Congleton

Nice afternoon in Congleton with old chums Tone and Pene. After we dropped Archie off at the station with drove there and picked some work up from the Electric Picture House Gallery. Hazel parked by the butchers with the man who paints his hair on with creosote or maybe boot polish? That's what we were told anyway. Difficult to see through the rows of sausages and chicken legs. We met the Eves at the antique emporium and had a good rummage and later some lunch in the small cafe at the top of the building - once an old mill. Nice food although the waiter/cook seemed a bit dozy not knowing if the soup contained vegetable or chicken stock. "It's just soup". Hazel bought a few gadgets for her collection including a plastic decimal currancy calculator and a typewriter rubber with attached moustache ( brush). I didn't find any bargains but it was fun looking. Then off round the charity shops. Later Pene went to her swimming class at the nearby baths and we had a tea and a toasted tea cake in the cafe again.

More from Manchester

Stickers from a machine in a supermarket in Chinatown. Facade of old building left standing. The old fire station thats empty and needs refurbishment before it rots away like so many old buildings in Manchester city centre.

Boot Sales & Blubells

Forgot to mention our weekly trek to the boot sales- the first in Whitegate which was pretty busy. Got some CD's including 2 by the Go Betweens. 2 DVD's including the Great Beauty. Also a large deep frame which will be useful. Hazel got a car load of plants for herself and her Mom and sister. Afterwards we drove to Antrobus and mostly indoor sale. Bob sold Hazel a police whistle and a tiny address holder thingy. The a walk in the woods again as we had some time to kill before Audrey and Hazel's Mom got up ( they have a completely different time scale to most people!) . Marbury was full of people with dogs for some reason. Nice to see the bluebells again ( the ones above are in our back garden ). Did some gardening at Granma's - putting in the plants Hazel had bought. So a free afternoon catching up with iPlayer and playing games. Did manage to have tea in the summer house when the neighbours calmed down a bit.

Llandudno Victorian Extravaganza

Nice weeeknd in Llandudno to the annual May Bank Holiday Victorian feast for the senses! Tons to see and do including the traction engines, old buses to ride to the vintage vehicle fair on, art gallery, war museum, the pier, slot machines, lovely food and a big pebbly beach to name but a few. The B&B we usually stay in had been taken over by a new proprietor but thankfully he and his wife were very nice and the breakfasts were up to our high standards! Shame the weather was slightly rainy and cold but Saturday was a lovely sunny day so we got sun burn and had fish and chips on the prom looking out for dive bombing sea gulls! The auto jumble wasn't quite so good as previous years but Hazel did get a couple of bargains including a weird wall papper cutter in it's box and a Noddy and Big Ears toffee tin. Hada ride in an old charabanc to the far side of Llandudno to see the white rabbit statue and the foot hils of Snowdonia in the background.