My latest novel, Leaving London, is available to download from Amazon for free from 25 until 28 October.
This is a story about careers, relationships, and the difficulties of combining the two. It's a light, easy read -- perfect for curling up with in front of the fire on these cool autumn evenings.
Here's the full blurb:
For Lucille Glencross, career is everything and relationships are nothing. Having experienced a fractured childhood, she is convinced that the only route to happiness involves standing on her own two feet and trusting no one. In this way, she protects herself from further hurt.
But when her best friend invites her to be a bridesmaid in Italy, Lucille’s orderly world is turned upside down. Whilst meeting new people and observing different customs, Lucille begins to wonder whether she’s got it all wrong. Could there be another, happier way to live her life?
23 October, 2018
02 October, 2018
Summer round up
It's been an awfully long time since I posted to my blog. However, I have a couple of spare minutes in hand right now, so am going to put together a medley of the stand-out things that my family and I have done over the past couple of months:
1. Spent a long weekend in Paris to celebrate my eldest daughter's excellent GCSE results. We stayed in Montmartre and really enjoyed a very busy few days of sightseeing. Amongst other things, we went on a Seine river cruise, visited the Louvre, browsed round various churches and museums, ate lots of good food, and wore our shoes out just wandering the streets of Paris and taking in the sights.
2. Went to see Matilda the Musical in London, which was my youngest daughter's birthday present. The show was really good fun, even though we were sitting at the back of the upper circle. We finished off our day with dinner in our favourite Mexican restaurant -- the lovely Cantina Laredo.
3. Enjoyed a long weekend in the north Cotswolds with my husband's family -- 13 of us in total, ranging from 3 to 85 years. It was lovely to see everyone, and very rare for all of us to be together in the same place at the same time, since we live a long distance apart.
4. Saw the film The Children Act at our quaint local cinema, The Unicorn. Excellent book and excellent film. Just love Ian McEwan.
5. Went on a day trip to Warwick Castle to celebarate my eldest daughter's birthday. It was our first visit there and we were pleasantly suprised -- the interior of the castle, the jousting show and the Time Tower were all interesting and enjoyable. We finished the day with a meal out at our local Bill's -- good food and friendly service.
6. Had a bathroom refitted by Oxford Bathrooms. They did a great job and I would highly receommend them.
It's been a busy couple of months!
1. Spent a long weekend in Paris to celebrate my eldest daughter's excellent GCSE results. We stayed in Montmartre and really enjoyed a very busy few days of sightseeing. Amongst other things, we went on a Seine river cruise, visited the Louvre, browsed round various churches and museums, ate lots of good food, and wore our shoes out just wandering the streets of Paris and taking in the sights.
2. Went to see Matilda the Musical in London, which was my youngest daughter's birthday present. The show was really good fun, even though we were sitting at the back of the upper circle. We finished off our day with dinner in our favourite Mexican restaurant -- the lovely Cantina Laredo.
3. Enjoyed a long weekend in the north Cotswolds with my husband's family -- 13 of us in total, ranging from 3 to 85 years. It was lovely to see everyone, and very rare for all of us to be together in the same place at the same time, since we live a long distance apart.
4. Saw the film The Children Act at our quaint local cinema, The Unicorn. Excellent book and excellent film. Just love Ian McEwan.
5. Went on a day trip to Warwick Castle to celebarate my eldest daughter's birthday. It was our first visit there and we were pleasantly suprised -- the interior of the castle, the jousting show and the Time Tower were all interesting and enjoyable. We finished the day with a meal out at our local Bill's -- good food and friendly service.
6. Had a bathroom refitted by Oxford Bathrooms. They did a great job and I would highly receommend them.
It's been a busy couple of months!
31 July, 2018
Mamma Mia!
We went to see Mamma Mia 2 a couple of days ago. Our daughters had been dying to see this sequel, having loved the first film, so the anticipation was high.
The movie was good to watch -- very easy on the eye, pretty locations and, of course, fun songs. Lily James was excellent as young Donna and it was great to see Meryl Streep performing again, albeit for a short period of time.
The downside was that Mamma Mia 2 is very low on plot compared to its predecessor. It really does seem like the producers are just looking for an excuse to repeat the box office success of the first film.
Still, if you can suspend your disbelief for a couple of hours and concentrate on the music and images alone, then this is an entertaining enough way to while away an evening.
The movie was good to watch -- very easy on the eye, pretty locations and, of course, fun songs. Lily James was excellent as young Donna and it was great to see Meryl Streep performing again, albeit for a short period of time.
The downside was that Mamma Mia 2 is very low on plot compared to its predecessor. It really does seem like the producers are just looking for an excuse to repeat the box office success of the first film.
Still, if you can suspend your disbelief for a couple of hours and concentrate on the music and images alone, then this is an entertaining enough way to while away an evening.
Holiday in Montenegro
We have recently returned from a family holiday in Montenegro. We had a great time there and I would highly recommend Montenegro as a destination.
There is a lot to see and do in this small country -- ancient walled towns, lovely mountain drives, pleasant coastline, Roman remains, and even a water park for those who enjoy that kind of thing.
We particularly enjoyed visiting Kotor. This Italianate walled city is particularly beautiful and boasts lovely architecture, grand old mansions, winding streets, and craggy walls that you can walk along for excellent views out to sea. Budva is another pretty, walled town; smaller and quieter than Kotor.
We also enjoyed driving up into the mountains via small roads that were full of hairpin bends. It was cooler up here (a welcome break from the searing heat below) and the houses looked Alpine -- quite different from the Mediterranean-style architecture that we saw elsewhere.
The people were very friendly and the food in the numerous restaurants good and plentiful. We had a couple of lovely meals in the old fishing village of Perast, overlooking the sea. Idyllic.
Finally, we were lucky enough to stay in a beautiful apartment (just one of four) in a remote village. Our host was charming and encouraged us to pick the fruit and vegetables that grew in abundance in the grounds.
All-in-all, a perfect holiday!
There is a lot to see and do in this small country -- ancient walled towns, lovely mountain drives, pleasant coastline, Roman remains, and even a water park for those who enjoy that kind of thing.
We particularly enjoyed visiting Kotor. This Italianate walled city is particularly beautiful and boasts lovely architecture, grand old mansions, winding streets, and craggy walls that you can walk along for excellent views out to sea. Budva is another pretty, walled town; smaller and quieter than Kotor.
We also enjoyed driving up into the mountains via small roads that were full of hairpin bends. It was cooler up here (a welcome break from the searing heat below) and the houses looked Alpine -- quite different from the Mediterranean-style architecture that we saw elsewhere.
The people were very friendly and the food in the numerous restaurants good and plentiful. We had a couple of lovely meals in the old fishing village of Perast, overlooking the sea. Idyllic.
Finally, we were lucky enough to stay in a beautiful apartment (just one of four) in a remote village. Our host was charming and encouraged us to pick the fruit and vegetables that grew in abundance in the grounds.
All-in-all, a perfect holiday!
23 June, 2018
Giffords Circus
Every year we pay a visit to Giffords Circus and every year we love it. Yesterday's visit was no exception.
As usual, the performance was funny, thrilling and hugely entertaining. This year's theme was the 250th anniversary of the birth of the circus, and there was an even stronger focus than usual on 'traditional' circus acts, exemplified by the bigger-that-usual comic turn by Tweedy the clown.
We were delighted to see Nancy Trotter Landry back as the compere. She is very, very funny and can sing wonderfully. Not to mention those hugely expressive eyes!
The live band was excellent, the 1930s-style consumes beautiful, and the acrobatic acts were particularly impressive this year.
An excellent evening out -- highly recommended!
As usual, the performance was funny, thrilling and hugely entertaining. This year's theme was the 250th anniversary of the birth of the circus, and there was an even stronger focus than usual on 'traditional' circus acts, exemplified by the bigger-that-usual comic turn by Tweedy the clown.
We were delighted to see Nancy Trotter Landry back as the compere. She is very, very funny and can sing wonderfully. Not to mention those hugely expressive eyes!
The live band was excellent, the 1930s-style consumes beautiful, and the acrobatic acts were particularly impressive this year.
An excellent evening out -- highly recommended!
West Wycombe
I haven't written anything on my blog for a long time, due to a severe lack of time coupled with various family emergencies, so I'm going to try and make up for that somewhat this weekend.
So, first up, we had a lovely day out a couple of weekends ago vising West Wycombe.
We started off at National Trust property West Wycombe Park. This is a gracious Palladian mansion set in beautiful landscaped gardens. The house doesn't have that many rooms open to the public, but those that are open are well worth a look -- plenty of frescoed ceilings, interesting paintings, etc. The grounds are very pleasant to stroll around with a lake, pretty bridge, and several strategically-placed eye-catchers. It puts you in mind of Tom Stoppard's fascinating play, Arcadia.
After visiting the house, we walked from the NT car park into the village of West Wycombe, looking for some tea. We happened upon a really lovely place -- The Apple Orchard. This place combines a cafe with a very extensive gift shop selling all sorts of lovely stuff from jewellery and scarves to artisan furniture and high-end beds. The cafe has a beautiful enclosed garden at the back where you can sit and enjoy your meal at one of the wrought iron tables. The staff are incredibly welcoming and accommodating and the food delicious. I would highly recommend this place!
So, first up, we had a lovely day out a couple of weekends ago vising West Wycombe.
We started off at National Trust property West Wycombe Park. This is a gracious Palladian mansion set in beautiful landscaped gardens. The house doesn't have that many rooms open to the public, but those that are open are well worth a look -- plenty of frescoed ceilings, interesting paintings, etc. The grounds are very pleasant to stroll around with a lake, pretty bridge, and several strategically-placed eye-catchers. It puts you in mind of Tom Stoppard's fascinating play, Arcadia.
After visiting the house, we walked from the NT car park into the village of West Wycombe, looking for some tea. We happened upon a really lovely place -- The Apple Orchard. This place combines a cafe with a very extensive gift shop selling all sorts of lovely stuff from jewellery and scarves to artisan furniture and high-end beds. The cafe has a beautiful enclosed garden at the back where you can sit and enjoy your meal at one of the wrought iron tables. The staff are incredibly welcoming and accommodating and the food delicious. I would highly recommend this place!
02 April, 2018
Easter weekend
We have had a very pleasant, family-oriented Easter weekend.
On Friday we ventured out in the pouring rain to Waddesdon Manor to do the Easter egg hunt there. Our teenage kids are far too old for this now, but our youngest still (at fourteen!) has great memories of these hunts from when she was little and likes to re-live her youth. So, we duly did the hunt, claimed the chocolatey prize and had some yummy coffee and cake in the tea room.
Saturday saw us visiting my parents-in-law in London. We were treated to a lovely lunch (including a cheesecake decorated with Easter eggs!) and enjoyed having a relaxed day, chatting and catching up.
On Sunday, my husband and I went on a walk around University Parks in Oxford -- again it was wet, but the fresh air was great. We followed up with coffee and cake at the Barefoot Cafe in Jericho.
Monday saw us walking again -- this time in the Cowley area of Oxford, where we used to live many moons ago. It is always really interesting to see how areas that you used to know intimately have changed over the years. We even took a peek at the house that we used to live in. And we stopped for coffee and a brownie at the Magdalen Arms on Iffley Road.
Now it's back to work and back to reality -- but we are, hopefully, a bit more relaxed than when we left work on Thursday!
On Friday we ventured out in the pouring rain to Waddesdon Manor to do the Easter egg hunt there. Our teenage kids are far too old for this now, but our youngest still (at fourteen!) has great memories of these hunts from when she was little and likes to re-live her youth. So, we duly did the hunt, claimed the chocolatey prize and had some yummy coffee and cake in the tea room.
Saturday saw us visiting my parents-in-law in London. We were treated to a lovely lunch (including a cheesecake decorated with Easter eggs!) and enjoyed having a relaxed day, chatting and catching up.
On Sunday, my husband and I went on a walk around University Parks in Oxford -- again it was wet, but the fresh air was great. We followed up with coffee and cake at the Barefoot Cafe in Jericho.
Monday saw us walking again -- this time in the Cowley area of Oxford, where we used to live many moons ago. It is always really interesting to see how areas that you used to know intimately have changed over the years. We even took a peek at the house that we used to live in. And we stopped for coffee and a brownie at the Magdalen Arms on Iffley Road.
Now it's back to work and back to reality -- but we are, hopefully, a bit more relaxed than when we left work on Thursday!
11 March, 2018
New book "Leaving London" available for purchase
Finally, my new book is available for purchase!
It's called Leaving London and you can buy it on Amazon.
Here's the blurb:
For Lucille Glencross, career is everything and relationships are nothing. Having experienced a fractured childhood, she is convinced that the only route to happiness involves standing on her own two feet and trusting no one. In this way, she protects herself from further hurt.
But when her best friend invites her to be a bridesmaid in Italy, Lucille’s orderly world is turned upside down. Whilst meeting new people and observing different customs, Lucille begins to wonder whether she’s got it all wrong. Could there be another, happier way to live her life?
It's called Leaving London and you can buy it on Amazon.
Here's the blurb:
For Lucille Glencross, career is everything and relationships are nothing. Having experienced a fractured childhood, she is convinced that the only route to happiness involves standing on her own two feet and trusting no one. In this way, she protects herself from further hurt.
But when her best friend invites her to be a bridesmaid in Italy, Lucille’s orderly world is turned upside down. Whilst meeting new people and observing different customs, Lucille begins to wonder whether she’s got it all wrong. Could there be another, happier way to live her life?
Bella Napoli
My husband and I enjoyed a lovely evening out with friends yesterday at local Abingdon restaurant Bella Napoli.
I have been to Bella Napoli a few times recently and rate it highly. It is based in a lovely old building in the centre of Abingdon, festooned by creepers in summer, and inside has lots of dark polished wood and white linen table cloths. It is relaxed and frequented by an older crowd, which lends a very pleasant and easygoing dining experience.
The food is good and fresh -- pasta, pizza and Italian meat and fish mains; the house wine is surprisingly mellow and tasty; and the prices are pretty reasonable too.
The staff are friendly and attentive, whilst remaining low key.
If you're looking for good food in a pleasant, relaxed atmosphere and don't want to spend the earth, Bella Napoli comes highly recommended.
I have been to Bella Napoli a few times recently and rate it highly. It is based in a lovely old building in the centre of Abingdon, festooned by creepers in summer, and inside has lots of dark polished wood and white linen table cloths. It is relaxed and frequented by an older crowd, which lends a very pleasant and easygoing dining experience.
The food is good and fresh -- pasta, pizza and Italian meat and fish mains; the house wine is surprisingly mellow and tasty; and the prices are pretty reasonable too.
The staff are friendly and attentive, whilst remaining low key.
If you're looking for good food in a pleasant, relaxed atmosphere and don't want to spend the earth, Bella Napoli comes highly recommended.
20 January, 2018
Willow's Shake Shop
We had lunch out today at Abingdon's newest cafe -- Willow's Shake Shop. We've been meaning to go here for a while, but haven't had a free Saturday until now.
Anyway, it was worth the wait. This is a lovely little place -- not only is it a cafe; it also sells vintage and shabby chic furniture and ornaments.
As the name suggests, Willow's serves milkshakes (and smoothies) in a whole array of flavours. Our daughters chose the Crunchie and the Reese's peanut butter flavours, which were both delicious. We also had panini, a scone, and a toasted tea cake, all of which were very tasty and clearly homemade.
This is a very pleasant environment in which to sit. It is beautifully decorated with lots of pretty things and pieces of furniture -- the vintage items that are for sale, in fact! There were several things that caught our eye and in the end we decided to buy a little framed picture that had been made by one of the owners of the cafe.
We will definitely be back. Lovely food, a beautiful shop and very competitive pricing, too -- we would highly recommend Willow's Shake Shop!
Anyway, it was worth the wait. This is a lovely little place -- not only is it a cafe; it also sells vintage and shabby chic furniture and ornaments.
As the name suggests, Willow's serves milkshakes (and smoothies) in a whole array of flavours. Our daughters chose the Crunchie and the Reese's peanut butter flavours, which were both delicious. We also had panini, a scone, and a toasted tea cake, all of which were very tasty and clearly homemade.
This is a very pleasant environment in which to sit. It is beautifully decorated with lots of pretty things and pieces of furniture -- the vintage items that are for sale, in fact! There were several things that caught our eye and in the end we decided to buy a little framed picture that had been made by one of the owners of the cafe.
We will definitely be back. Lovely food, a beautiful shop and very competitive pricing, too -- we would highly recommend Willow's Shake Shop!
09 January, 2018
Back to reality...
We went back to work after the Christmas break last week, but this week it is definitely back to reality, with the kids back at school, my oldest sitting her mock GCSEs, and my husband preparing for a business trip to Australia.
I've therefore been reflecting on the some of the lovely things that we did over the holidays:
I've therefore been reflecting on the some of the lovely things that we did over the holidays:
- spending new year's eve watching the Creation Theatre's production of "A Christmas Carol" (great fun!) followed by dinner at our local Wildwood Restaurant (very tasty!)
- having a lovely, family evening out at the cinema seeing "Pitch Perfect 3" (just as funny as the first two!)
- meeting friends for a walk up Boar's Hill followed by afternoon tea (great company and delicious homemade Christmas cake)
- enjoying lots of family time watching films, playing Scrabble and eating German Christmas biscuits.
We've also got some lovely things to look forward to. We've just booked our family summer holiday (11 nights in Montenegro, which looks beautiful), we'll be watching our oldest daughter playing Juliet in the school production of "Romeo and Juliet", we're booked in to see the play "Blood Brothers" in February, and much more.
That should be enough to get us through this dull and cold January!
18 December, 2017
Festive weekend
We have had a lovely, festive time this weekend.
On Saturday, we all (us, our children and their grandparents) met at the National Theatre to see Pinocchio. There had been some concern when the tickets were first booked that the show might be too young for our teenagers, but as it turned out, not a bit of it. The acting was superb, the set ingenious, and there was plenty tucked in for older viewers -- morality, darkness, sophisticated jokes, etc. We enjoyed the whole show, but we thought that the actress who played the cricket (Pinocchio's conscience) was particularly outstanding.
Prior to watching the play, we ate dinner together in House, the National Theatre's restaurant. We were a little concerned that there were few vegetarian dishes available and that the menu wasn't very teenager-friendly. However, I had a pasta dish with mushrooms and spinach, which really was very tasty, Even though the restaurant was very busy, the service was friendly and responsive.
On Sunday, we focused on Christmas at home. We bought our tree from Peachcroft Farm, as we always do, and then spent the rest of the morning decorating the house. In the afternoon, we celebrated the third Sunday of Advent enjoying German Christmas biscuits in front of our advent circle.
Lovely! We are now all feeling a lot more Christmassy!
On Saturday, we all (us, our children and their grandparents) met at the National Theatre to see Pinocchio. There had been some concern when the tickets were first booked that the show might be too young for our teenagers, but as it turned out, not a bit of it. The acting was superb, the set ingenious, and there was plenty tucked in for older viewers -- morality, darkness, sophisticated jokes, etc. We enjoyed the whole show, but we thought that the actress who played the cricket (Pinocchio's conscience) was particularly outstanding.
Prior to watching the play, we ate dinner together in House, the National Theatre's restaurant. We were a little concerned that there were few vegetarian dishes available and that the menu wasn't very teenager-friendly. However, I had a pasta dish with mushrooms and spinach, which really was very tasty, Even though the restaurant was very busy, the service was friendly and responsive.
On Sunday, we focused on Christmas at home. We bought our tree from Peachcroft Farm, as we always do, and then spent the rest of the morning decorating the house. In the afternoon, we celebrated the third Sunday of Advent enjoying German Christmas biscuits in front of our advent circle.
Lovely! We are now all feeling a lot more Christmassy!
12 December, 2017
The run up to Christmas
We are having a very busy run up to Christmas this year. We have had so much on -- both festive and otherwise -- that it feels a bit like we might hit Christmas somewhat unprepared!
The weekend before last we enjoyed our annual Christmas shopping trip to London. This involves traipsing along Oxford Street, admiring the lights, and spending inordinate amounts of time browsing the John Lewis food hall for Christmas stocking gifts. We also had a lovely lunch in Cafe Rouge Kingsway. This was a good find because, while relatively close to central London shopping, it is located in Holborn, which, at the weekend, is nice and quiet. Perfect for a hassle-free meal with family.
We're off to London again this Saturday to see Pinocchio at the National Theatre with my parents-in-law. We're all a bit old for it now -- the kids included -- but it should be great fun! Sunday will be dedicated to buying the Christmas tree from our local Peachcroft Farm and dressing the house ready for our celebrations.
This week I have two -- yes, two! -- Christmas lunches at work. One with my immediate team and one with my 50-strong department. The first will be a curry at a local curry house and the second will be a full-blown, three-course lunch at St. Hilda's College. Both should be delicious.
On the less exciting front, we have been organising the replacement of our leaking hot water tank (two days this week without heating or hot water in the freezing cold!), having the drains under our house cleaned, sorting out Duke of Edinburgh volunteering and braces for our youngest, supporting our eldest as she revises for her mocks. The list goes on...
Only two more weeks of work and then we'll be there! I'm really looking forward to the break and to enjoying our traditional German celebrations with family on Christmas Eve!
The weekend before last we enjoyed our annual Christmas shopping trip to London. This involves traipsing along Oxford Street, admiring the lights, and spending inordinate amounts of time browsing the John Lewis food hall for Christmas stocking gifts. We also had a lovely lunch in Cafe Rouge Kingsway. This was a good find because, while relatively close to central London shopping, it is located in Holborn, which, at the weekend, is nice and quiet. Perfect for a hassle-free meal with family.
We're off to London again this Saturday to see Pinocchio at the National Theatre with my parents-in-law. We're all a bit old for it now -- the kids included -- but it should be great fun! Sunday will be dedicated to buying the Christmas tree from our local Peachcroft Farm and dressing the house ready for our celebrations.
This week I have two -- yes, two! -- Christmas lunches at work. One with my immediate team and one with my 50-strong department. The first will be a curry at a local curry house and the second will be a full-blown, three-course lunch at St. Hilda's College. Both should be delicious.
On the less exciting front, we have been organising the replacement of our leaking hot water tank (two days this week without heating or hot water in the freezing cold!), having the drains under our house cleaned, sorting out Duke of Edinburgh volunteering and braces for our youngest, supporting our eldest as she revises for her mocks. The list goes on...
Only two more weeks of work and then we'll be there! I'm really looking forward to the break and to enjoying our traditional German celebrations with family on Christmas Eve!
07 November, 2017
Busy weekend
We had a packed -- and fun -- weekend last week.
First off, my husband returned home from a business trip to the US. Even after all these years together, it's still lovely when he comes home! We celebrated his return (and attempted to stave off his jet lag) by eating lunch out at Abingdon's newest cafe -- Annie's at the Boathouse. We enjoyed brie and cranberry sandwiches and coffee and walnut cake. It will be particularly pleasant here in the summer, when you can sit out at a table overlooking the Thames.
In the evening, we marked the 5th of November by attending the firework display at the Baldons. We attended this event a couple of years ago and enjoyed it both times -- we particularly like the huge bonfire, which is quite unusual at public events these days, and a really good addition to the fireworks.
On Sunday, we visited Abingdon's annual craft fair. This takes place in the Medieval abbey buildings and is a great opportunity to find unusual Christmas presents in a beautiful setting. Later on, we went to see "Murder on the Orient Express" at Cineworld in Didcot. I've been looking forward to this film coming out and we all thought it was very entertaining -- dramatic with good cinematography. We know the story well, so weren't surprised by the ending -- but you can't have everything!
First off, my husband returned home from a business trip to the US. Even after all these years together, it's still lovely when he comes home! We celebrated his return (and attempted to stave off his jet lag) by eating lunch out at Abingdon's newest cafe -- Annie's at the Boathouse. We enjoyed brie and cranberry sandwiches and coffee and walnut cake. It will be particularly pleasant here in the summer, when you can sit out at a table overlooking the Thames.
In the evening, we marked the 5th of November by attending the firework display at the Baldons. We attended this event a couple of years ago and enjoyed it both times -- we particularly like the huge bonfire, which is quite unusual at public events these days, and a really good addition to the fireworks.
On Sunday, we visited Abingdon's annual craft fair. This takes place in the Medieval abbey buildings and is a great opportunity to find unusual Christmas presents in a beautiful setting. Later on, we went to see "Murder on the Orient Express" at Cineworld in Didcot. I've been looking forward to this film coming out and we all thought it was very entertaining -- dramatic with good cinematography. We know the story well, so weren't surprised by the ending -- but you can't have everything!
31 October, 2017
Half term in Shropshire
We spent a very happy half-term weekend in Shropshire. Some of our friends had been to the area a few years back and recommended it for a short break, so we decided to follow their advice.
We stayed in a cottage (a converted mill) -- in the hamlet of Vennington, about 30 minutes from Shrewsbury. It was lovely -- lots of wooden beams and floors, white walls and a wood burning stove, just perfect for cosy nights in.
As for sightseeing, we visited Ironbridge -- to admire the iron bridge, of course. It is quite hard to imagine that this now picturesque, steep valley was the heartland of the Industrial Revolution -- but it was.
There are several museums to visit in and around Ironbridge, but being on a short break, we visited just one -- Blists Hill. This is a living museum, which recreates a small Victorian town, complete with mine and working steam railway. The 'residents' (staff who are dressed in the clothing of the day) are very knowledgeable and eager to answer any questions that you might have. We really enjoyed our visit here, finding the museum both informative and entertaining. This is a really good way to engage young people with history.
We also visited Shrewsbury, which is a lovely medieval market town. We spent a long time wandering round the abbey, which is beautiful, and enjoyed lunch in one of the cafes on the market square.
Finally, we managed to fit in two National Trust properties -- one on the way there and one on the way back. Attingham Park is a Palladian mansion -- we particularly enjoyed the extensive and very interesting 'below stairs' area here. Wightwick Manor is a Victorian manor house, built and furnished in the style of the Arts and Crafts movement.
We thoroughly enjoyed our weekend in Shropshire and, if you are looking for a short break somewhere in the Midlands, would certainly recommend it.
We stayed in a cottage (a converted mill) -- in the hamlet of Vennington, about 30 minutes from Shrewsbury. It was lovely -- lots of wooden beams and floors, white walls and a wood burning stove, just perfect for cosy nights in.
As for sightseeing, we visited Ironbridge -- to admire the iron bridge, of course. It is quite hard to imagine that this now picturesque, steep valley was the heartland of the Industrial Revolution -- but it was.
There are several museums to visit in and around Ironbridge, but being on a short break, we visited just one -- Blists Hill. This is a living museum, which recreates a small Victorian town, complete with mine and working steam railway. The 'residents' (staff who are dressed in the clothing of the day) are very knowledgeable and eager to answer any questions that you might have. We really enjoyed our visit here, finding the museum both informative and entertaining. This is a really good way to engage young people with history.
We also visited Shrewsbury, which is a lovely medieval market town. We spent a long time wandering round the abbey, which is beautiful, and enjoyed lunch in one of the cafes on the market square.
Finally, we managed to fit in two National Trust properties -- one on the way there and one on the way back. Attingham Park is a Palladian mansion -- we particularly enjoyed the extensive and very interesting 'below stairs' area here. Wightwick Manor is a Victorian manor house, built and furnished in the style of the Arts and Crafts movement.
We thoroughly enjoyed our weekend in Shropshire and, if you are looking for a short break somewhere in the Midlands, would certainly recommend it.
09 October, 2017
Chinese State Circus
We had a great evening out at the Chinese State Circus in Oxford on Friday.
All the artists were very impressive, but we particularly enjoyed the foot juggling with parasols and the group cycling. You could really see how much skill and how much practice were involved in these two acts.
The Monkey King was the circus clown. He was amusing and extremely acrobatic in the way that he moved, so was good to watch on various fronts.
The circus welcomed one guest act -- Duo Extreme from Bulgaria. This act was excellent -- two aerial artists who incorporated both water and fire into their repertoire.
The only thing that surprised us was how empty the big top was -- only about a quarter full. Perhaps 7.30 on a Friday evening isn't a good time for circus attendance (too late for the kids, and not yet the weekend when people have more time on their hands).
In any event, if you enjoy watching really good acrobats and gymnasts perform, I would highly recommend seeing the Chinese State Circus -- and at just £16 for reasonable seats, it's pretty good value too.
All the artists were very impressive, but we particularly enjoyed the foot juggling with parasols and the group cycling. You could really see how much skill and how much practice were involved in these two acts.
The Monkey King was the circus clown. He was amusing and extremely acrobatic in the way that he moved, so was good to watch on various fronts.
The circus welcomed one guest act -- Duo Extreme from Bulgaria. This act was excellent -- two aerial artists who incorporated both water and fire into their repertoire.
The only thing that surprised us was how empty the big top was -- only about a quarter full. Perhaps 7.30 on a Friday evening isn't a good time for circus attendance (too late for the kids, and not yet the weekend when people have more time on their hands).
In any event, if you enjoy watching really good acrobats and gymnasts perform, I would highly recommend seeing the Chinese State Circus -- and at just £16 for reasonable seats, it's pretty good value too.
02 October, 2017
Things I Know to Be True
We went to see an excellent play at the Oxford Playhouse on Saturday night -- Things I Know to Be True by the theatre company Frantic Assembly.
This outing was at the instigation of our eldest, who is studying the play for GCSE Drama, and has in fact now seen it twice -- once with school and once with us.
The play tells the story of a family -- mother and father and their four grown-up children. It explores the dynamics of family relationships and examines how those relationships are affected when really significant events happen to members of the family.
The play is funny, moving and intensely sad, all at the same time. The style of delivery -- plenty of monologues and narration coupled with Frantic's physical style -- means that the watcher is drawn right it; it is as if you are there, a part of the action.
I loved this play and would recommend it highly. It deals with some very difficult issues, and the ending is shocking, but it really makes you think and provides excellent conversational material long after the curtain has fallen.
This outing was at the instigation of our eldest, who is studying the play for GCSE Drama, and has in fact now seen it twice -- once with school and once with us.
The play tells the story of a family -- mother and father and their four grown-up children. It explores the dynamics of family relationships and examines how those relationships are affected when really significant events happen to members of the family.
The play is funny, moving and intensely sad, all at the same time. The style of delivery -- plenty of monologues and narration coupled with Frantic's physical style -- means that the watcher is drawn right it; it is as if you are there, a part of the action.
I loved this play and would recommend it highly. It deals with some very difficult issues, and the ending is shocking, but it really makes you think and provides excellent conversational material long after the curtain has fallen.
26 September, 2017
Grey's Court -- and autumn
We had a lovely afternoon out on Sunday.
We decided to take advantage of the sunny weather and visit Grey's Court, a National Trust property near Henley-on-Thames. We have been here many times before and it really is beautiful -- the Tudor house is set in charming grounds with lots to see and do. Particular highlights are the kitchen garden (full of fruit and vegetables, which are used in the on-site cafe), the 125-year-old wisteria, and the house's kitchen (spacious, homely and surprisingly modern).
After wandering round the house and grounds, we popped into the cafe. It had been very busy, but we managed to pick up some Victoria sponge cake and brownies, which we enjoyed with a cup of tea. We finished up with the ubiquitous trip to the National Trust shop -- filled with tempting things, which we managed to resist buying.
When we got home, we had a candlelit supper, which got us talking about how much we love this time of year -- cosy evenings, the autumn sunshine, pumpkin hunts, Advent treats, the run up to Christmas... The list goes on and on!
We decided to take advantage of the sunny weather and visit Grey's Court, a National Trust property near Henley-on-Thames. We have been here many times before and it really is beautiful -- the Tudor house is set in charming grounds with lots to see and do. Particular highlights are the kitchen garden (full of fruit and vegetables, which are used in the on-site cafe), the 125-year-old wisteria, and the house's kitchen (spacious, homely and surprisingly modern).
After wandering round the house and grounds, we popped into the cafe. It had been very busy, but we managed to pick up some Victoria sponge cake and brownies, which we enjoyed with a cup of tea. We finished up with the ubiquitous trip to the National Trust shop -- filled with tempting things, which we managed to resist buying.
When we got home, we had a candlelit supper, which got us talking about how much we love this time of year -- cosy evenings, the autumn sunshine, pumpkin hunts, Advent treats, the run up to Christmas... The list goes on and on!
03 September, 2017
Rainy Sunday
We had hoped to go blackberrying this afternoon, but unfortunately the rainy weather put paid to that idea. So instead, we travelled into Oxford and had a look at the St Giles Fair, which was largely set up prior to opening tomorrow.
The fair comes to St Giles in Oxford every year and we normally do wander round it before it opens. There's something rather relaxing about examining the rides in the peace and quiet at your leisure. Many of these rides also come to the street fair in Abingdon, which takes place every October, and is the fair that our kids attend proper, enjoying the rides, hook a duck stalls, and street food.
Today we finished up with coffee and cake at the Jericho Cafe, which has been a fixture in Oxford since before we moved down here, over twenty years ago. This was also a bit of a celebration, since my eldest daughter, already a black belt in karate, double graded and gained her red belt in Jeet Kune Do this morning. Hurrah!
The fair comes to St Giles in Oxford every year and we normally do wander round it before it opens. There's something rather relaxing about examining the rides in the peace and quiet at your leisure. Many of these rides also come to the street fair in Abingdon, which takes place every October, and is the fair that our kids attend proper, enjoying the rides, hook a duck stalls, and street food.
Today we finished up with coffee and cake at the Jericho Cafe, which has been a fixture in Oxford since before we moved down here, over twenty years ago. This was also a bit of a celebration, since my eldest daughter, already a black belt in karate, double graded and gained her red belt in Jeet Kune Do this morning. Hurrah!
28 August, 2017
Holiday in the Lake District
We've just come back from a lovely holiday in the Lake District, which is an area of the country that we've not visited before. We stayed in a high end, modern apartment at the Carus Green Golf Club, just outside Kendal. The apartment was spacious, clean and very comfortable and we had the added bonus of the club house over the road, where we could eat, if we so wished.
We broke the drive up to Kendal at the National Trust's Little Moreton Hall, an amazing Tudor moated and timbered manor house. We enjoyed looking around the house and eating lunch at the small but pleasant on site cafe.
Here are some of the things that we did during out stay:
We broke the drive up to Kendal at the National Trust's Little Moreton Hall, an amazing Tudor moated and timbered manor house. We enjoyed looking around the house and eating lunch at the small but pleasant on site cafe.
Here are some of the things that we did during out stay:
- On day one, we visited Holker Hall, an impressive stately home, which has particularly beautiful grounds. We also paid a visit to Cartmel Priory, which now serves as the parish church of Cartmel.
- On day two, we had a great day out at the Arts and Crafts House, Blackwell. The house is visually stunning and well worth a visit. We enjoyed a picnic lunch on the terrace overlooking Lake Windermere. We then popped into Low Sizergh Barn -- a farm, shop and cafe that was near our apartment -- and enjoyed a hot chocolate while watching the cows being milked from the cafe's viewing window.
- Day three was rather different. We took a boat across Lake Windermere to Lakeside, where we picked up a restored steam train that took us to Haverthwaite. We enjoyed lunch at the station restaurant and then took the train back to Bowness and wandered round the aquarium -- this was fairly small, but certainly worth the visit, with lots of local fish and other creatures to see.
- On day four, we visited Wray Castle, which turned out to be rather different from what we expected. Our Rough Guide to the Lake District suggested that this National Trust property was different from most, in that it positively encouraged visitors to sit on the furniture and handle the artefacts. In fact, the house didn't contain any historic items (the collections had been sold off long ago, prior to the National Trust's ownership). Nonetheless, we enjoyed looking at the house itself and playing table tennis and pool, which were amongst the activities laid on for visitors to the house. In the afternoon, we visited Sizergh Castle, which is a National Trust property of the traditional kind -- a medieval house with beautiful gardens. In the evening, we ate a delicious meal out at the India restaurant in Kendal.
- On day five, we indulged our teenagers with a trip to the South Lakes Safari Zoo. This was surprisingly good: lots of animals to see, which were kept in spacious areas, and excellent value -- just five pounds per adult with children going free. In the afternoon, we visited Furness Abbey. We all loved this place -- it was very atmospheric, great for exploring and playing hide and seek, and had a pleasant picnic area overlooking the ruins.
- On our last day, we spent the morning wandering around the centre of Kendal, which is an ancient market town. It is very pretty and has lots of interesting independent shops and cafes. We also climbed up to the scanty ruins of Kendal Castle, which afford an excellent view of the surrounding area. In the afternoon we drove up to to Scout Scar, which is a short distance outside Kendal, and enjoyed a walk around the stony summit. Again, the views of the surrounding hills were wonderful.
We came home via Biddulph Grange Garden. The weather was good enough that we could eat lunch at one of the cafe tables outside, and we really enjoyed wandering round the gardens themselves, which are extensive and divided into different geographical areas/styles of landscaping, such as 'China', 'Egypt' and 'Italy'.
We all really enjoyed our holiday in the Lake District and were sad to leave. We are hoping to return to the northern lakes for another holiday at some point in the future.
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