About Me

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Worcester, Worcestershire, United Kingdom
Born in the year of the Coronation, I'm a Baby Boomer. In April of this year I decided I too would have a Diamond Jubilee celebration and completely change my life and that of my Husband's in the process

Sunday 29 April 2007

So That Was April!

Time to catch up I think, my last proper entry went up to Good Friday.

Easter Saturday we had our first barbeque of the year. I’m quite proud of my Kebabs, although I say it myself, they are good, especially the Salmon and Prawn ones.

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Easter Monday Mike and I managed a rare thing, a day together and we went out, to Wales, only this time we went to Mid- Wales. I wanted to take Mike to a place I went in my teens. My best friend‘s parents had a caravan in Penybontfawr and I stayed there sometimes.

I’ll never forget the night we went to the Village Hall, having been told there was a Disco. What that meant was someone with a record player, the age range was from babies to great grandparents. As we walked up to the door the sound of ’Scotland the Brave’ greeted us. We collapsed in hysterical laughter, we were there in our really cool clothes, mini skirts and high heels. After all we were from Stourbridge, famous at the time for Robert Plant and Led Zeppelin, and the discos we went to had strobe lights, oh yes, we were cool alright!

We were quite the centre of attention in this quiet farming village, where Welsh was the first language and we were exotic butterflies, with our long hair, Mary Quant make-up, short skirts and legs up to our armpits.

Somewhere in my loft is a love letter from Llewellyn, son of a local farmer, in it he professes his undying love for me and informed me the biggest event of the week was when he was kicked by a cow and “By damn, did it hurt”. Such happy innocent days. One of our favourite places there was Pystyll Falls and this was where I wanted to take Mike.

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After we’d clambered around the falls, we had tea at the Teashop there 0703100023

and then drove onto Bala, where there is a bustling town and a huge lake. We had lunch in an ancient hotel, the food was fine but dear me, they want to sort out the service. Mike had to keep following the waiter around to pay the bill, we nearly needed to eat again by the time we got out. I wasn’t as if there were that many people there, he just kept running around in a demented way, muttering and sighing to himself, like Manuel in Fawlty Towers.

We travelled home via the mountains and as usual the scenery didn’t disappoint, 0703100036 thank goodness more people don’t realise what a beautiful place Central Wales is. You don’t have to go to the coast for scenery.

On the way back we stopped at the little teashop in Brampton Bryan, opposite the famous 400 year old Yew Hedge. 0703100045

We were going to have tea and cakes and then realised we had both spent our cash, we rarely use it these days, so had to change the order to just tea. Bless him, the lovely man still came out with the cakes and said we could call in another time and pay him. I then remembered I had some bags of change in the car ready to take to the bank, so we were able to pay him after all…in 50p’s.

On the Wednesday I went to meet my Niece Emma for lunch in Wolverhampton, which was a treat as I see her quite rarely and we probably talked more than we ever have done.

Then it was off the Archives to do some family research for a friend.

After that I went to the house of a lady I’ve been talking to via my favourite website Rowley Regis Online, for a coffee. I know meeting people off the Internet can be a bit dodgy but when you are all researching Family History it really would be a bit complicated to groom someone for unpleasant intentions and anyway, she promised me she wasn’t a White Slave Trader, although with her living in Wolverhampton, you can never be quite sure . (she actually lived in the very ’posh’ bit) We ‘d spoken on the phone once, but that was for nearly an hour and I was pretty  sure we would ‘hit it off’ which we must have done because it was two hours later when I left.

Thursday I went to Plymouth to spend the night at Simon and Tori‘s. The weather was glorious 0703130004

and Simon took me for a drive out in his toy, (second car) an old BMW he bought very cheaply on Ebay and has virtually rebuilt and had resprayed. 0703130001

That evening we sat, as the sun set, on the decking at The Waterfront and then had dinner in The Barbican, a lovely evening.

The next day was misty and a little drizzly but still quite warm. Tori had to work but Simon was free, so we went to Cornwall, this was Looe, 0703140010

where we lunched.

Then we went on to Polperro . 0703140017

Later on I returned to Worcester and went to my stepson’s for dinner, which was another lovely evening.

Sadly that was the end of my  2weeks off.

Back to school and another course of swimming lessons, ohdeep joy! There are a lot of ‘issues’ at the moment and trouble with children outside school which is being brought into school .Then one of my little precious charges, of whom I am incredibly fond, really upset me by stealing something that was very precious to her Teacher. I guessed who it was and confronted her about it, she broke down in tears and confessed. It’s not really her fault, it has a lot to do with her background and not being taught the right ways of the world. I’m hoping she will return the item but I felt it was something that she trusted me enough to confess, something she wouldn‘t have done in September.

Last weekend was my birthday and we went to what is probably the most beautiful restaurant in Worcester, The King Charles. King Charles 1 is supposed to have escaped from a window there, after the disastrous Battle of Worcester, the panelling and ancient, black woodwork is brilliantly counter balanced by lace tablecloths, silver and crystal and very comfy chintzy chairs. I’ve wanted to go there for years and finally managed it. I wasn’t disappointed.

The next day was our Wedding Anniversary and we were invited to Shifnal for dinner at my sister’s, as usual it was a very entertaining evening with good food. On the way there I had heard Joni Mitchell’s Big Yellow Taxi, which brought back a teenage memory and I had to share this with Val. I reminded her of Mum’s singing and how she would drown out the radio with her own words and tune, to whatever was playing, a cause of great annoyance to us both as this was long before the days of having your own music centres in your bedroom, so the house radio was our only real source of music.

Now my Mother comes from the Black Country, were they dow spake loike the rest on ya. So my Mother’s version of ‘They paved Paradise, put up a parking lot’ was………‘It aye very nice to put up a parking lot.’ After a few glasses of wine this is a very amusing story.

We went to town yesterday to see a friend at a book signing and bought a copy and then had lunch, is it any wonder I’m fat with all this eating? Then we walked back via the racecourse to have a look at the German BeerFest. It was like a tent with beer, not much Fest at all and the singer was so depressing The Samaritan s had a stall in the corner. In fact I think my Mother could have done a better job. We didn’t stop.

Today I did a Reflexology treatment on my next door neighbour, her baby is due on Thursday and she is really fed up. She was amazed to find her treatment reduced the swelling in her feet by about 25%.

I think that brings me up to date, time for a bit of telly. I have some more lovely photos which I will post later in the week.

 

 

 

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Lovely to hear from you again ,lots of nice meals and pictures ,how nice of the man to say come back next time to pay ,very unusual,If your barby food tastes as good as it looks ,then Mmmm....love Jan xx

Anonymous said...

great pictures:) and love the food sounds so elegant:) have a good week.

Deb

Anonymous said...

I loved the photos!!!  The falls and yew... oh just heavenly.... Someday I will get there and look you up!  And, we will have tea!  :-)

be well,
Dawn

Anonymous said...

Blimey Linda, you had a busy time on your holidays!  I liked the look of those salmon and prawn kebabs, especially the second one on the right!  You are lucky being so close to Wales and the pictures are stunning.  I enjoyed all the pictures and that yew hedge was fantastic.  Its nice you and Mike enjoy spending time together travelling about and must have been fun to go back to the town where you had stayed as a teenager.  I could see it in my mind's eye as you described going to the disco.  I remember going to socials with my friend and doing our special little dances and thinking how cool we were.  Ahh, happy memories.  The little girl at your school was brave to confess to you and I hope the strength of your relationship with her helps her through.  As always, I thoroughly enjoyed your entry.  I hope you have a great week.  Hugs, Terry x

Anonymous said...

Well you certainly know how to fill your time lol. Love the pic of Polperro, I love it there.
Debbie xxx
http://journals.aol.co.uk/drb1064/whatever

Anonymous said...

What a great entry! I loved the photos too.  I remember going to Wales just before we emigrated to Australia. It must have been about 1971 and we stayed in an old farmhouse.  It was fabulous.  We got to help the farmer herd the sheep with his dog. As a 7 year old that was very impressive! I also remember going to a beach where when I dug with my bucket and spade the sand was black underneath!  One day I want to come back and find all these places again.  Especially the food places - you made my mouth water taking about them! Glad you enjoyed your hols!

Hugs

Wendy in Oz

Anonymous said...

Linda what a lovely entry and the Photographs are great ~ I loved Wales went camping there a while ago and had a wonderful time the scenery is so beautiful ~ Ally x

Anonymous said...

Oh wow, the photos are great, thanks for sharing your visits

Anonymous said...

Well it was worth waiting for! What a lot you have crammed into a few weeks. I particularly loved the pics of Plymouth..my home town and Looe and Polperro which I love and used to visit frequently. I am going to Plymouth at the end of this month as my bridesmaid and oldest friend has turned 60 and is having a birthday bash. I am really looking forward to it. Love Conniex

Anonymous said...

The photos are lovely I slightly remeber Looe when we were on the way to Bude the place with only 1 bus a week, it took us hours to get to Bude as we went everywhare and were the last grouP of people on the bus , it was a beautiful drive though.When you said you were proud of your kebabs i thought you may of ment in the Jade Goody sense.Im proud of mine.Im posting me feet to you FOR SOME REFEXOLOGY cus they are killing me since going back to work.Ive added a sae, to post them back but i need them by tonight.bECKIE.XX

Anonymous said...

GIRL!

You know it's been too long when you can include a birthday (Happy Belated, Shugah!), an anniversary (Many Happy Returns!), a weekend away (gorgeous pics!!!!!) and a major holiday (Happy Easter!)

Ya nutbucket.

xoxo,

Andi

ps: can I come live at your house? ya'll eat WAY better, and go more fun places.  promise I don't take up much room...but then there's the Gerbie issue...LOLLLLLL

Anonymous said...

 Your Kebabs look wonderful, time to do some grilling here and I loved all the pictures.  The 400 year old hedge is amazing.

                Julie

Anonymous said...

Oh Linda, I would know Polperro anywhere!  It's still beautiful and the same!  We went there about two years back.  I love your pictures of Wales.  I so much want to go there.  I'm so glad that you have really enjoyed this Spring!

Love,
Susie
http://journals.aol.co.uk/susanebunn/ItAllStartsAfter50/

Anonymous said...

Hi Linda!
This is a VERY belated comment on your entry way back in April!  I was in America at the time and had so many emails on my return that I didn't get round to reading them all. I'm off work now for the six weeks (as I guess you may be too) and am finally going through them all.
This entry made me laugh out loud!  First about the 'disco', then Mike following the waiter round to pay the bill (I think if he'd seen you walking out of the door, he'd have been there like a shot!) and then the Samaritan's desk at the beer-fest!
Loved this entry, I might well keep it to show Peter when he gets home from work!  Love Pat   http://journals.aol.co.uk/pm71blackfen/ramblings-from-pat/