Birthday and 4th Anniversary

Good to have our boy home for a couple of days to celebrate his mother's and aunties birthdays. Audrey's was first and Hazel had made a huge chocolate cake which we started eating on Tuesday and still today ( Friday) there is some left - which must be some kind of record! After Hazel opened her presents we went for a walk in Marbury Country Park where Archie found a big stick to play with. Throwing sticks into the muddy swamp is always great fun and mine won by sticking in upright - spludge! Then we picked up Hazel's sister for a drive over to Anderton and a pub lunch at the nearby watering hole . Nice fish and chips and heaps of mushy peas. Too full to have a pudding. Needed another walk afterwards to get rid of all those calories! Also our 4th wedding anniversary so plenty to celebrate.

Brighton

Nice couple of days in Brighton to see our boy and eat lots of interesting food. We went down mainly to take some suitcases ( one inside the other - Russian doll style ) and helped Archie move some stuff back to our place as he is leaving Brighton soon and he's off to India with his girlfriend. The trains were a bit rubbish as usual, especially Southern Rail which has cut back it's services despite more and more people wanting to travel to all those seaside destinations and places like East Croydon ( eh?) and the Airwick at Gatport. The weather wasn't as bad as we imagined so didn't really need the raincosts and boots until the Tuesday afternoon when the heaven's opened. Went round lots of antique shops and flea markets. Didnt buy much but Hazel got a clockwork crocodile in it's original box which was the bargain of the day. Went for fish and chips and Mexican meal which was interesting though a bit stodgey for my taste. A cheeky seagull swooped down as I at part of a slice of pizza for lunch sitting outside and snatched it from my trembling hand! Luckily I'd had a big breakfast at the B&B we stayed in so didn't really miss the rest of it. Strolled along the pier and watched people sticking their heads through a "I Won A Minion" cut out ( stick your head through) photo opp. doo dah. Amusing to watch. Also the overheard conversations on nearby seats. The B&B was very comfortable and done up like Liberace's bathroom - all chrome and glass art deco! The only annoying thing was the fire alarm went off by mistake on out last morning at 6.30 and made us jump out of bed for no reason. It made Hazel very nervy and she had a migraine for the rest of the day. The photobooth pic. was taken in Snooper's Paradise indoor junk and collectables shop.

Liverpool

We went to Liverpool by train on Saturday to march in the Support Jeremy Corbyn rally and look around the galleries. It was a day of sunshine and showers so we took our coats and brolly. First to the Walker to see our favourite exhibit - the loophonium. Had a look round the Pre-Raphaelites and modern galleries - mostly stuff we'd seen before. Then went looking for this illusive rally. It wasn't where we thought it was so had a wander about the streets listening out for chanting and clapping. Eventually found it quite by chance as we'd almost given up looking behind the Bluecoat gallery. Quite a decent crowd considering the weather - nearly 2,000 it was said. Inaudible tannoy/megaphone which was annoying but we clapped along and booed in the appropriate places - we assumed the one's at the front could hear and we got our signals from them. Eventually after having a hasty sandwich on the hoof we walked and chanted to the main drag and stopped outside Primark for more speakers to murmur in the distance. "Tories OUT - Corbyn IN!" was a favourite, as was "Corbyn, Corbyn, Corbyn, CORBYN!" Amused to see a nun with a Corbyn mask on the back of her head. She gave Hazel a nice smile and was overheard to say the austerity marches were rather poorly attended compared to this. We drifted away from the main rally to sit down on a bench nearby and eat our remaining sandwich and crisps. Then into the Bluecoat as the rally broke up to grab a quick coffee before more Corbyn fans came in and joined the queue. We felt good we had supported him and hopefully his fellow Labout MP's who have deserted him will see sense and get their act together. Then to the craft shop where Hazel chose some earrings for her upcoming birthday present. They were rather like small acorn cups made of silver with a gold leaf interior. The other galleries including the Blucoat were getting ready for the Biennale at the end of the month so not much on. We went back to the station and luckily a train was just about to leave. Home by 3pm.