7th April 2014

On the 7th of March, Sue and I ventured to Harborough Cinema Club to watch ‘Captain Phillips’. What a gripping story! Based on true events, and for once, the good guys actually came out on top!

Later that week, Jamie returned home bronzed and miraculously still in one piece from his snowboarding adventure in Andorra. Though we’d taken good care of his pet gerbil while he was away, the poor thing’s tiny heart just couldn’t handle the excitement of Jamie’s return. The very next night, it scurried off to rodent heaven, joining its late mate, who coincidentally passed away the last time Jamie hit the slopes. I conducted a small ceremony, burying the dear departed under the apple tree, right beside its partner. A touching tribute… and, as it happened, the first lawn-mowing of 2014.

Thanks to our mild and soggy winter, the garden had practically exploded with life. Inspired, I decided it was time to dig over the allotment. The day after the gerbil’s funeral, with spade still in hand, I thought, “Why not?” and got cracking on the vegetable patch. In went the first rows of potatoes, followed by broad beans, onions, carrots, turnips, peas, fennel, spinach, and radishes, all hoping to make a grand entrance. Fingers crossed we dodge any frost; I’m expecting big things from this lot!

March 15th saw our first BBQ of the year. England was taking on Italy in the rugby, so I invited a few friends over to mark the occasion. The sun was shining, and with burgers, sausages, potato salad, and coleslaw on hand, washed down by various “hydrating” ales, we watched England hand the Italians a spectacular drubbing. Good food, good company, and a solid win, a day well spent!

The following week, Sue and I packed our bags and headed to Wolverhampton. On the way, we stopped in Aldridge to visit Sue’s old college friend, Jean. Her husband, who was my best mate during those student days, was still at work; he’s planning to retire later this year. After an hour of reminiscing, we continued to the hotel and parked conveniently in the British Rail car park across the way.

After checking in and a quick nosy around the place, we decided to stretch our legs along the High Street. Right next door was the Grand Theatre, featuring an opera of all things, ‘Paul Bunyan’. Now, we weren’t exactly opera aficionados, but in a fit of spontaneity, we booked a couple of concession tickets. Continuing our stroll, we peeked into the Cathedral (locked, sadly), browsed a charmingly quirky furniture shop, and even popped into the Wolves shop for Sue to relive some old memories of cheering on the team with her sister, Philippa. We completed our day with an early dinner at the hotel, pleasantly exhausted but feeling quite cultural indeed.

After a pleasant dinner, washed down with a bottle of rosé and enjoyed in the company of two coachloads of holidaymakers from Devon and Cornwall (Sue and I couldn’t quite fathom why anyone from such scenic parts would choose to spend a week in Wolverhampton), we strolled next door to take in our very first opera. Paul Bunyan was being performed by the English Touring Opera Company. Now, I believe it holds the title for “least performed opera” in the repertoire, and, well… I think I understand why.

The opera centres on Paul Bunyan, a legendary Canadian lumberjack, so mythical that his role was performed by a ladder-wearing a hat, patriotically draped in the Stars and Stripes. That’s right, our leading man was essentially a well-dressed piece of scaffolding! The theatre was about half-full, and we found ourselves in the front row, so any hopes of a discreet exit were dashed.

Still, the experience turned out to be rather charming. Though the tunes were, shall we say, forgettable, and the dancing a tad… unorthodox, we found the intermission cider and ice cream thoroughly enjoyable. All in all, it was a pleasant, if baffling, introduction to opera.

Returning to our room that evening, we were greeted by a rather overpowering musty smell. A quick investigation revealed that the radiator was leaking, and the carpet underneath had transformed into something resembling a paddy field. I alerted reception, but given the throngs of Cornish holidaymakers swarming the West Midlands, they could only offer us two single rooms for the night. Since Sue frets when I’m not within arm’s reach, I opted to grab a clothes peg for my nose, and we decided to stick it out. Despite the open window and the radiator firmly switched off, we ended up having a surprisingly peaceful night.

The next morning, we enjoyed breakfast alongside a room full of West Country wrinklies before checking out and setting off to Baggeridge Country Park. I had mapped out a delightful circular route on my GPS that would take us through Himley and back. And what a day it was! Clear blue skies, a warm breeze, and two well-earned stops for hot chocolate and ice cream (yes, they balance each other out, I’m sure). The route was filled with sights to admire, from lovely views to interesting flora and fauna. We kept pausing to marvel at everything, turning the walk into a leisurely adventure. A definite must for a return visit if we’re ever back in the area.

  The next day, I took Nan to Leicester for her annual eye check-up at the Royal Hospital. All was well, though parking was a nightmare; after circling like vultures, I finally resorted to “creating” my own spot in the Leicester Tigers car park. Next year, I think we’ll take the train.

Saturday night saw Sue and me at Harborough Theatre for a performance of ‘The Penelopiad’, a unique take on the siege of Troy from the perspective of Penelope, Odysseus’s long-suffering wife. The play was performed by a cast of 11 women, and I must say, it was superb. The singing and dancing put last week’s “professional” opera to shame!

The following Tuesday, Sue drove to Rothwell to look after Lucas and Ellis while Charlotte and Suraj attended a parents’ meeting. Meanwhile, I accompanied Nan to her diabetes review. The nurse wasn’t impressed with Nan’s sugar intake, increasing her tablets and giving her a stern talking-to. Naturally, I “confiscated” her stash of sweets and cakes when we got back, though I expect she’ll have her hidden reserves!

The day after, Sue and I headed to Great Yarmouth for a three-day seaside escape. The journey there was chilly but dry, and we checked into a delightful hotel right on the seafront next to the pier. Described as “shabby-chic,” it turned out to be bright, cheerful, and full of character. The hosts were lovely, and after settling in, we wandered along the promenade to take in the sights, ending up at the market and admiring some charming old fishermen’s cottages. We eventually found ourselves in a tiny café, once home to Anna Sewell, the author of ‘Black Beauty’, where we enjoyed a steaming hot chocolate.

That evening, we went to Yarmouth Stadium for some greyhound racing, a proper night out! Despite being fully booked, they managed to squeeze us into the restaurant, where we had a great meal. Sue had a winning streak, bagging three victories, while I, foolishly aiming for glory with long odds, walked away empty-handed. Returning to the car, we discovered our first frost since winter 2013, and I had to scrape the windscreen, nostalgic, if a bit nippy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Breakfast the next morning was, as TripAdvisor promised, wonderful! I won’t spoil the surprise, but if you’re curious, I’d suggest booking a room and discovering it for yourself.

After our hearty breakfast, we set off on a route I’d carefully plotted into my GPS, starting from the hotel. We meandered through the town centre, found the river, and followed its course to the Roman Fort at Burgh Castle. It was a breezy, chilly day, and apart from one lone walker, we had the whole trail to ourselves. The views across the river and marshlands were spectacular, with Sue in her element spotting the local birdlife, and, naturally, indulging in her passion for reading every available information board.

Just as we reached Burgh Castle, the rain decided to join us. Our exploration of the ancient site was cut short, but we did find shelter in the quaint little village church, which had a lovely charm of its own. Suitably dressed in wet gear, we began the trek back to Yarmouth. By the end, the GPS cheerily informed us that we’d covered just over 11 miles, five of which were in the rain. Not bad for a day’s adventure, though we were more than ready for a warm drink by the time we got back!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After a quick change at the hotel, we did something positively bold: we walked (yes, walked!) the entire length of the promenade to Harry Ramsden’s Fish and Chip Shop. By now, it was a blustery late afternoon, and we were among only three couples braving the weather. As expected, the fish and chips hit the spot, and with a pint of local ale under our belts, we felt ready to tackle whatever the East Coast had to throw at us.

The trek back to the hotel was another brisk one, but we soon turned around and took the more sensible, short stroll to the cinema across the road to watch ‘A Long Way Down’ with Pierce Brosnan. The film was… well, let’s just say it’s not making it onto my recommended list, but the seats were comfortable! When we left, a howling gale and lashing rain greeted us; we dashed across the road, barely making it to the safety of a bar before we might have been washed down the street.

The next morning’s breakfast was, once again, superb. Fueled and ready, we drove to Bure Park for another GPS-plotted walk. The weather had kindly brightened, giving us clear skies and sunshine. Our route traced the scenic River Bure and ventured inland, forming a lovely 7-mile loop that, thankfully, was much less exhausting than the previous day’s damp adventure.

Ever the treasure hunters, we’d mapped out some geocaches along the way. Our first attempt was a miss, but we struck gold (well, figuratively) on our second near an old WWII gun emplacement by the river. A couple more searches in the undergrowth yielded no treasures, so we decided to let the caches come to us, as time was moving on. Towards the end of the walk, Sue triumphantly found two caches in a row, sending us home with grins and a sense of victory.

 

 

 

 

 

Afterwards, we made our way back to Harborough, quite satisfied with our coastal escape and a few geocache “trophies” in tow.

The next day turned out to be an unexpectedly toasty Saturday, so naturally, another rugby BBQ was in order, with the Tigers taking on Saints on the big screen in the lounge. Once again, burgers and sausages were polished off with appropriate brews, and the rugby gods smiled upon us with another win for the good guys.

Mothering Sunday saw Sue, Nan, and me at the Wheel and Compass in Weston by Welland for a leisurely lunch. The Rothwells joined us for the afternoon, and Jamie made a late evening appearance, capping off a lovely family day.

As March rolled into April, Sue and I decided to treat ourselves to a couple of days away at Rutland Water, staying at the charming Normanton Hotel on the lake’s south shore. Normally, the views over the lake are spectacular, but our timing was impeccable: the skies were murky, the whole country blanketed by a haze of Saharan dust blown in from Africa. It was all rather apocalyptic, with the sun barely making an appearance, but we soldiered on.

Our first day took us on a chilly, 9-mile hike from the lake, winding into the countryside and through Empingham before looping back. While the sun struggled to break through, it only managed it for the final stretch, just enough to tease us with the gorgeous views we’d mostly missed! That evening, we treated ourselves to a superb meal at the hotel, and then spent a cosy evening in the bar with the other guests. Sue was engrossed in a book about a local Farndon character who, coincidentally, had taught me to fly, while I kicked back and watched Chelsea take on Bayern on Sky TV.

 

 

 

 

 

For this trip, I’d brought along our bikes, neatly mounted on the car, so after a hearty breakfast, I unhooked them, and we set off to circle the lake despite the lingering haze from the dust storm. Our first stop was Edith Weston Bird Sanctuary. Sue, who’d been following their Osprey cam online for weeks, was thrilled to see the nesting site in person. After a thorough chat with the guide, reading all the notice boards, and a good look through the binoculars, we set off again.

The next leg took us to the RSPB Centre near Egleton, where I indulged in ice cream and enjoyed watching the birds on the water from inside. Meanwhile, Sue was busy soaking up every word on the notice boards and browsing the shop.

We continued along the north shore, but by then, I could see that Sue was starting to tire. Our pace slowed, with a few well-placed benches offering quick rests. Eventually, we made it to the Dam, snapped a couple of photos, and completed our circuit back at the hotel. With our adventure complete, I re-mounted the bikes onto the car, and we headed back to Harborough, feeling thoroughly content with our trip.

 

 

 

 

 

Friday saw the usual Curry Night, attended by all except Sarah who was still at University. Afterwards, Sue and Charlotte broke tradition by going to Harborough Theatre to see ‘Philomena’.

On Saturday, I attended the annual “Past Players” luncheon at the club with Paul Bissell and Jim Hankers. It was great seeing familiar faces and reliving memories through the displays of photos from old games and tours. Afterwards, we enjoyed watching the 1st team secure a win against BBOB’s and then cheered on the Colts, who triumphed over Pocklington in the National Colts Plate semi-final. Sadly, the Tigers couldn’t quite edge out Clermont in their game on TV, but with all the camaraderie and wins on the pitch, it was still a fantastic day.

Family News: Jamie returned from Andorra in one piece (despite the après-ski) and is now well and truly shackled to his new role as Manager. He’s office-bound for good, up to his elbows in planning for a new warehouse in Sutton Basset. To reward himself for all this responsibility, he’s organised a lads’ weekend in Mablethorpe for his birthday, not a glamorous choice, but each to their own!

Meanwhile, Sarah has finished her final assignments and research, and revision is in full swing for her last exams. She and Lee dropped in for a quick visit, fresh from the Harry Potter Exhibition, which clearly put a spell on her; she only went and won a bet on the Grand National! It’s safe to say she’s juggling books and betting slips with equal success.

Charlotte, like me, has been busy in the garden and allotment. She has started a new venture with a friend called Roots and Boots Gardening Services. It is a lovely idea, click on the link to see.