The Best Made Plans - Gone to Pot!

Well, the best made plans and all that!  I had Friday off to catch up with myself after having many sleepless nights with Coco and getting her used to her medication (thank you so much for your kind comments about her).  She slept the whole of Thursday night so I was totally refreshed and thought I could go out and have a walk around Spalding, something I haven't done for ages.  Well, it was pouring down, Coco was not coming for a walk, no way, no how! Unfortunately that meant that Hubby and Mr Teen were also very reluctant (I mean, they weren't going to dissolve with a bit of water were they?).  With Miss Teen in school I was outnumbered, so the housework was my regular friend again - time to beat the rain and get the mountain of washing dry!

Hmmm, no, washing was not going to dry due to tumble drier deciding to die on me, so there was not going to be any sitting down here...

Instead I was going to sit in here for a while... not the most riveting of places I have to say!

Luckily I was the only one in here and the drying was finished before I knew it.  So, rather than spend this week's blog post boring you with the whys and wherefores of launderette etiquette you will be pleased to know that the rain did eventually stop and myself and Miss Teen got our day out to catch up on Spalding.  It was time to leave the rain drops on the window panes and travel a handful of miles to the market town.

Our morning had been visiting Mumsy and Dad, Dad being still very poorly from a particularly bad spout of flu that has left him with various serious ailments.  As a result myself and Mumsy haven't been doing our usual visits out and about - I miss her!  Yes you Mum!  Then me and Miss Teen set off to town.  It was misty and the longer we were out the more mistier it became.

We noticed that this was going at the White Horse Pub...

The re-ridging of the thatch has certainly smartened this lovely pub up.  It reminds me so much of my old Sweetbriar Cottage and its protective thatched roof.

Time for a bit of shopping at one of the antique shops in The Crescent for Miss Teen's birthday present.  This was with some of the birthday money she received and something that she kept thinking and going back to.  I think she made a very good choice!

Then onto the fifteenth century's Ayscoughee Hall...

This Museum has many events during the year, but all was quiet today.

And here is the back, we weren't going inside today (a past post when I did go inside is here).

The gardens were quiet so we had a leisurely walk among the ancient yew hedge.  Their soft mounds of greenness are beautiful to look at.

However, walking underneath, they are a different story and quiet creepy!

Especially when I put the flash on!

I was glad to get away from there really!  Then a walk along the perimeter and enjoying the brickwork along with the street lights beyond wall.

Christmas is in the air and seeing the holly didn't seem out of place now.

The mistiness of the day was beginning to make its presence known, with St Mary and St Nicholas' spire gradually being camouflaged.

 But we just had to do a bit of this...

And of course, a bit of that...

One of things that we do like to look at is the Ice House.  This was where the ice from the nearby lake was collected and then put onto a slab in an enclosed chamber within the Ice House.  There are apparently three chambers so that the inner one is protected from any heat and is in an air lock.

The lake looked so peaceful with this low light and mist.  At the other end, the War Memorial, now quiet after the Remembrance Services.

After this little walk, we had to go to Springfields Outlet and Gardens.  The mist was really coming down now.

I was then abandoned by Miss Teen while she caught up briefly with some friends, so I thought this was the best opportunity for some quiet time for me and a walk around the gardens.  I felt totally alone while the hustle and bustle was kept for the Christmas shoppers in the Outlet shops.

The trees are all shedding their leaves now and the bark set against them was beautiful to capture.

Springfields has many sculptures and this one wasn't turning today.  It reminds me of a water mill decorated with cushions!

There were also some interesting mushrooms... I wasn't touching this one which was dripping its ink.

The mist was incredibly low now, so it was time to meet up again with Miss Teen and head off home.

With plans in place for the next few weeks (Sandringham next week, Hampton Court Palace the week after and then Camden Town and Trafalgar Square the week after that) when am I going to fit Christmas shopping in??!

I hope you can join me next week as we visit the Sandringham Christmas Craft Fair - maybe that's when my Christmas shopping will start.

But now, with Coco back from a walk, medication in place and lots of cuddles, it's time for a rest!

Thanks so much for your visits and comments last week, along with some lovely new followers.  You really do make my day!

Have a lovely weekend and week enjoying the changes of the season.

      

Textures of an Autumn Fall

I feel as though Christmas has now knocked on my front door and has been welcomed warmly and blown in to fill the house with excited expectation.   I know (and panic) that there are so many jobs to be done, but the opening of the loft and the jingling of the Christmas bells as the boxes are passed down to me makes me feel so warm and happy for the coming weeks.  However this wave of Christmas cheer is happening far too quickly, there are still autumnal delights to enjoy such as the delicious apples that are still tumbling from the trees and now mixed with the golden, vein prominent leaves.

The first thing I marvel at when I open the door is to see all the different leaves that have fallen and continue falling like crispy coloured rain.

The river through Spalding looked as though it had stopped flowing and the mirror like surface reflected the beautiful buildings and skeletal branches.  Yes it was chilly but the reflections were beautiful.

And further down the river everything looked calm, the old brickwork standing sturdy and constant, the buildings all holding hordes of Christmas shoppers and the trees, some still with their golden pennies ready to fall into the river.

Looking up at the trees made me think of them putting on a winter coat.  The warming fluffy moss starting to envelope the bark now that its hat of leaves had fallen.

The picnic tables now sit empty but the dining tables will soon be adorned with leaves, cones and berries.  The outside coming back inside.

The textures of autumn are all around and it is so special to stop and actually drink this all in.

And to share it with the wildlife.

Back at home we have a very soft texture to share.  This little one has come to join our household!  Little Felix with his soft autumn colours has come to live with us, especially Mr T.  Isn't he a cutie!

I hope you all have a wonderful, and hopefully sunny autumnal week and have the time to reflect on this beautiful time of year... before the Christmas decorations go up!

Take care. 

♥ Chel ♥ 

 (Remember that if you want to see a larger version of my photos just click on one and a slide will appear)

A Trip Back to the 1940's

Do you ever have one of those days when you set out to just have a rest but end up doing so much that at the end of the day you think, I would never have planned this?  Well, Saturday was one of those days.  Myself, Mumsy and Miss Teenager set off to the 15th century mansion Ayscoughee Hall to one of their events.  Now, it wasn't the best of weather but it made us take a break out of the norm of a typical Saturday of cleaning, washing, ironing...yawn! and it was FREE!  Such a treat during summer holidays when the prices are hiked up to sting us parents further.  So, this week we are going to step back in time to those war time years, take a look at those iconic and nostalgic items that we may still choose to remember.  So, as I am taking you on another tour, you know the drill, a nice cup of English tea, a yummy cake and feet up as I take you around.

The first thing that struck me as we came to the front of the Hall was this lovely little MG, such a cute little shiny car and beautifully set against the old brick and stone work of the Hall.

Another view of this car with this fabulous man.  Yes, even back in the day, they had socks and boots with shorts!  And look at that magnificent mustache.

The Hall itself is a magnificent building that has just had some improvements to keep it at the right standard and the sweeping horseshoe driveway is perfect for these vehicles.

The ambulance set off the view from the road perfectly.

So, shall we take a look inside?  Let's start with this fun lady, she was so happy to pose for photos and just jumped into action every time she was asked.  It was so strange to see her sit back at her desk and work on her computer but everyone was commenting on her friendliness and great smile.

In the background you could hear this great lady singing her heart out to the tunes of the 1940's.

And dotted amongst the paraphernalia of the age were the Home Guard.  This one was very knowledgeable and I just loved the way he posed next to the artwork of 'Dad's Army'.

The exhibits were full of things that shouldn't really be familiar but they were, even to Miss Teenager.  The brand names were there, just the containers were a lot more robust in those days and probably more environmentally friendly than those used today as they could be used again and again.  Oxo, Vicks and Spam really jumped out at me as they have hardly changed.

Then, obviously a completely different era, the cigarette containers.  All made to look inviting and sophisticated.  How times change.

Sunlight soap My washing day would have been a lot longer way back then!

Coming from a fire brigade family, this exhibit made me smile, stirrup pumps and buckets.

Then the heart strings start to pull with things that we would love to see again.  The old record player and the turn dial phone being two of them that brought back so many memories.  Miss Teenager couldn't believe the phone and there being no buttons to press.

Then there was this, it's a saying that has become fashionable once again - Make Do and Mend.

And obviously, there had to be the weapons of war too.  Such awful things to see but necessary for the next generations.  Miss T couldn't stay near this exhibit and quickly exited the room as she felt uncomfortable with the gas masks and weapons.

Of course Ayscoughee Hall is not just about events such as this.  There are permanent displays of this historical place.  The kitchen is my favourite place, with the rocker by the range.

The stained glass windows that give you sneaky peaks of the building outside.

As I looked out I could see the weather was turning more and more grey and the gargoyles looked menacing so I was glad I wasn't on my own!

So, off we set into the wind and rain (guess who didn't bring a coat?!).  I very nearly jumped into the back of the ambulance - that stretcher looked quite comfortable.

And into Spalding Town Centre.  It was market day but not really a lot was going on apart from walks along the river bank.

So, a drive to the local garden centre for a nice spot of lunch and a look at more telephone boxes that the owner had bought.  He buys all sorts of bits and pieces but the telephone boxes are great as he plants them up!

Also looking at the new stock he has in.  These deck chairs were great - Save Water, Drink Champagne and the VW ones (especially 'Hers' Mr Hubby - my birthday coming up... hint hint!) 

Then through the cornfields with Moulton Mill in the distance.

I then started to take on the role of Land Girl!  The plums on the tree were just ripe and the wasps had begun to descend so to start the ball rolling - and to give the hubby and Mr Teenager the pleasure of dealing with those horrible stingy insects, we started to pick some for a crumble.  There were loads, to date we have 15lbs picked and more ripening!

The crumble was rather thrown together, but it was delicious!

The grape vine didn't escape my sudden harvest, but the grapes were left (we have tonnes this year!) and my favourite part - the leaves - were thinned out a little.

Miss T's favourite dinner is Dolmades and during the year we collect loads of leaves so that we can freeze them for the winter months.  These little parcels contain such delicious flavours - maybe an acquired taste but we absolutely love them!).

And now, there is even more washing on the line, which means more ironing to do and a full working week next week, so time for me to take advantage of a couple of hours on a Sunday, kick off my shoes and relax with a cup of tea to read what's been going on in blogland. 

Have a wonderful week and take care. 

♥Chel♥ 

 (Remember that if you want to see a larger version of my photos just click on one and a slide will appear)

This week I am sharing with:

Time Travel Thursday