Dangermouse

Saturday was a GLORIOUS day! All sunshine & warmth. Hardly any breeze at all. I headed out to one of the fields after breakfast & wrote in my journal. Then I read some of it & by the time I came back to the house it was nearly 3pm! Crazy! And...wait for it...I GOT A SUNBURN! On my forarms & my shins! Can you believe it?! I got sunburnt in England! That's ACE! Then we had lunch & hummed & hawed about going riding or walking. We eventually decided on a ride. So Mary & I saddled up the horses & headed out. Gracie was plodding along as usual, falling behind & I would prod her on. We got just over 1/3 of the way & started to trot. Then they started to canter, but my footing wasn't feeling right so I pulled back on the reins. But Gracie was in a mood. She didn't listen, she sped up to pass Spitfire, which was so strange!! She always stays behind him & I usually have to encourage her to go faster. I was still pulling on the reins, but neglected to yell 'woah'.  Spitfire spooked as Grace came up alongside & then Grace spooked bigtime & leaped to the right. I bailed to the left. Landed on the small of my back & slid about a foot.

 

I'm fine. I just feel about 100 years old. LOL Last night I was a bit swollen, but today that seems to be gone. Just feel like old bones, bending & leaning & sitting is rough. haha So there's another experience - I hope never to repeat!!! So that ended our lovely day, we didn't end up going for a walk after that. I did ride back though. Thought it would be quicker than leading her back. And now Mary is calling Grace 'Dangermouse'.

 

Today we went out to the Lancaster Air Museum. Saw a Lancaster called 'Just Jane' fired up & taxi down the runway, saw a Spitfire on the ground & flying about. Also a Dakota on the ground. Wandered through some of the buildings & saw lots of info about the different planes & pieces of the planes. There was a swing dance demonstration. The weather was definitely not as nice today, but it was a very informative day! They even had a raffle to let people ride in the Lancaster for the taxi.

 

And that was the rest of my weekend!

Ah me....

What an incredible weeked - and it's only Saturday!

 

Last night Tony & I headed out to Warwick, to visit some friends. We went out for dinner at an Indian restaurant & had some great food & very wonderful company. A lot of laughs were had.

 

And today...Tony went out to do his thing with friend, Andy. And I went to Stratford-Upon-Avon. That's right, William Shakespeare's birthplace & where he spent most of his days. Had breakfast at a little cafe. And then I went into a few tourist shops & then caught a bus tour. It was a double decker, open top bus. Went to 3 Shakespeare houses. There are 5 in total, but I was worried about time. So I went to Ann Hathaway's Cottage (William's wife), and it was a lovely thatched roof cottage. Beautiful gardens, I wasn't able to take pictures inside, but learned a lot! I saw everything there was to see there. Then hopped onto the bus & went to Mary Arden's House & Countryside Museum (William's mother's family home). This was quite the thing. It is a functioning Tudor farm! So everyone there was in old style dress. There were farm animals, cooking over open fire hearths, etc etc. So cool. And there were falconry displays, archery displays, maypole dancing. A lot to take in! The third place was Shakepeare's Birthplace & the home he spent his early years in. I learned so much about his life & his family. I wasn't able to take pictures inside of this one either. But learned that his father was a glove maker & saw the shop. Saw all of the things donated in his memory from other famous individuals. As well as signatures & remembrances written by some of those same people. The room he was born in... I did miss out on the house he finished life in, as well as his burial plot etc. But maybe I will get back there. The town was great & the day was sunny & warm. I was definitely feeling the romance of the place.

 

I hopped a bus back to Warwick & then after taking a look downtown - and finding a quite nice woolshop!!! I went to Warwick Castle. HOLY MOLY! It was really big, a lot bigger than Lincoln. And now that the season has started it has A LOT going on!! I got to check out the gaol, there was a walk through the castle called the Kingmaker - which is basically all the steps involved in getting ready for battle. Pretty incredible set up they have. I only had 2 hours at the castle so I didn' get to see everything. But there used to be a moat. There is a water mill generating power. There was a wall walk that was way more intense than Lincoln - 533 steps up to the top. WHEW! There were archers, sword play, jousting, a trebuchet that they shot a fire ball across the yard with!!! There was a guy on stilts, a Ballista to check out, a rose garden, a play area for children, a Peacock garden - SO MANY THINGS! And I did not get to see them all, but it was awesome!! I LOVE castles

 

AND --- it was SO warm I was wishing I was wearing shorts!! Isn't that a CRAZY thing! LOL

 

So, beauty, romance, adventure, history, sunshine - the only thing that made it a little bittersweet, I had no one to share it with. I love Him, but it's just not the same, you know

 

It's only Saturday evening & there is still Sunday & Monday because it's another Bank Holiday weekend! What more could there be!!!???

Out & About

Today was a bizarro day weatherwise. It couldn't decide between being sunny & gorgeous or rainy & cold! I was dropped off in Chesterfield & spent the day wandering around the Market & all the shops. Checking out the Crooked Spire Church that they are famous for. It was built in the late 13 Century and finished around 1360. It is the largest church in Derbyshire. The Spire was 'twisted' when unseasoned wood was used during its construction. Then 32 tons of lead tiles were placed on top and as the timber dried out the weight of the lead twisted the spire. I found a place that did a Chai Latte. I guess in the last few years lattes & mochas have become popular here, but funky teas have still not caught on. I am ashamed to say that I am missing Starbucks & Starbucks inspired fun & funky tea options!!

 

I also finally found a shop that had a bit of wool in it. So I found needles that I will be able to start my project with! I still need to find a better wool shop that has more options! :) But I can get started now LOL

 

Tonight we watched Eurovision 2009! It's like European Idol. Quite the thing, so much going on! And Norway won, they were the ones I like the best! "I'm in love with a Fairytale.."

 

More to come...

Another weekend in the country

So it's been awhile because it's been pretty quiet - a lot of horse stuff. Helping out with the horse chores & Mary & I went riding Saturday, Sunday & Monday. Each ride about 2 hours. Also on Sunday we went to a horse show & then to the Newark County Fair, where there was horse jumping, side saddle events, a western event, jousting, etc etc. It was all fun, didn't do too much else. On Monday we went to Gainsborough. Mary had her hair done & I wandered about. Looking for English looking items for gifts, neat architecture & WOOL! And could I find a yarn shop?!?! NO!! I'm in bloody freezing wet England & haven't been able to find a wool shop to get some yarn for a new project. Yowza! So that is at the top of my list for the next time I'm in Lincoln or any other large centre!

 

I am thisclose to getting wheels. I have a car I can drive, I'm just trying to get the insurance figured out for it. So cross your fingers, as having wheels will let me see so much more of the countryside on my own without having to ask favours of my hosts!

 

Plans are underway with Keith to travel to Ireland, all that is left is to make the exact date plans. So once that is figured I will pass on that info. Very excited for Ireland!

 

So - much horse time. My bum was sore on Sunday - but by Monday I was OK. Guess Erik is right, you just get used to it. But very excited to get home & ride his horses & see how that feels in comparison! I got to canter for the first time. That was scary & exciting, and once I got the saddle on straight it was pretty exhilarating! Man, horses are powerful creatures.

 

I got fudge at the fair. Yes, the new chocolate that I have been finding here is a bit of a downfall of mine. However, no - I am not 300 lbs & am not planning on becoming any such thing. I'm sure the novelty will wear off soon. (I pray! or the willpower will have to kick in!)

 

My big plans:

-get car insured & start driving!

-get yarn & needles so that I can start a new project. Maybe socks! yikes!

-IRELAND!

-more postcards to more people ;)

 

So stay tuned. Sorry if I don't write often enough, or enough info for 'some' people (ehem, mother. Jenny.) But sometimes I feel like not a whole ton goes on in a week & I don't want to bore everyone with my thoughts & ideas instead of cold hard factiods! :)

 

 

 

A Bank Holiday Weekend

Hiya!! Jenny - simmer, it's only May 4th!

So this last week I ate Haggis - and liked it! Had a chat with my ma on the phone. Got my mobile sorted, I now have a number & am able to send & receive international texts - thanks to Alisha for that bit of expertise!!! The week went well, there were a mixture of days, some sunny, some rainy. But it does always seem to be pretty breezy in this Lincolnshire area. I haven't done anymore driving as yet. But have been to the surrounding villages for food runs with Mary. Saxilby & Gainsborough...

This weekend was a long weekend. A Bank Holiday weekend. Friday we went to a Farm Auction in Market Rasen - lots of old stuff. Lots of rusty stuff :) Pretty neat, I know my dad would have gone home with loads of stuff haha After that I went for a walk with Benji while Mary rode Grace alongside me.

Saturday I got up & helped Mary a bit by cleaning up the horse poop from the fields, and then we picked Ragwort from the fields so that the horses don't get sick. After that we all went to a Game/Country Fair in Market Rasen (happenin' place!). It was fun! Lots of stalls selling all manner of things. Food, candy, military/hunting stuff, toys, ferrets, dog stuff, etc etc. There were helcopter rides & in the middle of the area there were falconry shows & a jousting tourney. All for fun & entertainment of course, but it was fun. Too bad it was a cold & overcast day haha, but I'm learning to expect it! Definitely MUST spend some time in Greece, Spain, Croatia!!! To get some sun before I head home :D

Sunday - Did some washing, hung it on the line - then a bird pooped on it!! hahaha FUN Tonight we saw a deer in the field behind the house. Which is the first time in the year that they have been here. Went out for a ride today on Grace, while Mary walked alongside. Which made for a very slow lazy horse. But the English saddle wasn't as weird as I thought it would be! It was odd to wear a helmet! Felt like I was riding a bike or something! hahaha

Still haven't found time to get Tony to show me how to ride a bike - but hopefully soon :) Wishing desperately that I had a bike licence & could rip around the countryside on a motorbike!!!

One more day of weekend! And so far it's a pretty cold, dreary, rainy one. But I think that's about all I've been up to this week -

Oh - Ben & Jerry's Phish Food - if you can find it - EAT IT! Yum!!!!!