27th April 2022

Fortunately, I tested negative for COVID-19 on 4th April and was able to attend my six-monthly dental check-up. Sue, meanwhile, continued to cough up phlegm and tire easily, though she was showing some signs of improvement. Both of us have been struggling with the chilly weather and have taken to lighting a fire each evening before heading to bed early. The persistent northerly winds have kept daytime temperatures in single figures, and I suspect the lingering effects of Covid have made us more sensitive to the cold. On 6th April, Sue and I both took another test, and this time we were relieved to see negative results. As an eerie coincidence, her sister Pip also tested negative that same day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

On 7th April, Ruth arrived late in the evening with Nala and Rocky. The following day, Jamie, Ruth, and Joey were flying to Canada for a couple of weeks, touring in a campervan between Calgary and Vancouver. As Joey is too young to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, he was required to take a PCR test online 24 hours before the flight. Had he tested positive, we wouldn’t have the pleasure of the dogs, and no doubt there would have been an insurance claim. Despite horrendous queues at all UK airports due to ongoing Covid restrictions and flight cancellations, they managed to depart on time at 12:40 hours.

With thoughts of holidays still fresh in our minds, Sue and I decided to visit Greenland and booked a cruise to the island for late June.

Charlotte reclaimed her hens from my greenhouse on the 8th of April; she must have been missing them dearly (or perhaps just their eggs). She had built a temporary coop for them at the side of the house. I imagine they’ll miss their cosy greenhouse and the company of their friendly rabbit neighbours.

Meanwhile, Jamie, Ruth, and Joey appear to be having a wonderful, albeit chilly, time in the Banff area of the Canadian Rockies. At that elevation in April, the nights remain bitterly cold, and Lake Louise is still frozen over. According to their messages on Messenger, nighttime temperatures are dropping to around -12°C, so they’ve sensibly purchased a heater for the campervan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Sunday afternoon, Sean and Jim joined me in the Garden Room to watch the Tigers beat Clermont. It was the first time the room had been used for its intended purpose: to relax and entertain, and it proved to be perfectly suited to the role.

For over a week now, the Chinese authorities have enforced a COVID-19 lockdown on Shanghai (population: 25 million). This strategy stands in stark contrast to much of the rest of the world, which appears to have moved on and accepted the reality of living with the virus and its consequences. It’s hardly surprising that unrest is beginning to stir among a population already subject to limited freedoms. I fear that clamping down on this great city may reduce the spread of Covid temporarily, but at the risk of significant civil unrest, which, like the virus itself, could spiral out of control.

Meanwhile, President Putin continues to display a complete disregard for our shared existence on this planet, threatening the world with nuclear weapons should Finland and Sweden choose to join NATO. It is self-evident to any reasonable and civilised observer why these two countries wish to align with an organisation founded solely for defensive purposes. Much of the civilised world has had enough of his lies and cruelty. With the might of the Russian army faltering in Ukraine, one wonders what he believes he will achieve by pressing a small red button, aside from the further destruction of innocent lives. It is high time the Russian people stood up, reclaimed their dignity, and brought an end to both their shame and his madness.

Easter Friday was the warmest day of the year so far, and the day I helped Lee begin laying the floor in their new kitchen. It took five hours of glueing and crawling on our knees to complete half the task. While we worked, Sarah took Alice and Mia to a nearby farm park to keep little feet and hands away from the very sticky adhesive. I returned on Easter Monday to finish the job.

On Easter Sunday, Sue and I (with Nala) joined Sarah and her family at the Rothwells’ new house for a wonderful lunch prepared by Charlotte. Suraj, Lee, and the boys conveniently avoided any culinary duties by spending the morning at the driving range at nearby Kettering Golf Club. It turned out to be another beautifully sunny day, perfect for enjoying the garden and chatting over drinks both before and after the meal. It was lovely to hear about everyone’s plans for their homes and upcoming holidays. Usually, these updates happen via video calls, so it was a real pleasure to catch up in person. It sounds like the Palmers are in for a busy summer!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jamie, Ruth, and Joey have now moved on to Whistler, where they’ve been enjoying snowboarding, snowmobiling, and even managed to attend an ice hockey game. On 19th April, they celebrated Jamie’s birthday.

With the weather having improved significantly over the past month, the family have taken every opportunity to set aside their ‘new house’ chores and throw themselves into all sorts of activities.

 

 

 

 

Jamie and his family returned from their Canadian adventure on 23rd April. Rather than heading straight home, they made a detour to Hertfordshire to collect Jamie’s new ‘weekend’ car, a white Lamborghini. From there, they travelled to Harborough to pick up Rocky and Nala. Despite Sue and I offering to look after the dogs for an extra day, they had missed them too much and were eager to be reunited as soon as possible. However, there wasn’t enough room for Maddy and Wilma, so the rabbits enjoyed one more night at Hotel Willow Bank. Ruth returned the following day to collect them, while Jamie set about building their new home back in Waltham on the Wolds.

With the family’s animals safely back with their rightful owners, Sue and I were finally free to enjoy an adventure of our own. Part of Sue’s Christmas present from me this year was the chance to spend time with one of her favourite animals, meerkats. Until now, we’d been unable to find the time, either due to family commitments or being laid low with COVID-19.

On 25th April, we set off early for Telford, stopping en route to spend a few hours at the nearby Boscobel House, a picturesque, timber-framed hunting lodge, best known as the place where King Charles II famously took refuge in 1651 after fleeing for his life following defeat at the Battle of Worcester.

He spent the night hidden in a priest hole and also took refuge in the canopy of an oak tree while Cromwell’s soldiers searched for him below. This episode is still commemorated today, with over 500 pubs across the country named The Royal Oak. The original tree is long gone, but a replacement, grown from one of its acorns, now stands in its place, and I must say, it is equally impressive.

Despite the bright sunshine, a chilly wind made standing around for too long rather unpleasant. However, by keeping on the move, we managed to visit the tree and the well-kept gardens before seeking refuge inside the warmth of this splendid historical building. We both remarked on how homely the place felt, oozing with character, as though every nook and cranny whispered a thousand stories. It was definitely worth the visit, as was our later ramble to White Ladies Priory. Though little of the structure remains, the ancient ruins have attracted countless ghostly sightings over the years.

By the time we finished our mini-ramble, it was midday, so we decided to have a picnic lunch in the grounds of Boscobel House before heading a few miles further to visit Lilleshall Abbey.

We hadn’t planned to visit this English Heritage property, but our route to Telford took us near the abbey, and curiosity got the better of us. The abbey was reached down a narrow farm track that led to the entrance of the substantial ruins. Aside from a dog walker, we were its only visitors, though a large herd of very inquisitive cows had gathered by a field gate next to the tiny parking space, mooing their greetings.

The Abbey was founded around 1148 for a community of Augustinian canons, but as was often the case, it was suppressed in 1538 and converted into a private house. It was then severely damaged during the Civil War by a Parliamentarian siege and fell into disrepair. We spent an hour exploring what was once undoubtedly a very extensive structure. The original abbey must have been an impressive sight, visible from miles around. What remains of its main entrance is now only half the height of its original form.

Leaving a herd of disappointed Fresians behind, we continued our journey to the White Horse Tavern, our accommodation for the next two days. The tavern was originally a farm and manor house built in the 1700s, though surprisingly, the origin of its name remains a mystery to the present landlord.

We arrived too early to check in, so we decided to take a walk around the nearby Wrockwardine Wood. We spent a pleasant hour identifying the flora on either side of the steep and winding path, occasionally turning to Google Lens to confirm our thoughts. That evening, after an early meal in the pub restaurant, we drove into Telford to catch Operation Mincemeat at the Odeon, a true story of two intelligence officers during WW2 who used a corpse and false papers to outwit Hitler. It was a thoroughly enjoyable evening of entertainment, made all the better by the electrically operated seating, which allowed us to fully recline as we indulged in chocolate éclairs.

After a hearty full English breakfast, we had the morning to fill before our 2 pm appointment with the meerkats. Consulting our English Heritage handbook, we decided to visit Wroxeter Roman City, once the fourth largest city in Roman Britain and known as Viriconium 2,000 years ago. We had earmarked this site for a visit for many years, and it certainly didn’t disappoint.

Though little is visible above ground compared to the vast complex lying just a few metres below our feet, what is on display is well presented and offers a real sense of what life must have been like for the Romano-Britons. As is typical with all English Heritage sites, the information is exceptionally displayed and caters to a wide range of interests. It’s definitely a must-visit place.

Having read all the information boards and thoroughly explored the buildings, we still had some time to spare. After further consultation of the handbook, we made our way to Acton Burnell Castle. Built between 1284 and 1293 by Bishop Burnell, Edward I’s Lord Chancellor, the castle remains a striking example of a medieval fortified manor house, despite its ruined state. It didn’t take long to explore the building and nearby church, so on our return to Telford, we stopped to check out the Cantlop Bridge, a cast-iron bridge built in 1813, which was possibly designed, but certainly approved, by the great engineer Thomas Telford. It was only a brief stop, but we walked the bridge’s length and took the obligatory photographs. The bridge still looks very sturdy, having only been decommissioned on health and safety grounds in 1997, when the adjacent concrete replacement was completed.

We arrived at Hoo Farm Animal Kingdom around midday. With a couple of hours before our Meerkat Experience, we took our time wandering around the various enclosures and cages. The weather had turned gorgeously sunny, and thankfully, with the school holidays over, the zoo wasn’t teeming with families. It was peaceful, and we could enjoy the animals to ourselves (with just a few others around).

At 2 pm, we assembled with six others before being split into two groups to meet the adorable meerkats. Known for their sweet natures, starring in insurance adverts, and frequently appearing in natural history programmes, these little creatures were a delight. We spent half an hour feeding them fruit and mealworms, allowing the ravenous little things to jump and scamper all over us. This particular clan was kept outside, living in burrows within their pen, though they did have an indoor area available to them. Watching them occasionally stand on their hind legs to scan for non-existent danger was simply enchanting, not quite Africa, but close!

After bidding our new friends farewell, we followed our Ranger to meet another clan. These meerkats preferred the indoors. Although they had access to an outside pen, they were much more content inside. Among them was ‘Stumpy,’ who had one of his front legs amputated. His eager, hopping gait made him an immediate favourite. This group was more determined in their feeding, even attempting to prise our hands and fingers apart in their quest for treats. Sooooo gorgeous! I would have loved to take Stumpy home, but I suppose everyone else felt the same way. Before we knew it, our half hour was over, and we had to say goodbye to our new friends and wash our hands. The ‘Meerkat Experience’ had come to an end.

We completed our visit to the zoo by exploring those areas of the site we hadn’t yet covered, chatting aimlessly to the animals as we went along, something you can’t do without risking a trip to the loony bin if anyone else is around! Another highlight was the Dinosaur Trail, where a large variety of these extinct creatures were positioned along a woodland path. The life-sized (and massive) figures moved and made sounds in response to your presence. They really made me feel vulnerable and insignificant, it’s certainly not an epoch I’d want to visit if they ever invent time travel!

It was just a short 15-minute drive back to the White Horse Tavern, where we enjoyed a refreshing glass of cool cider in the bar to recover from the day’s activities. That evening, we dined in the pub once more, before retreating to our room for a well-deserved rest.

After breakfast the following morning, we made our way back to Harborough.