Music at Prideaux Place

On the last Friday of my holiday we spent the day doing a little shopping. St. Eval candle shop wasn't too far away and they sell their candles at half the price you can find them anywhere else. Plus they last for ages! We also found a nice farm shop with a great cafe (though the shop was crazily overpriced) and the usual craft fair was on in Padstow so I started my Christmas shopping. (Not kidding - got my first present sorted).

Dad has been getting up stupidly early and going for an early morning run, sometimes before sunrise. He makes the rest of us look lazy but there is no way we are crazy enough to get up that early when we don't have too so he's on his own. On one of his runs, he found a beautiful field full of wild flowers, and took mom and I to see it. It was quite amazing.

On the Friday evening, we went to Music in the Park at Prideaux Place, a beautiful house only 5 mins drive from the caravan. They do an outdoor concert every year to raise money for the NSPCC. This is the first time mom and dad have been down there for it so were very excited. We took a picnic of grilled chicken, cheeses, salad, garlic bread and wine (plus some cider for dad who was driving), and strawberries and clotted creams, and chocolates for desert. We thought we were well prepared with our picnic and blanket. But some others put us to shame. They had chairs and tables and tents! 

I also found out that some wines may contain milk. I have yet to figure out how how but it says it on the bottle. 

The concert had 3 bands, an Irish style trio, a band with a brass section and a fantastic female singer, and an Elton John tribute act.

View over the crowd at sunset. 

Dancing - all older women

We had a great time though we did wish we had chairs - we all had numb bums by the end. And should have taken blankets as we were getting a little chilling towards the end. We ended up back at the caravan with a G&T, so great end to a lovely day.

Hampton Christmas Fair

Sunday evening was Hamptons Christmas fair. They closed off some of the main roads and most of the shops had a small stall outside. The best was the Santa Train. Though I could not find Santa!

Santa Train

Nativity.

Entertainment

Not a clue

Snow machine!

More music

The Reservoir Dads.

Children's choir

Raffle

Too cute.

Teddy pile.

Chocolate shoes!!!!

Floyd jamboree

The past week has been crazy. My travel plans changed when I got the new job contract and I am now leaving the US two weeks earlier than planned. Which means I only have one week left to sort everything out. So crazy stressful. I have managed to sell nearly everything and early Friday morning finally got everything inventoried and the paperwork (excessive amounts of paperwork!!!) sent and shipping sorted. 

My apartment is a mess. (And actually now looks even worse as I have sold even more furniture so there is more on the floor!)

Chaos!!!!!

However the YMCA must love me. They got a ton of stuff and I still have more! It all has to go.

1/4 of the YMCA donations. 

 So Friday, after finally getting the shipping sorted, I took a bit of time off to chill out and watched some of Game of Thrones (playing season 5 catch-up). And on the evening I meet up with Steve. He was teaching in Floyd for a few hours in the evening, so I tagged along. We headed out early and went to get BBQ. We have been hearing about this place and it did not disappoint. It was only a truck stop really but the food was so good.

True south BBQ

With Beans, Sweet potato fries and the required sweet tea!

It was a bit uncomfortable as there were a group of guys standing by the truck near where we were eating, showing off their guns to each other. It was a true complete American experience. :-/

We had a bit of time before Steve's class so we grabbed a glass of wine, true southern style.

In the mason jar.

As Steve had to teach, I amused myself at the Floyd Country Store where they have a Jamboree every Friday night. The first band was gospel. The music was very pretty but I'm not really into religious music or gospel. 

Gospel

It was standing room only which was actually great as I found a stop near an AirCon vent. As it was so hot in there, it might have been the best spot!

Enthralled. 

I chatted the the couple in front of me who were lovely. And when they found a seat, they snagged me one too. :-)

The country is still a store, with the front section selling all sorts of interesting foods and cute signs.

The store

The second band were more to my taste, with some great mountain music. And at this point the dance floor was packed. I am not really sure about the dancing. It was, for amateurs, hopping from one foot to the other, and for the more advanced, doing the same with a few tap shuffle steps throw in. I decided to just photo it and not join in .

Second band.

Dancing

Having a great time.

Fiddle on fire.

Waltzing.

I chatted to lot of people and just lost out for the free cap for the the furthest travel to someone from Norway. :-( But the people were all so lovely and the music was fun. 

It was a good way to spend my last Friday night in the US. (This time next week I will be home!) I am hoping to weather improves before I leave. With the UK in a heat wave, it really doesn't seem fair we are having heavy rain! 

Fork and Cork 2015

I have attempted to go to Fork an Cork, a food and wine festival in Blacksburg, for a few years. Finally managed it this weekend. And to get wine. (I went a few years ago and never actually got any wine, the queues were that bad.)

I went over to Cait's first for mimosas and cake and we got the festival for opening time. It still took us a while to get in even though we already had tickets.

Start of the fun

This year it was over near the Corporate Research Centre on a grassy area which was great for still out in the sun. And we had packed a blanket for exactly that purpose. There were about 20 wineries and 5-6 places selling food (so more of a focus on the cork than the fork).

Filling up

Cait and I hit a few wineries for tasting before meeting up with her friends by the stage. They had music and later on some belly dancing. 

Chilling with the music

Belly dancers

The weather does look too great from these photos but it was sunny in parts. So much so I got a bit burnt. Oops!

As with every other year, they sold too many tickets for the number of vineyards, so the queues were insane. Still we had a bottle while we waited and gave us some time for photos.

Posing with Deb

Cait, Deb and me.

I don't have many photos as I forgot my camera battery so only had my photo and after the first bottle, well let's just say it was forgotten.
We got some food to add to the stuff we had smuggled in (no one bothered to check our bags) though it took ages and we ended up chatting to a couple a guys who knew us from the physics department. D'oh! And awkward when they ask what we think about other people in out department.
We sort of stumbled back to Cait's for tea and more cake before her husband thankfully dropped me home.
I'll admit I did not have the best night when I got home. Too much sun (though it was great to be warm) and too much wine (especially when I haven't had anything to drink in a while). And the joy of day drinking is you have fun, sober up and deal with the hangover all on one day. Which is good considering I have been working on a project which requires the use of a Stanley knife. :-) 

Markets and music

It's been another dull few weeks with just lots of work. However I did go out to a house concert Friday night which was fun. Here are a few pictures from the night.

Ginger Lane community hall.

With audience.

And the Monkey house monkey in the background!

Saturday I went with Cait to the markets in Roanoke. But I was so busy buying tasty fun things I forgot to take any photos.  Oops! After she dropped me down South Main and I brought some new running shoes. (I have been putting it off as they are not cheap but it was time!) After that I hung around in coffee shops for a while before meeting a friend at the new Lebanese restaurant which opened a month ago. It was ok but not as good as I am used too. Still by Blacksburg standards, pretty damn good! Though we were both expecting a little more upscale (like with actual plates!). It was a fun day, topped off up a few glasses of wine at my favorite bar.