At last summer arrived. July
started with the hottest day of the year and probably the hottest event of the
year.
On the first day of the month we
almost witnessed the marriage of our son Joni to his ‘long term partner’,
Fiona, as they became Mr and Mrs Norten.
Fiona’s parents, Alan an Annette
collected us and we all went off to pick up the new couple’s belongings from
‘Sat Baines’ where the pair had enjoyed a meal the night before. I immediately
noticed the hat box and I began to think about the ‘no hats rule’.
After waiting outside the council
offices for a little while Joni and Fiona emerged, married, and with their two
witnesses.
Photographs followed and then Alan and I had this idea about going off to purchase a hat each, which we did.
Then we set off to ‘Jamies’ for
the wedding breakfast. We were led through to the garden where enjoyed
strawberries and champagne. As we were completing the antipasti there was a
rumble of thunder and then the rain came. Our table was reset up indoors. First
two large, yellow tomato cans arrived. This puzzled me. Then a board of
assorted starter was placed on top of it. As we ate the sun came out and once more we
were in the garden. Without further interruptions the meal was concluded and we
parted company.
Three days later the wedding
celebration took place in the Norten’s garden. Alan had bought the hog roast
which was a large oven containing a pig under a large gazebo. For our part we
purchased 96 pieces of cheese cakes. Our hosts supplied plentiful alcohol. There
was a speech and there was a wedding cake. The cake looked like Lego with two
Lego figured on top. The cake was ceremoniously cut. Having spent time and
enjoying the company of Tim and family our time there ended.
Iona had finished her secondary education and chose to spend a few day with us.
The following day, Sunday, the
three of us went off with Paul and Mary to a well dressing at Aston on Trent.
There is not really a well there but the standard of display was good. The
village pulled together to put on a good show.
On Monday Iona joined us at the morning café and we put her on a bus to Nottingham to do some exploring on her own. She said that this was the first time that she had been on a bus apart from going on school trips.
On Tuesday I took Iona to the
University Park. We walked along the lake, up to the Millennium Garden, down to
the walled garden and then to the Trent building for coffee. From there we went
down to the Djnogly gallery to see the summer exhibition. In the afternoon
Irene and I went shopping while Iona spent some free time at home. In the
evening we went for a walk across the field opposite.
Iona really wanted to do one of
our walks into Derbyshire. So, despite the less than favourable forecast, we
set off to conquer ‘White Edge’. This run parallel and higher than our regular
‘Curbar Edge’ walk. Not far along ‘White Edge’ the damp came on us but it was
never enough for me to consider putting the camera away. This was fortuitous
since just before the top we encountered a herd of red deer. The ‘Grouse Inn’
came in sight and it seemed ages before we eventually arrived. Here we refreshed
ourselves before walking on to Curbar Edge and the picnic. We made good time
back to the car and home.
This was Iona’s last day with us.
In the morning I drove her back to the university to meet up with Fiona. At the
end of the morning Irene and collected Fiona and I drove them into Broadmarsh
to leave them at the coach station. Iona journeyed back to MK. Irene returned
and we ran the ‘Eagles’ group which went on longer than usual.
A busy birthday ended a little
more relaxed with a meal at the Victoria Hotel in Beeston. It something of a
themed pub. The food was very good and it really has a claim to fame in that
mobile phones must be switched off on entry.
We ended the day with a little
evening walk in Attenborough where I used my new phone to do a selfie.
After the committee meeting, with
other things to do, we all but abandoned our Wednesday walk. However, we did
make our way to the university park (Highfields). Arriving early meant there
was plenty of parking. Part way along the lake we were accosted by a man with a
clip board who started by saying he had nothing to sell. We were able to give a
glowing review of the park. Since last week the tatty boats have been joined by
a pair of brighter coloured boats. On the top of the boats was a heron, making
a strange photograph. At the end of the lake we made our way across the
stepping stones and then up and across the lawns to the ‘Millennium Garden’. I
wanted to take some long exposure photographs of the fountains.
From there we dropped back down
to the ‘Walled Garden’. This is the first time we have been in the summer and
it was a riot of colour.
The next stop was the student
union section of the Trent Building and once again I enjoyed a Costa coffee and
muffin.
Unfortunately, we got to the Djnogly
gallery to find that the summer exhibition had come to an end. A few of the
paintings were propped up waiting for the owners to collect them.
The next stop was the tile
warehouse. They no longer stocked any border tiles. The sales person said it was
something to with Spain and the recession. Now the only place we know that
stocks them is in Scarborough.
And so on to B and Q for a cooker
hood filter, two pedestal fans and three light bulbs.
We arrived on the Trent
embankment in time for lunch. This was followed by a walk along the river to
the Victoria Gardens. Some years ago the headmaster that I worked for came into
the staffroom to say that he was just passing the statue of Queen Victoria when
her head fell (this was verified). She now stands at the back of the fountains
but is now surrounded by a green security fence.
After a little walk on the
bridge, which is now festooned with ‘lovers locks’ we went back to the car and
so on Long Eaton for the afternoon shopping. It was market day and so we were
able to get a punnet of strawberries for tea. My only disappointment was the
lack of fruit boxes at Tescos.
However, tea was enjoyable. Joni and Fiona came over and once again there was strawberries and cream and delicious champagne.
On Thursday I had business in the
hall which a bit of a waste of time. No one turned up to the drop in and blood
donors forgot to say that they would be later coming. The afternoon ‘Haven
Eagles’ went well and was enjoyed by all.
On Friday I did the final
undercoat on another door and in evening it was dance time.
Saturday was busy. It was the
afternoon of the table top sale at the church. The ladies across the road from the church had blessed
us with a garage full of stuff to sell and this needed moving from the store to
the table. We arrived home about six and I was somewhat exhausted. Our table raised
over £110 pounds and I purchased Italian leather coats. A selfie is needed. Thanks to Tim and co. I am now the proud owner of a selfie stick.
On Sunday it was church as usual
but no Jan and Lawrence. At last I was able to get on putting paint on the
canvas that has stood around for ages. It was the first time that I have done
this outside in this country. I say this because I did two paintings outside
in NZ.
In the afternoon the rain set in
so it was a railway afternoon. Irene set about garden upgrades and the siting
of more dustbins while I positioned and wired in the light of the newly built
garage that had been a present from NZ. Now it looks like it had always been
there.
For me Monday was particularly busy.
Irene had to go into town on community centre business (looking for curtains
with the other Irene). Not only did I have to setup the morning café on my own
I also had to investigate why the centre microphone was behaving badly.
Fortunately a church friend came over to help run the café.
Tuesday started well. The
shopping was done efficiently in the afternoon and then we set off to help Paul
copy the files off his computer. However when we got to their house we were met
by Paul who said that Mary had had an accident and could we drive him to her.
On arrival Mary was standing shaken by the incident. The other party to the
accident was on the phone and had involved the police. After a reasonable
length of time a police car and two policemen were on the scene. They made a
thorough investigation which involved breathalysing both parties and taking
statements. After about an hour we were free to go. No one was hurt. Mary’s car
was not damaged and I expect that the other lady’s wing mirror will soon be
replaced.
Because the weather did not look
too hopeful and that we were going to travel to Milton Keynes on Saturday we
decided to stay local. With pacamacs on we walked up Coventry lane to join the
path by the derelict Nottingham canal. We dropped back home for morning coffee.
After this we rejoined the path at the bridge and continued on passed the
garden centre until we reached the road where we went under the motorway. This
view of the area was quite confusing but we gained a new perspective on our
area.
Tim’s 45th birthday
was on Saturday and it started off as being the one of the sunniest of July.
The journey did not go well. We told Mary that we would take no more than 1 ½ hours.
In the event we took three with one of them being stationary on the M1 near
Leicester. An overturned caravan was to blame.
We purchased food at the local
supermarket. This, together with the delicious cream cake, made by Irene, made
for a great birthday lunch. There were even candles which I don’t think we
could light. I think Tim was pleased with our present of a ‘Dr Who’ tee-shirt.
After lunch we drove to Stowe Gardens. I got a good shot of a little perch and
a damsel fly which insisted on sitting on Isla’s arm.
After ice-cream we got home
quicker than we had taken to arrive.
On Monday, instead of our regular
afternoon café we took the ladies to Attenborough for lunch. When we got back
to Leicester house Jim and Jeanette arrived. There had been a communications
mix up and so we entertained them for an hour.
Clive from church came to tea with us on Tuesday. He told us his frightening stories of life in Malawi. To this day he does not whether or not he shot and killed a violent, potential intruder.
The weather still continued untrustworthy but we decided that we would brave our planned walk along the
last 1 ½ miles of the High Peak trail from Hurdlow. For a third time we enjoyed the
delicious coffee and warm chocolate muffin at the ‘Royal Oak’. The landlord was
agreeable to us leaving the car in his car park. The walk along the section did
not disappoint. Once again there was the profusion of summer flowers.
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The dark sky never came to anything but it made a dramatic backdrop to the scene |
Parrots arrived at Haven Eagles.
Three members of the East Midlands Parrot Club bought two of their birds and
gave an interesting talk about their hobby. It was a great end to our first
season of the Haven Eagles Club.
The last day of the month was Friday when I officiated at our regular Friday dances. It was a very warm evening to end one of the less weather blessed July. Fifty people (something of a record attended). All door and windows were open and fans at full setting.
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