Wednesday - another jaunt - Shropshire

This was my parents' last full day with us. Mike was back to work unfortunately so the three of us took off to Ludlow, walked around the market square, peeped in at the castle, walked down and looked at some of the beautiful houses on the side streets, had lunch at the Wesley Cafe - excellent food and a beautiful modern church displaying Easter banners. We went into the hardware store, looked in the window of the Aga store, I bought some cherry chocolate in the chocolatiers and then we went back to the car to move onto Much Wenlock. We stopped off to look at Shipton Hall just outside Much Wenlock and also popped into a fabric store there. In MW we walked down to look at the Abbey, visited the pottery, had tea and cake in a cafe (sadly the normal one was closed and it had also been renamed so that was unsettling, hope it's still as good) but we found another and had Victoria sponge and lovely apple and cinnamon cake, before purchasing some plants and going home for salmon fishcakes.

The Cotswolds & Cheltenham

We bypassed Moreton in Marsh as it was market day and jam packed without any parking which was a shame but on we went to Stow and had a mooch around. had lunch in The New England Coffee House...I had cherry soda...it was the bees knees! Then after a quick look in Scotts of Stow we drove on to Cheltenham and walked up the high street (not very nice) but onto Montpellier area which was lovely, gracious Georgian architecture, gardens, statues, a Cath Kidston shop (I didn't get to look, note to self : go back to Cheltenham without any men next time!) There was also a wine shop that offered wine, coffee and cake and chocolates...I'll be back! We had a quick coffee stop and then went onto Broadway for another walk up the high street and a look at the gorgeous stone cottages and hotels. The Lygon Arms looks amazing. Mike said we will go back there for a meal and a stay...I'll remember that!
Afterwards we drove into the outskirts of Birmingham and met mum and dad's friend Anna who they met in Dublin. It was lovely to meet her after hearing about her for a few years now. She has relocated from Oz via Dublin to the UK. So we had a nice meal with her and then home to bed.

Easter weekend

Saturday morning there was a lot of hail so Mike went to help our friend Coral with digging out the foundations of her shed. We walked over a little later to join them for a drink and meet Coral's mum Joan. The afternoon at home was very lazy, we holed up to avoid the weather. We went to church the next day then we cooked a leg of lamb for Sunday lunch and in the evening went to the Easter service which was very nice.
On Easter Monday we needed to go to Wolverhampton first thing then in the afternoon we walked around the castle with Coral, Joan and Rhoda. Mostly we avoided the showers then back to our house for scones and cinnamon toast.

Easter - Good Friday

We headed to Oxford, just Mum, Dad and me as Mike was working. We parked easily, the skies brightened and were a brilliant blue and although it was bitterly cold we had a lovely walk around the city. Peeked into Magdalen College and crossed the famous Magdalen bridge where crazy people jump off on May Day! We walked round the courtyard of the Bodleian Library, popped into Blackwells bookshop, had lunch in Heroes cafe, yummy paninis, walked up to see Oxford castle, saw a glimpse of the river (Isis or Thames, I'm not sure?) walked past Christ Church College and into the meadows there and finished by walking past the Botanics and back over the bridge to set off for home.

Back to Scotland

After Mike and I had our trip together to Scotland I went back the following week for a very brief and busy visit as I had 2 team meetings to run, one in Edinburgh and one in Ayrshire. They went well. I also got to catch up with my friend Helen and have dinner in my favourite place Stazione. We finally swapped Christmas prezzies! and I got a lovely birthday present from her too. We had a good night catching up and I heard more about her November wedding plans.
Sadly I also went to see one of my oldest friends, Karen, who has just lost her dad to cancer so we had a cry together and then the next day I went to the funeral which was a very nice service. They had beautiful stitched banners up in the church depicting lots of poppies which commemorated those lost in the war. Her dad, Ian had gifted the banners to the church a while back.

Bacon Butties at Church

Mike and I cooked bacon butties at church as part of the regular coffee morning where we are raising funds for a local home, Newlands. They are hoping to raise money for a special spa bath for the residents to use. It was a fun morning.

The Trossachs

After Luss we carried on a round trip of the Trossachs. We stopped at Crianlarich, part of the West Highland Way. Mike likes the railway station there! Then we went on to stop at Kingshouse and then to Callander for afternoon tea.

Glasgow & Luss

Luss is where Mike proposed to me around 2 years ago. It is situated on the banks of Loch Lomond. We went for a day trip back there with my parents. The second photo is the little beach where we stood and he popped the question! The weather was beautiful with blue skies and snow on the mountains. We had a walk on the pier, by the river and around the churchyard and then we had lunch in the same cafe (always amazing soup and bread) where we ate and discussed our plans after I had put my engagement ring on. We have been back since as it's a place that will always have happy memories for us.

More Britannia

Our weekend in Edinburgh

We stayed for 2 nights at a great hotel in Edinburgh where they served all their breakfast choices on Portmeirion china which I loved. The first day (after the wedding) we actually fell asleep after we had breakfast so we didn't start exploring the city until lunchtime which is most unlike us but we had had a busy couple of days before the drive up so I think we really needed the rest. We had a nice walk into town, popped into the Wesley Owen bookshop, had Frescato at Costa Coffee before heading to see Britannia in Leith. We went from Princes Street on the bus which seemed the easiest option although I don't really like going on buses.
It was amazing to see this famous ship that we can remember hosted Royal honeymoons and visits around the world for the Royal family. A great tourist place to go.

After that we went to my favourite pizza place - Pizza Express and I had, predictably, the fiorentina followed by mascarpone and miniature marinated figs with a decaff latte. This was my birthday celebration and it was a perfect meal choice for me. We then walked back to the hotel and watched a movie.

On Sunday we went to church where we caught up with lots of friends plus Mike's parents and their friends who were on holiday nearby. We had a lunch after church and then Mike and I headed to Glasgow to stay with my parents for a few days.

Scott & Diane's wedding in Edinburgh

We drove north through wind, hail, rain - blizzard conditions really, poor visibility and very cold. We saw black lambs as we drove through the borders. We stopped at the in-laws in Yorkshire for a cuppa then at the Metro Centre very briefly and got into Edinburgh and found the hotel eventually (sat nav didn't quite know what it was doing) a bit late really so after showers and room service which was very yummy actually, we jumped in a taxi and went to The Hub on the Royal Mile for the wedding party where I caught up with Rosie, Caron and Janet and we had a few dances.
Scott and Diane looked really happy and we wish them lots of love and fun in their married life.