Afternoon tea

As a surprise, Dad got me and Mom a voucher for afternoon tea at the Himley Hall Country Club.  We went yesterday afternoon after a quick trip to Halfpenny Green Vineyard for some wines, some of which I am going to try to bring back to the states.

Halfpenny Green wine selection 

The sandwiches and cakes were very nice and mom assures me the scones were also lovely. The hotel is a little dated but the tea room was nice and the music was all from James Bond which was perfect for the surroundings.

Our cake and sandwich selection

Mom enjoying her scone

We drank so much tea. It was even too much for me! And we got to sit in the sun. So a very nice afternoon. Very civilized and very British. :-)

Katherine's wedding

The main reason for coming home this February was to go to Katherine and Philips wedding which was this weekend at the Farrington Lodge in Leyland, near Preston. We traveled up on Friday afternoon and were going to go to Coco's in Preston for dinner but the GPS was having a few issues and we had a hard enough time finding the hotel. Once we were there, we decided it was safer not to leave!
The wedding was lovely. Katherine looked amazing and so happy. And we were really lucky with the weather. It was cold (we were freezing standing outside waiting for the photos) but at least it didn't rain!

Officially married

With the parents

Me and Katherine

The dinner was very nice. I have never seen such big Yorkshire puddings!

Tricia and Alan

Enormous Yorkshire pudding

It was great to catch up with everyone from dancing, where I meet them and Katherine originally. It can be hard to keep in touch when I am thousands of miles away and we all have such busy lives. But it was a great day. The disco was fun, which I expected given the number of dancers there!

Cutting the cake

First dance

Dancing with Grandma

Father-Daughter dance

Line dancing was bound to happen at some point.

We didn't have any of the evening buffet as we were still full from the dinner! But there was a ferris wheel with pick 'N'mix which was great fun.

Pick 'N' Mix ferris wheel

It was a great day and every one had such a good time. Katherine never stopped smiling! :-)

On Sunday we had a lazy morning and lunch at the Ribble Pilot (which is on the docks in Preston; we used to go to on a regular basis when I lived there), before going to see Katherine's new house. Her and Philip decided to have a party on the Sunday afternoon so the party didn't have to stop! The house was lovely and huge! We didn't stay long as we had to drive back. The drive back was not fun as it took about twice the usual time but it was worth it. It was a great weekend and worth the spending christmas in the US.

Old pictures

I have been going through boxes of old photos while I have been at home, sorting them out and scanning a lot in so we have digital copies. There are some really nice ones, though I have decided that any of me as a teenager really don't need to be saved or shown to anyone. Ever. But the ones of me and my sister as kids are fun.

Kerry and me in the back garden.

Giggles!

I look like an alien!

I was such a poser!

My parents started my education at an early age.

Posing again.

Sisters

She is still bossy.

 We both like dressing up apparently. A lot.

When you can't decide what to wear ... wear everything!

Ready for a motor bike ride!

I love the ones of mom and dad when they were younger.

Dad

Mom

Few years ago

The best find was a bunch of very old black and white snap shots of both mom and dads families. I am still trying to find out who some of the people are.

Mom and Dad on their first holiday together with moms family.

My mom (14/15 yrs old) and her mom.

My dad (left) Nan (Dads mom) and uncle (right)

I have hundreds now and they are lots of fun looking through.

Christmas Dinner

Because I didn't get a proper Christmas dinner, mom made me a full Christmas dinner on Sunday night. It was great! Plus Kerry and Oz brought along Mikey who they baby-sit for once a week.  He was such a poser for the camera.

Enjoying his melon

Christmas pudding

Giggles

Chilling

I spent today shopping. Again. I might be needing a second suitcase to take back at this rate. :-/

Birthday celebrations.

When I got up Friday morning, I found these waiting for me downstairs from my dad. :-)

Beautiful birthday flowers!

I spent the day working and watching the ice hockey and skeleton (crazy sport!) at the winter Olympics. On the evening, Kerry and Oz came round for a meal. Mom cooked duck with orange and sherry sauce which was lovely. And we had a really nice bottle of french wine I had brought back from the US. (The one we opened after this had gone off and was serious nasty!)

Birthday wine

Tucking into dinner

 For desert, Mom made me a lovely chocolate cake (which didn't last long enough for photos) and I also got some very nice cupcakes from Sarah for my birthday. :-)

Birthday cupcakes

29 years ago ….

While I have been at home, mom and dad have been sorting the attic and found some boxes of old photos jumbled up. So one of the things I have doing is going through the photos. Some are brilliant. I found a group taken 29 years ago in the hospital when I was born.

Nana holding me in the hospital

Me and Mom

Dad holding me. (Not for the first time as he isn't in his motor bike gear!)

I was so tiny!

Blists Hill

On Sunday, we didn't get out until midday as we were once again being lazy. The weather was supposed to be hit and miss so we went to Blists Hill where we could get indoors quickly if needed. Blists Hill is a Victorian town near the Iron Bridge Gorge. I have been there when I was younger but I don't remember a much of it.

Matt and Clare

 At the start there is a bank where you can change modern money into Victorian money. All the shops accept the money and have their prices in new and old currency. The conversion is:
1 farthing (1/4 pence) = 10p
1d = 1 penny = 40p
sixpence = 1.20 modern pounds
1 shilling = 12d = 4.80 modern pounds
1 crown = 5 shillings = 24 modern pounds
1 sovereign = 1 pound = 96 modern pounds

10 pounds of old money

 We went into a lot of the shops (often to escape rain).

Bike shop

Brushes anyone?

Enormous container of golden syrup!

Grocery store

Rocking horse

Victorian Doctors office

In the candle markers.

We didn't get chance to check out the pub. Though their advertising was interesting.

Arsenic in your beer?

Lunch was at the fish and chip shop. I could only eat the chips but they were very good. They are cooked the old fashion way, in beef dripping which sounds gross (and not for vegetarians) but they were really nice though I doubt they were very healthy.

Fish and chips.

 We also HAD to go to the sweet shop. It isn't as good as Teddy Grays in Bewdley (which I am planning on visiting before I leave). It was opened by my great-great-Uncle though no longer in the family. :-( Still we all got a few bags from Blists Hill. Aniseed balls, mint imperials, Kali, and fruit pips! Yummy!

Sweet shop.

There are some Victorian houses which were interesting. The proper house was nice but had one of the creepiest picture I have ever seen on the wall. The squatters cottage had 2 small rooms and there were 9 people registered as living there! I couldn't do it!

Proper house

Creepy Queen Vic.

Bedroom in the squatter cottage.

This completely freaked Matt out!

Also to escape rain, we went on the train into the clay mine. It was a little odd as the acting on the film was awful. But got us out of the rain for a while.

Matt and El on the train

Clare looking cold 

Heading into the clay mine

 We had to stop at the tea rooms for a cuppa before we left, mostly to warm up a bit.

Matt pouring the tea and not looking impressed.

And I got to take a few artistic photos! :-)

I recommend Blists Hill for anyone in the area, young or old. There wasn't as much on as normal due to the time of year and weather but it was still fun.

Back at Matt and Els, I got my birthday cake!

I couldn't eat it but it was a lovely thought. I brought a piece of GF cake from Bridgnorth the day before which I had while they eat my birthday cake. They said it was horrible but I somehow don't believe them! :-)

We spent the rest of the evening making fajitas and playing Uno.