Location, Location, Location!

How brilliant would it be to be on Location, Location, Location and get Phil and Kirsty to find us our new Evesham Castle Greysquirrel? I must have a look and see how to apply!!!!! I bet they’ve never had to find a house for three exacting monkeys before!!!

Meanwhile,  Darrell has been doing a pretty impressive imitation of Phil and found us a humoungously, seeped in history, house for us on his own ……. Bengeworth Manor!!!!

Can you imagine how impossibly romantic it would be to live in a real life, proper Manor, that once owned by King Canute, an Earl, three Sirs, a Baron, a Reverend and a Co????  Darrell said we’d almost certainly be crowned Lords of the Manor once we’ve moved in! Darrell is also very excited at the prospect of adding our names to the list of previous/present owners!

Darrell is also imagining how mahoooosively haunted the Manor must be and how rude it would look not to invite Derek Acorah over, again once we’d moved in, for tea and to discuss the matter and to see if he can “feel” anything!

I think Darrell needs to calm down a little an awful lot, I have looked at the price …… and all I can say is that it is most considerably out of our budget …… so our ordination into the Barony of Bengeworth  and Derek’s invitation to tea are firmly on hold and we must look for a place a little more ordinary!

“An historic grade II* listed house, reputed to be of early medieval origin, but with much later work and formally the Manor of Bengeworth and the home of the Priors of Evesham Abbey. It has a massive lateral chimney with the base projecting to street and doorway on return side, which is probably circa. 15th century with iron-studded ledged door and early wrought iron knocker, circa. 15th century moulded ceiling beams in living room, a cusp-headed stoup set into the wall on the 1st floor and a blocked Norman arch in rear wall at ground storey having zig-zag mouldings. The kitchen has a range of modern units, granite worktops and access to the enclosed courtyard gardens, which also provides parking. The outlook to the front is delightful and the cottage is close to many amenities including shops and the Regal Cinema”

One Of Those Sort Of Shops …..!!!

Evesham has got “one of those sort of shops” ……….

…….. no, not Bonk, although it’s name is rather dubious it is in fact a purveyor of fine skateboardery/scootery stuff,  with that sort of clothing and accessories.

No …….. it’s got one of these sort of shops!!!!! Nuff said!!!!

Don’t Go There Darrell ……..

Darrell has discovered Evesham’s medieval stocks, which are considered to be very much a “listed building”, on one of his afternoon mooches.

But if I were Nigel I think I might be a little wary.Although I am pretty sure they are very securely protected ……

….. I still wouldn’t put it past Darrell to suggest that Nigel try them out for size!

So, with this in mind, I have told Darrell quite firmly and robustly that if anything nefarious does go on, and they are caught, we could find that our application for Evesham citizenship, could very well be denied, and without reprise …….  and then where would all our hopeful plans be, so think on young man!!!!! 

A Sweet For Evesham By Mr Chill’s

There is much activity and preparation in Evesham at the moment in celebration of the 750th anniversary of the Battle of Evesham and Mr Chill’s, our traditional confectionary “emporium” of choice, is having a most exciting competition …………

…… as they have “invented” a new sweet in honour of the battle …….

……… and they want someone to come up with a name for it ……..

It goes without saying that Darrell was most keen to enter, “Well, it would have looked rude not to,” he said “…..especially as we are almost spinsters of the parish!” …….. what is he like?  And, with a 3kg jar of said sweeties as the prize, it was a no brainer!

The flavours included in the confection are wild strawberry with a subtle mint flavoured centre, nom, nom, nom ……. so after much ermmming and ahhhhing, Darrell decided to call it “The Evesham Strawmint” and pledged to keep his fingers firmly crossed until the winner is announced.  Being part of Evesham just gets more exciting with every day!!

Nigel Wants A Bra!

Evesham is happily blessed with some most excellent charity shops, from which, we have already purchased several treasures …….. however, of late,  I have noticed that Nigel been has rootling about in the erm …… “items of small interest”,  to wit … the underwear baskets!  Now, not wishing to caste any unwanted nasturtiums, I thought I ought to ask what exactly it was that he was erm …… rootling for!!!

And, I should have known that the wide eyed answer I got would be of an entirely innocent  type nature.It seems that Nigel had noticed that in the Oxfam shop they were displaying their seasonal plants in what he described as “ample lady’s accoutrements” ……….

…… and had thought, that perhaps, the grounds of Chateau Castle Greysquirrel could become even more glorious by sharing in the trend! He even had a colour scheme in mind, but green and orange “lady’s accoutrements”, especially in “ample” are not the easiest colours to find, especially in charity shops ……..

…… and was now thinking that perhaps he would call Hugh to see if he had any thing he didn’t want anymore, left over from his Crystal Chandelier days of drag, as, from what he has told us, he certainly had a cleavage capable of holding an abundant cascade of lobelia or several fuchsias!!!!

Oh my life, what is Nigel like?????

Looking For Another Castle Greysquirrel …………

It’s really far, far, far too early for us to be seriously looking for a potential new Castle Greysquirrel in Evesham, but Darrell just can’t help looking!

……. And he just can’t help looking at ……..
…….. the chocolate boxy ……..

 

………. impossibly cute and quaint …….
…….. preferably with roses round the door ……..
……. and above all else …………….romantic!!!

At the moment, he has declared this (above) to be the house of his dreams, and if he/we lived there, he would have to call it Castle Narnia …… because of the lamp post outside and like the wardrobe, he thinks that the outside belies what lies inside!!!  What am I going to do with him???????

Fresh Air, Good Company And Goodbyes ….

It seems that when we left work all those weeks ago now, we started off a sort of mini tsunami, with others deciding to follow in our wake…..

…… so yesterday Nigel declared “the leaving season officially open”, when he accepted a very kind invitation from Sarah, The Geography Lady to celebrate her leaving, with an afternoon tea at her lovely house, in what Nigel described being in the “blissful middle of nowhere” …..

……. up windy narrow lanes and a cobbledy path, surrounded only by trees, fields and hills, with a view that he declared was one of the romantic vistas he had ever seen …. but without the sea!

He also said that for the first half hour or so he just sat and breathed in the wonderful fresh air, as it would have looked most rude not too ……

….. along with some of the other guests who he hadn’t seen since we left work, who were equally bowled over by the view ……

…… before then availing himself of the very ample said afternoon tea ……making several lingering visits to the table, trying everything at least twice, as again, it would have looked most rude not to!

Once very pleasantly full, he wondered if he should offer to help wash up, but as they had a dishwasher and it all seemed under control, he decided, that perhaps it might, on this occasion, look rude to “proffer help”, as if “implying” that they looked as if they needed help ….. what is he like???!!!

…… And went instead to say goodbye to Chorley, The Geography Monkey who had helped share the wonderful Iceland Trip with Nigel last year ….. reminiscing about all the wonderful things that they had seen, that without the Geography Departments kind invitation they would probably have never ever seen in their lifetimes.  Nigel told Chorley about our new life going to and fro to Evesham to look after Baby Iris and Chorley told Nigel of his new position working as an Artists Assistant, firing up the kiln… exciting times.

2015 is going to be a summer of great changes and new beginnings ……..and despite being very full with strawberries and cream …… it was emotional!!!

Nigel Begins To Get In The Holiday Spirit.

It won’t be long before we are off to Greece for another Greek Odyssey and as coincidence goes the man down the chip shop gave Nigel a little leaflet on Doner Kebabs when he fetched our chippie tea the other day.
It would have been rude for Nigel not to peruse said leaflet ……..

……. however the “philosophy” behind a kebab is something that has never really concerned Nigel.

All that he is bothered about is the fact that he will be able to nom on the real thing, in real life, in the real home of the doner kebab, in a week or so’s time ……..

……. and I am sure that it won’t be just the one!!!!!

Discovering The Pleasures Of Evesham–Moo Moo’s Cafe Bar.

Evesham has many tea shops and cafe’s …….

…… and we have pledged that in the coming year or so, we will, in turn, visit them all, well, it would be most rude not to, wouldn’t it?…….

Yesterday, we decided to avail ourselves of the pleasures of Moo Moo’s, a cafe by day and a bar by night ……. which just sounded right up our “Evesham Alley”

Darrell was very impressed by the New York themed wallpaper ……

…….. which was mixed with a bit of shabby chic, we immediately felt at home, and with Baby Iris with us that is very important.

After perusing the menu, we decided we would try the chicken mayo and sweetcorn baked potato, as it was something we could all share.

Let’s say, it did not disappoint and was very soon demolished! We would have very much liked to have indulged in a salted caramel nut cluster, but we were, to put it politely “stuffed”, and anyway, it’s always nice to leave a little something for next time.

Evesham, as we are rapidly finding out, is quite a spooky, Derek Acorah type place, as the lady in the cafe told us that they have regular Physic Nights with Tarot Readings etc.  But, what made us prick up our ears even more, (because, to be honest, you can have a few too many ghosts and ghoulies in your life, especially if it’s as spooky as ours), was the fact that they have a Bingo Night on alternative Wednesdays. Well, on hearing that, Darrell was Home Bargains bound, to get some bingo dabbers, our place on the next such evening was assured!  On the other evenings they dim down the lights, light candles and serve cocktails, (as well as wine, beers and ciders), and as you know, we are very partial to a cocktail or two or three!!!!  They also have live performances.  So, I think we may have also found our “local” when we are in Evesham ………. ……. especially when you see the plates ………they are sooooooooooooooooooooo romantic!!!!  Happy Days!

http://lovemoomoos.weebly.com/

Darrell Investigates The Apparition of The Virgin Mary In Evesham

Darrell had heard rumours that there  had been an apparition of  the Virgin Mary in Evesham, not recently, ……. but in the 8th Century ………

……… and that there is a statue in the town centre that depicts the story, well, this just too exciting, and Darrell was determined to find out more, well, it would have looked rude not too!

This is what he found out ………..

“The statue in the Market Place is a representation of the legend surrounding the origins of the town.  It depicts the swineherd Eof (or Eoves) on his knees covering his face at the apparition of the Virgin Mary, whose face is emerging from the canopy of trees.

Eof was an 8th century swineherd employed by Egwin, the third Bishop of Worcester, working in the forest area on the banks of the river, known locally as "homme".  The legend tells us that while Eof was searching for some stray pigs he was confronted by a vision of the Virgin with her two attendants. 

Partly in fear and partly in excitement he went to Worcester to tell Bishop Egwin what he had seen.  Egwin came to the same spot and after a period of prayer, the vision appeared to him in the same form, but this time the Virgin spoke to the Bishop, saying "This is the place I have chosen".   Egwin interpreted this message as an indication that the Virgin required a Church to be built on the spot in her honour and he set about establishing a monastery dedicated to the Virgin Mary, becoming the first Abbot.  This resulted in the development of the town adopting the name of Eoveshomme (Evesham).  

Around the base of the statue you will see the River Avon depicted in the form of ripples of water and fish - but SPOT THE KEY!  The key related to an episode in the life of Egwin (later Saint Egwin) when, because of his strict and uncompromising criticisms of the lack of spirituality in the way the local people were living their lives, the more influential among them started to spread false accusations about him to the Pope and to the King.  Eventually the Pope summoned Egwin to Rome to account for himself. 

Egwin left for Rome, but as a sign of his penitence for any offence he may have caused the people, he locked chains around his ankles, dropping the key into the river in Evesham before he left, saying that he would not believe that his sins had been forgiven unless the chains had been removed. 

On arrival at Rome, one of Egwin's attendants went to catch a fish in the River Tiber for their meal and while it was being prepared for cooking, the key to Egwin's chains was found in the belly of the fish!  Egwin was exonerated by the Pope and he returned triumphant to resume his position as Abbot of the Abbey he had founded here at Evesham.”

How exciting and holy is all that?  Evesham just keeps on getting betterer and betterer!!!!