tuesday 29th September.

From boot sales to charity shops, we know where to shop we do!! Harrogate today to browse the charity shops and meet up with Veronica. Veronica lived close to me when we were children so I have known her longer than any other friend, all our lives. After living all of her life in Baildon she moved to a flat in Harrogate a couple of years ago. We had a long chatty lunch and a wander round the shops before taking Veronica back to her flat. Christine has a bad knee at the moment so she wasn't able to climg the 3 flights of stairs so I went up just for a quick look. Although Veronica is not keen on living in a flat it does have a very nice view of the Stray but of course after having her own garden for so long it is not the same.

Wednesday 30th September.

More charity shops - Ilkley this time! Christine and I had a good time browsing the upmarket charity shops in the town and I just bought a rather nice blouse. We had lunch there and then back "home".

Thursday 1st October.

In the morning we all walked into the village. David went off and Christine and I had a coffee and a cake before going to the library to use the computer there. David re-joined us and we walked back home. In the afternoon we finally went to see Max and Beryl. Beryl is just beginning to feel better after being quite ill for a week. The weather was nice and we were able to sit out in the garden with a cup of tea and have a long chat. Such a shame that last weekends plans were cancelled due to Beryl's illness.
On Thursday evening I was able to achieve the ambition of a lifetime! Christine had mentioned that their son, Mark, had bought a Burmese Python a couple of years ago. I have always wanted to handle such a beast so immediately asked if I could visit him. The snake, name of Dutch, is "lodging" at the moment at Mark's friends in Idle as Mark and family are moving house. We got there at 7pm and I was so excited!! Mark said that I had better sit down as Dutch is quite heavy, when Mark appeared with him I was awestruck. He is a wonderful colour as he is an albino and quite some size. Mark draped him around me and he seemed quite content to lie still and let me stroke him. What an experience, never to be forgotten, one of the highlights of my life!!!!!!!!

Friday 2nd October.

Christine went to her friend's mothers funeral in the morning and David went to do the supermarket shop. I walked down to the village to meet my cousin Margaret who came over from Rathmell. We went over to the Cow and Calf on Ilkley moor and met up with her brother Peter and his wife Jean for lunch. We had a lot to talk about. Since I last met them, their mother my Auntie Jean has died and also Margaret's husband Ron. Although we are not very good at keeping in touch we always get on well when we do meet up. It was really good to see them again. We left about 3pm and Margaret dropped me in Ilkley where I bought some postcards and Christine picked me up. In the evening Christine and I went to Websters again, at my request, as I wanted another fish and chip supper! Making hay while the sun shines!!

Saturday 3rd October.

What a day. Strong wind and heavy rain. Not a day for David to be golfing! We decided to go to Sainsbury's at Keigthly as I had been borrowing a housecoat of Christine's and hoped that they still may have some in stock. Sadly no housecoat but they did have a clothing sale on and I was tempted to buy a few items! On the way back we stopped off at the butchers, in Micklethwaite, and bought one of their amazing pork pies for lunch. In the afternoon Christine and I went to the flower festival in Baildon Parish Church. So many memories. We were both married there and I took confirmation classes and was confirmed there. The flowers were beautiful and afterwards we went into the Parochial Hall for a cup of coffee and a meringue for which I was charged the exorbitant price of £2.50 each! Hope the proceeds are going to a worthy cause! Back "home" where we relaxed for the rest of the day with the papers and TV. Well, I relaxed and David and Christine prepared yet another wonderful meal!

Sundasy 4th October -Tuesday 6th October.

Sunday is the day that I leave Christine and David and get delivered, like a parcel, to Sue and Peter! I felt a bit sad to be leaving Christine and David, they are such good friends and they have looked after me so well. I managed to cram everything, even the books, into my suitcase and it still weighed it at under 20 kilos. We left about 11 and drove to Holmfirth where we met up with Sue and Peter and had a good gossip over lunch. I was at school with Sue so our friendship dates back to 1954 - over 50 years!
We left Holmfirth about 2.30 and drove over Holme Moss and on to Kettleshulme where we had a welcome cuppa and a relax in their very comfortable conservatory. Sue made a lovely meal and afterwards we watched some TV before going off to bed.
We had a lovely day on Monday. They drove me up to Bowstones, high in the Peak Districe, with a splendid view one way of the Peaks and in the other direction of Manchester and the Welsh mountains in the distance. Then we went on to Lyme Hall which was the setting for Pemberley in the TV adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. We had a coffee before setting off for a walk in the Deer Park. The Park is woodland and moorland and very beautiful. We walked for about an hour and met many dog walkers, wished we had had Rambo with us! Back to the Hall and a quick look around the beautifully landscaped gardens before going to have a look at the Macclesfield canal. Seeing the canal brought back memories of our times on the canal back in the '70's. Fortunately there was a pub nearby and we sat out in the sun and I enjoyed a welcome pint of good bitter!
Back to Sue and Peters for a late lunch and a catch up with the papers and crosswords. Lots of chatting! So good to catch up with old friends.
Early start on Tuesday as they were taking me to Manchester airport where I was to catch the coach to Liverpool airport at 7.30am.
The journey back went well and Nigel picked me up at the train station at 7pm. So good to be back home!!

New Sofa.

I finally managed to drag N out,to go sofa hunting! I have never had a new sofa and now that we have moved our sitting room into what we were using as the dining room I decided that now was the time to have one. En route he gave me a talk about bargaining, not my best attribute. The first 2 places we went were very upmarket and far too expensive. Next stop prices were within our budget but only one sofa tempted us, comfortable, right size, right colour but awful covering. I found it surprising how many sofas were not at all comfortable. Last hope was Conforama, big chain of furniture shops. Didn't hold out much hope but Hallelujah we found it! Much trying out of and much chat with amused guy who was hoping to sell it to us. Finally said that we would buy it and he went off to see if they had it in stock. When he came back he said that it was the last one so I immediately asked if there was a discount, with no prompting from N. There was a matching chair, he asked if we wanted that and I said no.Well, to be honest I woukd have liked it but that and the sofa were too expensive. Off he went and came back, he offered just 40 euros off the sofa but said if we took the chair as well he would give us 20% off the pair. Well, we certainly have room for a chair as well so we did the deal. Delivery charges are expensive but they hire out vans for 20 euros an hour so I asked if we could have free van hire as well to which he agreed.

I felt very proud of myself!! So we got it home straight away, 2 neighbours unloaded it for us and I am now able to sit in luxury! Added bonus: the sofa is a three seater and 2 positions havc reclining mechanism and footrest as does the chair. I'm in heaven!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!