October Blog

By the end of September we had completed all but a short stretch of the ‘High Peak Trail’. My prediction was that we would be able to complete all but a short length of the remaining stretch. On the first day of October we set off. This part of the trail was much more convenient than the last. At the start end was a pub with a toilet. Here we had the best coffee and fresh muffin that we have ever had. At the other end of the section was Parsley Hay. This also had refreshments and a toilet. Once more there was tunnel on the route and we had a discussion about the difference between a tunnel and a bridge. This has yet to be resolved. The walk took less time than I had anticipated and much to my surprise we reached the point where we had ended the previous section. The ‘High Peak Trail’ had been conquered, by more than its length.

An Istrian Kazun
from Croatia at Parsley Hay

New Haven Tunnel

Panorama

Work continued on the ' school to church' conversion and the day after our triumph I was asked  to take some more ‘before’ pictures. This time an international delivery firm had adopted the Haven as it's charity and on a wet Saturday morning at least 20 members of their staff and families descended on the site; mainly clearing the garden area. Some painted in one of the rooms. We stopped at 11.30 when the rain really decided to pour down.

For a while the weather continued to be inclement and so our next Wednesday trip was to be to a more indoor venue. The journey involved driving through the Nottingham tram works. This was much worse than driving through the torrential rain getting into and through Grantham. Belton House was worth the visit. We were able to see something of the gardens. The house was relatively small but interesting.

We learned three things:

    1. The hot seat. This was the seat next to the fire. The most responsible house servant sat here for his meal with the other members of staff. 

     2. Curfew. This was the cover put over the fire at the end of the day.

   3. Just desserts was the pudding awarded to those who had done well.

The journey back through Nottingham was equally fraught with no easy access on to the A52.

On the following Wednesday we had to make a journey into Nottingham. There is no problem when you travel by bus along the bus lanes. The main aim of the journey was to pick up a watch from the jewellers. It was a rather elegant thing to do and we were served with dainty cups of real coffee. However, we found it much better to go into Gregg’s for our lunch time piece of pizza and doughnuts.

We were treated to a Sunday out. Tim had invited us to have lunch with them to have an early celebration of mum’s birthday. We went down to Stowe Park in Buckinghamshire and used our National Trust passes.

The park has a fascinating collection of temples. They have a political significance which I will not go into here. It was also a good chance to enjoy autumn colours.

Although it was very windy it was possible to sit and enjoy lunch, with the four from Milton Keynes, in the courtyard.

The last Wednesday of the month gave a real taste of Autumn and we decided to make it more of a shopping day. This we did by going to the ‘Mustard Seed’ Christian bookshop in Gedling. They had a very pleasantly laid out teashop for our elevenses. As it was still dry it seemed a good idea to call into Bestwood Country Park on the way back. We had visited it with the two boys about 15 years ago. The main feature is the winding house. As we stood looking through the railings a lady came up and said that she worked there and invited us into the building where we read up on the history of the coal mining industry in the area.

We then decided to be bold and follow the country park path around to the ‘Mill Lakes’. At the lakes there was a seat where we stopped to have our picnic. A few spots of rain fell and we decided to get back quickly. This turned out to be a fair walk. A large part was over fields which we had not planned to do. The ground was still quite dry. On the way home the rain poured down.

The day of Irene’s birthday arrived. We had a Saturday lie in before opening presents. She had bought herself a dressy watch and I bought her one for normal use. She was very pleased with all the presents from friends and family.

At lunch time we had planned to go to a garden centre to buy pansies and so we met up with Jan and Lawrence at Shipley where we indulged ourselves in very large scones and cream.

Irene had insisted on cooking dinner for Joni and Fiona. After the meal we sat down to play board games. These sessions had an interval for the consumption of a variety of cheeses.

I think that Irene enjoyed her day having had a chance to speak or in other ways communicate with all of her children and grand children.

Visits in October finished on a high note. It was a fairly dull and fairly cold Wednesday morning and the plan was to have an indoor visit. The previous afternoon I had made a phone call and so off we set for an appointment at ‘Mr Straw’s House’. The journey was north along the motorway to arrive in Worksop at 12.15 pm. Our very slow journey (50 mph for miles of motorway) took us past Hardwick Hall. Since we had our NT membership it cost us nothing to park and to go into the grounds.

At the entrance to the gardens I saw my first proper tourist. There was a large camper van ahead of us which took a long time getting through the barrier. The man at the gate explained that the people in the camper van had no intention of stopping at the hall and were just looking to get a glimpse. No doubt this was one more item off their ‘bucket list’. We, however did park, did get our sticker and take a walk into the gardens. Here we admired the autumn dahlias. 

 We also stayed for coffee and beetroot and chocolate cake. Then we were on our way up to the next junction and our road to Mr Straw’s house.

It is actually the one on the right.
The left one is the reception area.

For those not in the know it is one of two semidetached houses built in 1920. Basically it is a time capsule. The brothers who ended their days there kept the house pretty much as it was when their mother died. They were fussy and not altogether tidy. They never had even a radio and the iron was still sitting on the gas ring. To say that they died leaving the house and over a million pound to the National Trust their lives were very Spartan. It was an altogether fascinating place to explore.

In the evening we played our new game of 'Carcassonne'. We think that we got the rules right. It played well for just the two of us.
On the last day of the month our friends, Jan and Lawrence, gave birth to a daughter called Jennifer Millie Woolley.

Birthday and Ruby Wedding

On Saturday we celebrated Irene's birthday. We had a lazy start to the day. First we had to pop and order a vacuum cleaner part and purchase a pizza and crispy duck rolls. Next we had to buy cheese cake at the cheese cake shop. Then off we went to start our adventure. First there was the thrill of going north to the Shipley garden centre to buy lime and two other exciting things then we set off to have lunch and walk in Shipley Park. At which point the inevitable rain began. It was a good lunch. The scones with Cornish clotted cream and jam where particularly good. There was an attempt at 'coffee art' on my capuccino. We watched the anti-open cast mine protesters getting wet and two policemen 'chasing' after them, a little too late. (The Keystone Cops came to mind)

The walk was abandoned. We drove off to our prime destination-Dale Abbey, on route to look at the abondoned windmill. The windmill proved inaccesible. It was too wet at Dale. Home went. We consumed our pizza, duck and cheese cake; washed down with sangria. Played a game, watched a strange film where evil neither triumphed or was overcome. (I can't remember the title.)

Joni rang on Saturday, Tim rang in the morning, Joe rang, Sally rang.

A good day enjoyed by all.

Sunday followed with church. As we returned from the allotment Jenny and Francis greeted us. We invited them in and with, cups of tea and carrot cake, celebrated their ruby wedding anniversary.

We gave them a set of six ruby coloured, Italian glass tumblers.

Jenny, sporting a ruby ring, inspecting our gift.

Model Railway

Yesterday was the first day in a long time that I have done any 'serious' work on my railway. Somehow I found myself moving loftwards. My recent birthday presents had inspired me to start again. I had been having serious concerns about power failure in one of the tracks. Experiments showed me that one of the engines had a fault. I took it to pieces, oiled it up and s...l...o...w...l...y off she goes. I now have to de-grease the motor and the track.

The village is now rapidly becoming a town due to the addition of a second pub.

This picture shows the train rapidly approaching the village from the right.

This is a fuller view of the village. The engine is pulling two clerestory roof carriages given to me by Francis.

This is the other end of the village. There is a school and the church has a lych gate modelled after St Lawrence Church, Slough.

Here is my newly added lamp hut, which like the new pub, also came from Iona and Izzie. (Thank you). The picture shows a road bridge, a carriage at the buffers and an engine just coming off the turn table.

Jim'll Fix It

On Sunday it was another of Pioneers Church's 'Tea and Talk' event at Leicester House. The title was 'Jim'll Fix It'. The theme was the miraculous fixits of Jesus. Number were down. Jan and Lawrence were in Turkey, Pat and Arthur were at home on the ocassion of her birthday. But, most others were there. At tea time we ate half a birthday cake and took the rest to share with Pat.

On Monday Joni and I were back round to Jubilee House Christian School. A month ago we removed out of date computers from the ITC room. But, today we replaced these computers with even better ones including flat screens. The replaced computers are being distributed around the school. I have been asked to consider being a governor of the school. The main event of the day was my visit to potential wedding photography customers. After my twenty minute presentation I now wait until they have seen other photographers. I used the picture of Jan being confettied as my advertising picture.

On Tuesday I was able to complete my mission of producing a card for Francis to give to Evelyn (a neighbour) as a thank you for the work that she had done in judging a school gardening competition. I was only able to carry out the assignment by talking to her on her allotment. This is the result.

Tuesday evening was complicated. I had conflicting appointments. I decided to attend the Churches Forum meeting at the Methodist Church, stay for long enough to make my contribution, return to open up the Community Centre, go home, watch TV and then go to lock the Centre.

On Wednesday our main task was to go and baby sit in Milton Keynes. Before leaving I was able to water in the green house and lift a few more bricks from the path, weed under them and reline with polythene.

We had a good evening with the grandchildren who were easy to get to bed. Tim and Isla went out for a meal and then to the Theatre. (I would expect that this will appear in his blog.)
We arrived home just before midnight.

My Birthday

Me at 62

Is it true that birthdays run in the family? My brother's birthday (see earlier post) was on the 7th, my dad's would have been on the 8th and mine is on 9th July.
My birthday was low key in comparison to my brother's and was celebrated by mum and Joni.
We had a lazy start to the day and into the presents.

This was followed by a relatively dry trip into Derbyshire. We had a good meal in Bakewell and drove back to Rowsley which is on the northern end of the Peak rail. By fantastic, non-existant planning we arrived on a day when the steam train was running. We boarded and found seats in the old style corridor train. It went v.....e....r.....y s....l....o....w....l....y to Matlock.

Changing ends at Matlock

Matlock has been changed very significantly with the building of the bypass to accommodate the new Sainsbury's store. There is no Peak Rail platform at Matlock; no shelter, just a bench and a time table. It is quite a walk along the river to town, but there is a new tarmac path through the trees. We found a tea room, enjoyed our mug of tea and went to the bookshop where one of the assistants insisted on giving Joni a Christian novel that had a good message. The it was back to the platform on to the train and back to Rowsley, the car and home.
We had a tea with surpringly, strawberry merengue for dessert.
Jenny from nest door appeared with a train card and two 'Hornby' maroon and cream coaches for my layout.

We finished the day with a three way game of 'Upwords' and sat to watch 'I am Legend'. This was a clever and well made film starinf Will Smith.
Bed followed.