'What I did this summer' Part 2

You've seen my the pictures of my trip with my daughter to

Blackwell, the Arts & Crafts House

here are few more

It was a sublime house, with all its original features, which is very rare.

The only house of its kind in such complete in the UK.

My son and I took two trains and a tube down to Kent. Yes my friend,

Mr BS5 it was a Pendolino and only 3hrs 23 mins, Carlisle to London Euston

We stopped off and went on a must do visit to the Oxford Street Apple shop and Borders Books, but with my Mary Poppins' handbag and a large carpet bag full of travel 'must haves', I got very hot and bothered and didn;t venture any further.

We managed, just down through Regent Street to

Leicester Square,

through to Trafalgar Sqaure.

The National Gallery- one of my favourite places to visit

Tall boy had not done Londons touristy scene before

so this whistle stop tour, took in a few of the London sights for sore eyes!

a humungus pidgeon on the People's Plinth

a view through Corinthian pillars

.. a few hours later, we continued down to the Kent coast and to the Bay.

We spent a few days with my parents and were then collected

by Larry who took us to Bluewater to SHOP!!

It is the best shopping centre by far in the UK I've ever been to.

Of course I look for photo opportunities wherever I am

and completely, well almost, forgot about the shops!

the ceiling at Bluewater

I have also been pampered in the spa,

all fluffed up with a Birthday gift of a facial,

pedicured & manicured. Thank you Larry.

I have been to the cinema to see, The Ugly Truth & also The Proposal which were both funny & shallow & easy chillout entertainment. I also saw The Time Traveller's Wife, all by myself, because no one else was free and I wanted to go, so I just did! True to the book's plot line, but rejigged to best explain the premise or chance people walking out before it making any sense. In the book I was confused to the half way point until it caught up with itself. Like the adaptation of Ian McEwan's Atonement it lacks the length of a book and so lacks anticipation, excitement and so empathy with the characters wasn't entirely there for me. Although I admit it still 'got to me' twice. Read the books for the full experience!

I have managed only to read three books and I am only sorry I have not painted nor sketched. But I have taken lots of photographs and so a few are here

more at my redBubble page.

I met up with two blog pals who were passing through Cumbria on their way home from Scotland and we spent a delightful few hours in a local pub The Kings Head (the oldest pub in Carlisle) chatting and laughing a whole lot.

I can tell you a little about them; they both live in the same 'greenist' uk city, one is a keen cook, bird?watcher and train spotter/traveller who must have a head for heights and who enjoys sharing pizza and a glass of wine whilst perched upon his wall with friends or family. The other blogger I met is a brave suburban super mum by day who morphs into spiderman's gal on her rare child free days out. Her blog is raw, real, intelligent and she is often hilariously funny! Do you think you know these bloggers?

Back to the old work/school routine tomorrow.....

and here's the first part.

'What I did this summer' Part 1

We're off...

for a few days, my tall boy and me!

Off to visit with Moannie and JP in Kent,

to park my rather humungus backside on their couch,

drink in some sunshine,

apparently they haven't had 3 weeks of rain.

To replenish the batteries.

Big girl and Larry are staying home.

So (BS5) at 7.45 am we'll be on this....

so I might be pretending to read this....

but probably doing this...

see y'all soon....

In through the back door?

This door, can you see it?

Is hidden in the stage backdrop of this outdoor cafe

A closeup Mr De Ville?

For earlier posts in this series, check out The Doors Archive.

Another home, another time - Photostory Friday

Visit MamaGeek and Cecily, creators of Photo Story Friday.

 Whilst I am in Kent, walking Milou with Mum

we always pass this quaint looking thatched cottage

it stands guard on a cliff top

it overlooks the sea

in another time it was  my parents' home

one of many homes I have to say

and I believe it to be a very favoured home

I was already long gone 

and married when they lived here

but I do remember Christmases, a 25th Wedding Anniversary,

lounging in the summer sun in the pretty garden, 

listening to the tennis fortnight whilst devouring spicy chicken wings

and many, many meals shared around the refectory table

Mum walks past it everyday

it cannot be more than 150 yards from where they live today

when they first lived in the village in the 1980's

they also ran the local fish and chip shop for a time

(one of their many incarnations)

 they made fab fish suppers

 the cottage had a compulsory purchase order upon it

 as it was in grave danger of falling into the sea

-it is 25 feet away from the cliff edge-

since then the coast line there has been reinforced

and it may be there for many more years...

a solitary naked tree in front garden, 

Mum will have to tell you what type it is

the view from the home front

The cliff path passes by the wood fence and hedge boundary

on a clear day Reculver Towers are visible in the distance

Happy days!!

Me, Dad, Mum & Sis 1985

Cliff Cottage

Visit MamaGeek and Cecily, creators of Photo Story Friday.

Home stay

Yesterday I drove home from Kent. Back up through the spine of England. In the pouring rain. In Kent the weather had been wonderful.   Sunshine and blue skies beside the sea. 

The fresh sea air was refreshing and cleansing. 

 I was replenished from the well of family. 

Much laughter and talk fed me from the deep waters that is  the cradle of my parents home. 

Day one - We didn't stray too far. We ratched around some charity shops in town. 

Then drank in the seafront promenade and a pot of tea within the renovated Bandstand. 

As we sat and drank in the tea and sunshine. 

Our minds were no doubt awash with our own youthful memories. 

Spent dancing and romancing along this promenade. Thirty years apart.

(Some of the images are clickable to enlarge)

The seafront Bandstand

Room with a View

Inspired by people watching in cafes by Merisi, 

though not quite the same

Watching me, watching you!

Day two -  We visited Ramsgate Cemetery. My grandmother is buried there. The cemetery is not well maintained nor pristine. The grass not manicured within an inch of its life, nor are the graves regularly visited or well kempt. Thus the atmosphere is magically serene and welcoming. I always enjoy my rare visits. 

A walk of Remembrance

In the shade of a fringe of leaves

a leafy arch

the domino effect?
back to nature

... all in a row...

I just love this peeking through...

I always fancy that Nana is laughing or dancing around, looking glamorous.  

Raising a perfectly pencilled eyebrow when she hears us approach 

and leaves her erstwhile friends to return a while to her resting place.

Nana at 44, oh those legs!

We decided that some retail therapy and potential heavy spending

 at TK Maxx would balance up our day.  

Though As Moannie reported HERE  we did not find much to buy.

More images of the trip to post this week. Stay tuned.

Kentish skies

I have been lucky enough to visit 

and live in many town and countries

IF you severely twisted my arm,

Kent is the probably place 

I would choose as home...

I think...

In mid December I visited with my folks in Kent.

One day on the short drive home, 

after a shopping trip I tried to capture the view from the car window... at speed!

Mum stopped the car so I might capture the thick bank of cloud dividing the sky

For other participants in Dot’s concept, go to Sky Watch HQ.

My Trip so far

Hi Guys!!!

I'm missing you already...

The drive down was fine, made great time, then hit the Dartford/Thurrock Crossing and waited half an hour to cross. Then couldn't get into the right - by which I mean left- lane and so couldn't get onto the M2 to East Kent- too many cars/lorries/trucks etc.  I had to follow the road to Maidstone. In the city centre, I couldn't see any familiar signs, so like ET I phoned home. My husband told me to follow any  Chatham signs, doh! Ive done this a dozen times and never stuffed up before.  In Chatham I found myself out side Toys R Us and I asked a man, as you do, where I should go - he was not tempted by the open line I fed him and gave me directions. I was  all set. Then I realised as it was darker, darker still, I had on my sunglasses, I then couldn't find  my new Missoni varifocal spec's, as they were missing from the dashboard. So I had either dropped them in the loo or  at Costa's at Scotch Corner 300 miles away ... Duh! Or perhaps as my car was apparently unlocked when I returned to it,  I thought I may not have locked it properly, so the guy in the car next to me...? Oh dear.

Anyway I am at my parents' home, all safe and sound and well fed as usual. So far I've enjoyed a variety of  superb fayre! 

AND... whilst checking out the loacl TK Maxx, it HAS to be done ... I popped into my mobile phone providers store and bought myself a broadband 'dongle' and now I have internet access on my laptop, away from home.  Am I sad or wot?

So you see,  I'm not really gone - but I have heard it whispered that I am long gone judging by the loss of so many objects lately! Currently I am all tucked up in cashmere layers including one pashmina following the breakdown of the central heating. We do have a blazing fire going, but it is a BIG room...

More later....

p.s. Mum says she is missing you too!

ABC WEDNESDAY - K is for ......

K is for KENT

My home county

the garden of England 

(although they took that title away recently and gave it to Yorkshire!)

It is where I spent some of my childhood

and much of my teen years.

I met my Scottish husband there 

We married and we had our children in Kent.

We left the southern county in 1996 and we now live

in the most northern county and city of north west England.

My parents  still live on the Kent coast

and I visit every few months to get my fix of Kent (and mum's cooking).

It's where I feel most comfortable in my skin,  (apart from anywhere with my kids) 

I kind of blend in, accent and all.

a hot summers afternoon view out over the east coastline  

taken from the front of my parents former thatched cottage home

a late summers evening sky out over the sea and the Eastern Promenade,

taken from the same position at the front of my parents former home

(about 400 yards from their present home)

For the home of ABC Wednesday, go to Mrs Nesbitt's Place.

http://wednesdayabc.blogspot.com/