Alsager and Sandbach

Lovely sunny day over at Sandbach to look round the market ad the shops. Got some oatcakes and pikelets. Hazel found yet another book about quilt making. Then to Alsager to have al fresco lunch with old chums Tone and Pene. Tony struggled with the sun shade but eventually it was up and flapping about in the breeze. Yummy quiche with baby asparagus from their allotment. Delicious rhubarb crumble for pudding with ice cream. Walked off some of the calories afterwards down the Salt Line - a former railway line.

Alsager Lunch

Braved the elements to drive over to Alsager on Sunday for lunch with old friends Tone and Pene. Torrential rain and spray from other vehicles - massive puddles - plenty of Sunday drivers doing stupid things. Got there unscathed. Delicious lunch and chats. Too wet for a walk so we played a silly board game called The Roman Game - a cross between Ludo and Lacrosse? We even had some crackers to pull and party poppers to shoot over the strings that were left over from last Xmas. What fun!

Alsager

Nice sunny day for a drive over to Alsager and lunch with our old friends Tone and Pene. Delicious pasta and tomato based sauce and garlic bread etc. A walk afterward to the Salt Line ( once a train track carrying goods to the potteries ) and around the pond nearby. Back to have pudding in the back garden. Yummy strawberry muffins and tea. A pigeon pretending to be a crow inthe tree above us. Quite warm now in thier sun trap of a garden. Good to see photos from their Australia trip at Xmas time.

Alsager and Salt Line

Lovely day with old chums Tone and Pene in Alsager. Took a picnic along to eat in their sunny back garden. Went for a walk later to the Salt Line and the little lily pad covered pond. Tony found his old vinyl copy of the Mikado to play as we had mentioned the wonderful film by Mike Leigh of Gilbert & Sullivan - Topsy Turvy - that we had watched on DVD recently. Phew! It was a warm and muggy day. Got home at 4.30 just as the welcome drizzle was coming down.

The Salt Line - Alsager

Nice walk and picnic today with Tone and Pene.

Lunch With Eve's

Nice day in town shopping and then to Sandbach to to look round the market and Aldi and onwards to the Eve's in Alsager. Delicious lunch and amusing chat ( forgot camera so this is a previous occasion ) and Hazel managed to prize some old work off Tony for the MMU Interactive Arts allumni show. Some wonderful intricate booksworks and maquettes. Got home before it got dark and the wind and rain arrived again. Crackers and cheese for dinner as we are too full for anything more substancial!

Middlewich Boot / Alsager Lunch

Pleasant wander around the boot sale at Middlewich - in the town hall. Bob was there and sold Hazel some Cherry B glasses, a poultry book and a ladies razor in box. She also got some badges including a blood donor enamel badge for Archie. I didn't get anything. The rain came down heavier so we abandoned our walk and pub lunch and went instead to Alsager ( after phoning our friends first ) to have lunch with Tony and Pene, who kindly gave a demonstration of their cooking skills and vegetables juggling while we sat in their cozy kitchen and drank wine, beer and tea ( not nessacelery in that order!) Yummy delicious roast aubergine and mushrooms and other roasted stuff followed by apple bake with ice cream and superior custard. Slurp! And then a walk to local walking pit and around the lake and the ducks and teal etc. Back for some tea and cake and look at the slideshow of their holiday in Oz over the festive period. I was falling asleep on the sofa so we said our goodbyes and trundled home. Hazel had stuff to sort for college. I had yawns to yawn and slump in front of the telly box.

Alsager

Nice bank holiday weekend with a trip to Alsager to start with for lunch with old chums Tony and Pene. Al fresco salad and quiche and other delights - pudding was rhubarb and almond frangipan tart with Madagascan Vanilla Custard no less! Lovely walk to the allotment where T & P have a patch they share with neighbours. The artichokes and garlic were doing well. We had to be quick as they didnt have a key to the gate and they might be locked in if everybody else went home. Luckily we were fine. More tea and biscuits when we got back. The following day it was another boot sale in Lostock by the church graveyard. Got some lovley old Practical Mechanix mags from the 50's for 80p each. Hazel found a few bargains including a pile of candles and a scary mask for Archie's collection.

Fire Fire !

The scene at the end of our road yesterday after firefighters took three hours to put out blaze at local school. Arson is suspected. It wasn't me - honest guv! Road was shut so we had to make diversions to get to Alsager to have lunch with the Eves and Dave Smith. Nice sunny day - a bit too bright for driving really. Nice food and chats. Tony showed us his holiday snaps from Oz. Looked quite idyllic - on the Gold Coast - swimming every day. A bit of a rude return to Blighty with the snow and ice - they wish they had stayed there I think! Home by 5 as Hazel doesn't like driving in the gloom of dusk. Ate rather a lot so had cheese and biscuits for our dinner.

Alsager

Always a treat to see our old chums Tony and Pene in Alsager. Our last visit was cancelled at the last minute as Pene was ill with a tummy bug but thankfully she is recovered and able to cook a delicious lunch. Tony made the nut roast which was delicious also - with all the trimmings. Apple tart and selection of home made ice creams for "pudding". We had to have a walk afterwards to feel like some of the calories were burnt off! Down the Salt Line nearby for a stroll past many walkers and dogs, cyclists etc. and back again round the lake and over the fly invested field near the local tip. (This bit wasn't the best!) I shouldn't have had the beer for lunch as it made me sleepy. Archie too who was suffering from post driving stress as he bravely drove all the way. Although it's not far ( 15 miles or so ) it felt like a hundred to him! Anyway, slumped on the settee having tea and lemon drizzle cake ( back come the calories!) we watched some old video Tony had found of us back in our courting days of the 80's looking very young and fresh faced - watching the rabbit scamper across the Eve's carpet. Also old film of kinetic scupltures made in Tony's first year at Falmouth art school back in the 60's. Quite a nostalgia fest! Considering a soundbar for our less than adequate TV so Tony checked out the Which guide for best bargains. Looks like Samsung do a cheapish one. Something to consider. Back home my 4.30. Hazel drove.

Alsager

Busy day out starting at indoor boot at Middlewich - Hazel got some mirrors and some other bits and bobs. I found Blu Ray of Gravity for a quid. Then to Aldi in Sandbach to stock up on bits we are running out of and gifts for Tony and Pene who we were going to next for lunch. On to Alsager for a nice lunch and chat - walk to Asda to get some spuds with Tony. Hazel stayed to talk to Pene. Nice pudding - almond cake, raspberries and ice cream. Waddled around the Salt Line nature path to try and loose some of the weight just aquired! Played a silly game of dice under a coloured cup? More cake and tea. Home before it got dark and we turned into pumpkins.

Whitegate/ Alsager

Pleasant Sunday jaunt out to Whitegate first to the boot sale. Got a nice tin motorbike man for two quid. Hazel bought a ton of plants for herself and various other folk. Took some over to Tony and Pene's in Alsager in the afternoon. Dave Smith came along too which was nice. Lovely food and chat in the back garden and the sun came out now and again which made it even more agreeable.