Monday 28 September 2015

Back full circle in Redmarley




Back to THE view from the upstairs conservatory

Can't believe we've been here more than a week, and written nothing, you'll have all gone off and left us! Now I have sat down to write it's not easy as Fred bear has decided to sit on me!


It felt like coming home, pulling up back at Richard and Judith's, hugs from them, wagging tails from the dogs and purrs and snuggles from the cats. As ever, too much to say and not enough time to say it despite arriving at 'beer o clock' having dinner and breakfast before they set off with the caravan to stay overnight at Richard's brothers going out for a jazz lunch to celebrate their wedding anniversary.

We shut the doors and hibernated, it wasn't that cold, we just pretended, cats, jigsaw and tea and cake. And the fab view of course.


Views on Brians walk
Art?
Thursday I went up to Alvechurch for the excitement of the dentist, who really made my day by replacing a filling, followed by a trip to the beautician for waxing and eyelash dying and much more pleasantly lunch with Helen and Monty Dog. Lovely to catch up, also raided her wardrobe for a cardigan to go with the dress I was planning to wear to the Christening on Sunday. I think it could have been the first bit of motorway driving I have done on my own in the last three years! All very strange. B went for a walk which was ok, he was back in time to cook dinner for me!


Some of the paths didn't have much view!
On Saturday he decided he couldn't live without his bike any longer, well with running being off the cards with his knee and my Achilles' tendon and the free Birmingham gyms being a bit too far to go, plus the great forecast it seemed to make sense, so back up to Alvechurch again, it's only 50 mins away and a really easy journey, stopped in at Mum, twice in three days, lucky her and back.


Steph with Rory on his baptism day
Only to get up on Sunday and best bib and tucker, back to Solihull to celebrate the baptism of little Rory, born a week before we got back in the country, now six months old. Brian's great nephew. Lovely party, good to catch up with the family, and the weather was great, to enable Sam's family to see the church in sunshine as it had poured down at their wedding! No photos yet as B was joint ‘official photographer’ along with granddaughter Abbie, so all photos are with Steph and Sam until they make some available to us. We’ll post some with the next blog entry.  


We thought we'd make the most of being up for the day so had planned a Sunday Tea Club with Crystal and Manu, Helen and Ian and Pete and Hilary. Crystal as usual doing all the hard work and ordering for everyone, this restaurant did actually have English in the menus unlike many in Chinatown, but it's the routine now, and wow, was it yummy, she really excelled herself. Feeling very full and happy to have caught up with so many people we came home wondering if all the cats would have starved to death, they didn't seem that bothered that we were many hours late for dinner, "just don't do it again" ok, not till next Monday anyway!


On our cycle ride today. Apparently the circumflex over the 'O' is incorrect, according to official Redmarley historical accounts. There is no French connection
This baby donkey was wondering what we were doing
So today, out on the bikes, not too far and I have to say he found a route where the roads weren't too narrow or hilly, just as well, as it's a long time since my bottom has been on a serious bike ride. He has his sights set on bigger rides next, I just have to convince him we are not going out every day!









But he and his mum came over for strokes anyway
 
We've had a plague of insects on the lounge balcony for the last few days around 6:00pm....
 
...No idea what they are, but we've kept the door shut!
 
This is very shy Lottie cat in her bed on the car roof in the garage, with big Fred bear
 
Little fluffy Charlie cat likes to snuggle onto Jackies lap
 
Breakfast one morning in the conservatory. Fred thinks 'I don't like toast!'
 
Yoga practice for Fred - 'I need all this sofa to myself, no dogs to share it with - ha!'
 
Molly cat in her usual chair in the conservatory. Ginger, where are you? We'll get a photo of her for the next entry!

1 comment:

Monty Dog said...

Hello! We are still watching your blog! Glad you had a good walk Brian and got back to do Jackie's tea after her 'big drive'. It was lovely to catch up Thursday and Sundaynd we look forward to doing something on 18th. Enjoy the posh den and all the cats. Speak soon. Xxx

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