Walk in Marbury Country Park

Another warmish February day despite a slight frost this morning - it warmed up later in the bright sunshine. Dropped Audrey off at LILIWAC knitting and croquet get together in Great Budworth and then Hazel drove us over to Marbury for a walk and picnic. Lots of mad dogs leaping about being bitten on the nose when they got too close to that swan in the photo - we kept our distance! Saw lots of wagtails, ducks, geese, moorhens etc. An abundance of daffodils and blossom. Ate our tuna sandwich and humus crisps under the picnic area thingy. Noisy adult children and carers nearby having a picnic too - some wandering off to shout at the blue sky for being so blue - some in the bushes. "Come back Malcolm or there's no theme park for you!"

More Junk

Surprising number of bargains this morning at the indoor boot sale at Memorial Ct. despite being at the back of a huge queue. Favourite is the tin woodpecker who pecks at coins and puts them in a woodpecker's hole ( there's a song about that !) well, it would do if it still worked! Also nice set of photo countryside ciggy cards "Senior Service", metal Matchbox garage sign, plastic light meter dial thingy, carved nut in shape of flying saucer? ashtray? bon bon dish? not sure what it is actually. Captain Webbs matchbox and other bits and bobs. Hazel got a sailor puppet head made of plastic, wire gauge and milk pail. Beth got a plastic girls head for practicing hairdressing. Then we all went to Lidl to by boring stuff like bread, olives, cheese, vegetables etc.

North Wales Antique Road Trip No. 2

Nice couple of days in the Welsh countryside, looking for antique and junk shops. First to Mold which was nice little town with a farmers market in full swing. Took refuge in pleasant cafe and got speaking to a local couple who told us the way to the Antique emporium some 5 miles out of town. Had a toasted tea cake. A couple charity shops to look in. The Antique place near Mold wasnt that exciting - everything was very expenive and brass kettles etc, polished to within an inch of their lives! We prefer grubby artifacts! Hazel bought a book about 100 objects ( see photo ) written in English and Welsh. Then off to Denbigh and the place we went to before on our last Antique Road Trip. A bit pricy too so didnt get anything. The owners sat outside on old armchairs sunning themselves. Hazel noticed an ambulance leaving in the next door garage and she wonder if the man she saw busy with something on the floor was in fact giving artificial resuscination to someone the ambulance had just taken away - something we missed when reversing out some moments before! Then to Ruthin and the Crafts Centre to see the exhibition of enamelling and work by John Grayson with some techniques he had discovered from working with old Midlands metalworking "toy" trades. The rest of the exhibition was rather dull ceramics. More good shops and antique places to look round. Found a lovely shops that sold old 60's novelties and toys including masks , plasic viewers ( religious ) shaped like cameras and tiny hand mirrors with cartoons of cowboys etc. Hazel bought a Rocket Watch which had four hands. Also some ball bearing puzzle games with silly faces. Stayed the night at an old rectory - a delightful B&B with owner to match, who served up a tray of lemon drizzle cake she had made with a pot of tea to welcome us. She laughed a lot which is always a good sign. We walked up the hill to the old church and got a good view of the village and the new school which was a bit of an eye sore - felt sorry for the peopleliving nearby who had to look at this horrible thing being built spoiling their view. Anyway, ate the baps and crisps whilst watching Little Miss Sunshine which we had seen before but enjoyed again. Slept rather fitfully due to heavy duvet and strange bed but enjoyed a massive breakfast the next morning. Then off to Wrexham which was a nightmare to get to down those narrow winding lanes. Equally awful to get out of via a spaghetti junction type road mangle!

Nantwich

Nice morning in sunny Nantwich looking round the charity shops and market. The friendly toy and framing man sold Hazel a few things including a nice Japanese spinning top, a tin mouse and lead scarecrow. We were tempted by other things too but maybe next time. He showed us a photo on his phone of a Chinese lorry he sold on Ebay for £450 - he later discovered he could get £700 for it! Amazing as it didn't look anything that special. Hazel bought a new coat but I didn't find much. On the way home got a bundle of old Look & Learn from 1962.

Whitegate Way Walk

Lovely sunny day so we went over to Whitegate Way to have a walk and blow some cobwebs away. Hazel was feeling particularly stressed by college work so nice to get out the house for a while. We had lunch the lovely station cafe where volunteers make delicious soups, toasties and cakes etc. Had some pea and mint soup which was yummy, also a warm wholemeal roll and butter. Preceded by a pot of weak tea ( as we asked for one teabag ) and slice of lemony cake ( saved until after soupage ). Invented a new art movement - check it HERE. All very tastey. Then for a walk - a mile or so down the track to the second bridge and back again. Lots Spring flowers out and birds chirping. Cobwebs completely gone now!

Boot Sale and Lidl

Bargain filled indoor bootsale this morning at Memorial Court with Hazel and Beth. Got some nice old snap cards, doll dressing book, leaky metal teapot, Beetle game, Cuban enamel badges, map measurer, etc etc. Then to Lidl for some "bits". Quite busy for a Sunday morning as was the boot sale - the sunshine must have lured people out. Then to B&Q so Beth could get a pot of white paint for her kitchen ceiling. Simon had promised to paint it as it was getting mold spots. Stopped off at Beth and Simon's for tea and custard cream. Chatted about recent films we had seen. We had lent them A Little Chaos which they enjoyed.

Walk By The Canal

Chilly walk along the frozen tow path of the Trent & Mersey canal this morning with Hazel. Went as far as the TATA factory with steam belching out. The sun was slowly melting the ice and turning back to mud so we didn't venture too far. Saw a bird of prey sat in a tree - a hawk maybe? Lots of dog walker. Some parts of the canal were frozen over. We tossed sticks and stones in to hear the weird noise they made skimming across the ice. Popped in the Co-op for some bananas, milk and other bits. More mail art sorting in the afternoon.