Indoor Boot Sale

Braved the elements to go to the indoor boot at Memorial Hall. Our neighbour Mark was there on a stall and we bumped into Beth Barlow briefly who was covered in snow. Got a few bargains including a pile of stamp pads, a Tiger Tim annual, books about water works and sewage systems ( lovely old engravings ) a Vimto badge , a skipping rope, a set of old plastic price labels in guineas, etc. etc. Glad to get home in the warm.

Walk To Weaver Hall Museum

Nice slippy walk in the sunshine to the Weaver Hall Museum to pick up some stuff and looks at the latest exhibition of textile art. Not really my cup of tea but appreciate the work that's gone into making those tiny embroideries etc. Slipped and slid round Vickersway Park to see the handsome strutting cockeral and his mate and some budgies etc. in an aviary. Nobody else in there on such a nice day which seemed a shame.

Chester Archive

Nice morning despite losing train ticket. Got to Chester early to have a look around a few favourite shops and then to the Cheshire Archive down by the River Dee. Very friendly and helpful bunch assisting the small group from VAC doing research into various topics. I choose Randolph Caldecott the Victorian children's book illustrator as I was keen to see his correspondence with drawings in the margins. Sadly they only had the one but lovely to look through his sketchbooks and other ephemera. Becky was my "archive buddy" and was very helpful at showing me round and keeping her distance when she could see I was engrossed in looking at pages and ephemera. Caldecott was very prolific and always had a sketchbook about his person to draw the back's of people's heads and bonnets etc. also lots of what looked like shopping lists! Yes, annoying to discover I had lost my return ticket so had to buy another - luckily just enough cash on me to do that but couldn't do more shopping as I'd hoped so back early for late lunch

Marbury Woods

Nice walk around Marbury Woods this morning looking at the trees and leaves and twigs. Communing with nature. Nice new bench where the old rotten one used to be. Good that this one is straight and not sloping like the one in the Crooked House at Peter Pan's Playground in Southend. Found a new set of steps and gravelly bit with grotto - a limpid pool nearby. Along the mere to observe the swans and ducks etc. A bit nippy but not as bad as the recent chill. Afterwards we went to Granma and Audrey's for coffee and a chat. Sorted some junk they wished to be sent to the charity emporium.

FRoz to the Boz

No penguins around today but was cold enough for some. Hazel was up early - first day back of the new term - train strike too so she wasn't happy! She had to scrape the car - drive to Hartford ( after the car coughed and wheezed a bit ) and then a train to Crewe to get another train into Manchester. Luckily she got a seat and knitted a square - an ongoing quilt/blanket project. She measure journeys by how many 4 inch squares she can knit. Crewe to Piccadilly is just one square - quite a fast train. Usually the Northwich to Piccadilly takes up two squares at a pinch. Sometimes she'll listen to the radio. Sometimes chat to one of her "train buddies". Thrown together in adversity - they form strong friendships - and go on day trips when the weather is more agreeable. I walked to the post office later when the ice had thawed a bit. It wasn't too slippy underfoot. Then to town and some shopping in the charity outlets but no bargains to be had. The afternoon was collaging and emails etc. I cooked a quorn roast for dinner with all the trimmings - some left over for tomorrow's sandwiches. Tryin to cut back on sweets and chocs but Hazel made some truffles before Xmas and they need eating up before they go bad! Nom nom!

Windy Day

Ventured out despite the terrible wind ( no jokes about too many sprouts please! ) and off to town for shopping. Popped into post office to queue up with my parcel. £8-50 to U.S. A. Signed and Tracked. Then the charity shops for a quick rummage - nothing to be found . Then the library but nothing caught my eye. Then off to Sainsburys with Hazel to get some of their famous chocolate drink powder we are addicted to. It's expensive but better than cocoa or similar beverage. I think it has some kind of drug in it! Also got some bread with "ancient seeds" whatever they are? I dread to think. Home again and researching Randolph Caldecott the Victorian childrens book illustrator who was born in Chester and went to Manchester Art School like what I did. Possibility of going to the archive in Chester to see some of his work amongst other things with the VAC folk. Maybe an exhibition attached in the Summer.

New Year Starts!

Determined to update my blog posts more regularly this year - will see how far this goes - always start out with good intentions, like the diets! Hazel enjoyed brightening up the back garden with candles and twinkling lights as she does every year. No Archie this time to make his "match display" but plenty of eyeball delights despite the drizzle. Thankfully the rain stopped as we got nearer 2018. Surprise guests this year - Beth from round the corner came along armed with rum and coke - she brought her friend too for a nice chat and let some party poppers off and drink some toasts to the starry night and big moon. Lots of rockets this year from our neighbours entertained us too. I must admit I did watch a bit of Jool's Hootenanny but came outside at 11.55 to wish everyone well for 2018. Woke the next day with head feeling a little fuzzy from the proscecco. We intended going for a walk but the rain came in the afternoon so cancelled that for another day. Watching lots of crap on the telly mostly but did enjoy last two episodes of "Feud" a mini-series about the later years of fading film stars Bette Davies and Joan Crawford. I usually hate American dramas but this was above par and Alfred Molina was in it. Hazel made a loaf and I made another chestnut roast for dinner. Later on watched DVD of Guardians of the Galaxy 2 which wasn't as amusing as the first one. Yawn! Time to hit the sack!