Look for a Book Evesham

We are soooooooo excited, we've joined "Look for a BOOK Evesham" on Facebook.

The idea is simple ........ https://www.facebook.com/groups/2960660527341142/about/

Darrell, as he has the best handwriting, wrote the notes, while Nigel and I watched on admiringly, before we put our chosen books in their wallets ........

....... and posted on the Facebook page that we were ready to "rock and roll"

Followed by Darrell and Nigel merrily walking into town to do the hiding .........

....... one outside the Post Office ........

...... and the other on a bench behind the small Saturday market.  

We can't wait to see who finds them, if/when they post their find on Facebook.  We will let you know.  We are also really, really, really hoping that Iris and Bertie find a book when we are out and about with them on the nursery/school run, our eyes will be firmly peeled, they would be so excited In the meantime Darrell has a whole new pile of notes to write ........ we are monkeys on a mission!

Nigel Does Carnival

When Nigel was asked if he'd like to go to the carnival this weekend he didn't need to be asked twice, especially when the invitation also included a picnic lunch!

Let's just say it was a most ample feast leaving him with just enough room afterwards for a very small candy floss!

Although we've been in Evesham now for three years, because of other commitments this was actually the very first time any one of us had attended.

It was in turn a little bitter sweet for Nigel as it bought memories flooding back of all the times we'd sit on the wall outside Castle Greyskull, with our bags of pennies, excitedly waiting for the carnival floats to come past ...... and you'd  always hear the very distinctive sound of the marching band approaching ages before they came into sight.  Halcyon days!

Sadly, the Evesham parade isn't able to come anywhere near The Towers, due to there only being one way into the estate and that's a dead end leading to the river  ........ and what with the on street parking, it would be total mayhem.

However, on the field Nigel was kept very busy by the demands of two small children wanting to hook ducks (ones of a plastic type nature, of course, not a live one from the river), there were Lucky Dips to plunder ........ 

........ as well as some very interesting activities to try out and rides to pester Uncle Nigel to have a go on.

  

It was a wonderful day but it was hot, hot, hot, even Nigel was flagging visibly by the end of the afternoon and he hardly ever flags and needed to avail himself of several glasses of the most excellent  "Doggy Beer" 

....... but happy days nevertheless, shared with little ones ......... and it just don't get any better than that!

Time to Get Back Home ...... With A Possible Hint Of Another Adventure

Nigel is now safely ensconced back at The Towers, home after a wonderful few days away with the PE and Finance Lady .......

........ but not before stopping off for a pot of tea and a slice or two of choice cake .......

....... in a quaint little cafe, on the canal, that they'd spotted along the way and decided to pull over.

It has to be said that the two ladies do love their cake ............almost, it seems, as much as Nigel.

The ladies said that it had been soooooooo lovely to catch up and spend some quality time with Nigel, it was just like the old days back at the Girls High School, ........ he was such good company, with lots of stories  and hilarious observations to share. With this in mind they wondered if perhaps they should do it all again sometime next year ................... 

.......... somewhere, though Rhyl and Llandudno were really lovely ....... a little more salubrious and romantic .......  Nigel is keeping it all very close to his chest for the moment  ....... not wanting to tempt fate of any sort, so, for now, that is all I am privy to ........

Nigel Says Thank You

Nigel has had a wonderful, if exhausting trip with the PE and Finance Ladies to Ryhl and Llandudno and as a special  "thank you" he said that he would treat them to their last meal together, money no object 

............ which, when knowing that both said ladies share a very healthy appetite was very brave of the little fella.

A table was duly booked on recommendation, a select choice of cocktails quaffed and let's just say ........ more than one sharing platter  plundered ........

........ along with a whole bevy of main meals and more than one pudding each, after it was decided that it would be a pity to leave anything un-sampled!

It was a wonderful night, the staff had already laid for breakfast and were just hanging around when it was finally came time for Nigel to pick up the bill and for everyone to head back to their hotel ..........

.........  splitting the taxi fair, to the penny, between four.  Happy Days.

A Little Stick of Llandudno Rock.

On their last day away Nigel and the The PE and Finance Lady found Llandudno very lovely .......

........ if not a little bracing for the time of year.

They had a walk along the breezy Prom and then headed to the town ........

....... where there were, again, the ladies said a couple of charity shops to be explored.

Nigel said he would meet up with them in the Lilly Bar for half a shandy and a bag of crisps a little later as he thought he'd like to get a couple of  things for Darrell and I, and the babies (Iris and Bertie) before he came home.

He did spot a few very shiny trancklements that he rather liked, but decided that as Darrell is quite particular about what he likes to put on the shelves at The Towers, a gaudy considered purchase might not be the best of ideas .........

....... so instead opted to splurge his cash in the Welsh Rock shop ...........

...... after all, what's not to like about a couple of Welsh cakes, some fudge, a bucket of candy floss and a couple of sticks of proper Welsh rock. Good lad!

It's Got To Be Done ....... Before Breakfast ........

An empty British beach, at the crack of a grey dawn ....... life just doesn't get any better than that ....... well, for Nigel at least!

It has to be said that The PE and Finance Ladies did not feel such a compelling draw so volunteered instead to go in hot pursuit of a hearty full English (or should it be a full Welsh?) while leaving Nigel to his own devices...........

......... let's just say he had a wonderful time .......... he had a bit of a paddle, collected a few shells and looked, unsucessfully, for a holey stone for Darrell ........

........ before availing himself of Rhyls glorious sand castletastic sand for half an hour or so, saying later that although he really does love a Greek Odyessey, their sand just isn't the same as proper British sand as far as making sandcastles is concerned.

Then, at around 9.00am he got the call from said Ladies informing him that they'd ordered him a full English in Wetherspoons and that it would be on the table in approximatley 10 minutes ........

....... well, he did not need telling twice, as the pure sea air had helped him work up a hearty appetite, which had him asking them very politely if they'd mind ordering him a couple of rounds of toast on the side as well.  What is the little fella like?

Nigel's Holiday Hotel.

Nigel is staying in Rhyl, somewhere he has never been before so it's all a huge adventure for him and the The PE and Finance Ladies have sorted out, in Nigel's opinion, a pretty good hotel, right on the sea front.

The ladies have booked  a very large family style room, the ladies have a double bed each while  Nigel has a large single.  He says it's all working out really well, the PE Lady has worked out a bathroom rota  and Nigel has been put in charge of making the tea/coffee/hot chocolate for everyone, when they get in at night and first thing in the morning.

Everyone is getting on really well, but Nigel has said that, in the company of women, he has had to learn how to avert his eyes at certain times.

Their room has a sea view, after our many Greek Odysseys perhaps not the most romantic of views, but whatever the vista the sea always holds Nigel in total thrall.

The hotel's foyer, he tells us, is dominated by very interesting display, the one wall  is awash with a myriad of humourous plaques ......

...... although very originaland quite a talking point, Nigel says it's not the sort of feature wall that would be worth mentioning to Darrell as a source of interior inspiration ......

...... especially as Darrell's usual decor mantra tends to be along the lines of  "less is more" as opposed to "everything in gay abundance"! I think on this occasion I would tend to side with Darrell.

Nigel Meets Up With Old Friends

Nigel is currently away with our very dear friends The PE and Finance Lady from our hedonistic days at the Girls High School  back in the homeland.

They'd asked him if he fancied  a couple of days of charity shop shopping, coupled with a little sea air and good food  ....... let's put it this way, he didn't need asking twice, he was packed and ready in breakneck speed.

Nigel excitedly Skyped us last night exclaiming that those said ladies certainly know how to charity shop ........

........ no rail was left unflicked through, no box undelved or any shelf dismissed until it had been thoroughly turned over, he was truly in the companyof  the grand dames of charity shop shopping, in search of the unwanted treasure of others.

The PE Lady likes to look for new/unworn footwear and she was not disappointed, finding some very lovely posh flip flops for just 50p, which Nigel told us she has worn ever since. The Finance Lady likes to look at clothes and jigsaw puzzles and again she was chuffed to secure a very fetching blouse for work and two one thousand pieces of the Queen Mother (RIP) and a scene from The Battle of Trafalgar.  Finding shoes/clothes of a Nigel sized nature is nigh on impossible so Nigel's mooching was more or less confined to books, toys and bric a brac.  He was sorely tempted by the doll above, in all her crocheted finery, Hugh would have absolutley loved it, but he could also hear Darrell's undisguised tut of disapproval as he reluctantly helped Nigel to find an appropriate place in which to display her, should he, Nigel, decide to keep it.

However, that said, he did make a considered 50p purchase, a vintage kitsch Welsh mug, with the thought that each time  he drank from it the memories of his time in Llandudno and Rhyl with his two most favourite ladies would could flooding back.  What is he like? 

There Are Libraries ........ and There Are Libraries........

Who would have ever believed there was such a thing as a chocolate library .........

.......... but trust Nigel for finding it.

Let's just say that after studying all of the titles very, very carefully  ...........

.......... several considered purchases were made!

What is he like?