Holmes Chapel

We dropped the kids off at Holmes Chapel railway station so they could get the train to Manchester Airport - on their journey to Dublin. They will be back for New Year which will be nice. We popped in to the nearby charity shop on the way home. A kind man lent me his reading glasses as I had stupidly left mine at home. I looked at the CD's and found a couple I lliked the look of. A Nina Simone and Blind Boys Of Alabama. Hazel got a couple of wooly jumpers. Then a quick walk round the Shakeley Mere. Lots of sausage dogs - they seem very poplular at the moment depiste their short legs! I hid behind some trees - part of a Fluxus performance for our friend Allen in the USA.

Whitegate Way and Station Cafe

Had to wait around at the station to get tickets - the lady in charge was heating up a sandwich in the microwave ( she explained 20 minutes later ) . She was very helpful depsite her crumbs of discomfort. Afterwards we had a pleasant walk along the Whitegate Way until it got too muddy. We returned to the Station Cafe which had a re-furbished larger kitchen. Lovely carrot and coriander soup which started out as a block of frozen orange stuff - thawed and piping hot it was very tasty as were the hot rolls and butter than accompanied it. Fancy china too. Should have taken a photo. The restless pooch on the next table tried to slobber over Hazel leg. Ah, the joys of the country!