivid coloured flowers did.
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