Friday Chat Day

 Hello friends

Happy Friday - happy 1st of the month.

I have lots of photos to share again this week!
Firstly though thank you for your understanding about 
skipping October's charity kit.  It has taken the pressure off this month and
allowed Elliott and I to take our little trip away.

Last Friday lunchtime we arrived in St Margaret's at Cliffe,

drove down to the bay and this was our view - can you smell that salty fresh air?

It was warm, the sun was glistening on the water and we could see for miles.

We walked for a while and then feeling quite virtuous

we ate a huge lunch in the pub!

Next day a trip to Sandwich, which took a lot longer than normal as we inadvertently

joined a traffic queue thinking it was for the town and it was actually for fuel.

Once there we walked the little scenic streets and we thought about food again!

The Lantern Pub in Martin.

When I visited last time we had hoped to eat here but it gets booked

up very quickly.  It is such a beautiful little pub.

We phoned in the vain hope that they may have a table available and they did!  

And to make it doubly perfect, the sun came out so we sat outside.

And...trebly perfect, they had a stone pizza oven - Elliott was over the moon.

With full tummies and me expectant of an afternoon nap Elliott asked

what we would be doing next.  It was definitely a different paced break.

We headed off to the White Cliffs at Dover.

This time walked down the cliff to sit closer and watch all the ferries,

lorries and cars - it is quite mesmerising figuring out the logistics in the little toy town below.

We took a drive into Dover town which I have to say wasn't so nice,

like many towns it is a bit depressed and full of charity shops.

But look what I came across...

Opal Fruits!  

Not Starbursts, I was quite excited about this and probably

went into a longer explanation than necessary to Elliott about the 

fact that Mars changed the name (and flavours) 23 years ago!

I then thought I had better check this wasn't an out of date bag

but no, it's a limited edition and available for 12 weeks only.

Funny how these little things can make you really quite happy.

"Made to make your mouth water" for those who remember the jingle!

Now where was I?  Oh yes - on the Sunday we visited 

Wingham Wildlife Park.

We planned to arrive in time to see the otters being trained and fed.

They put their noses and mouths on the stick so they are upright and the keepers

can check them over to see they are healthy.

Flamingos have very odd knees!

Well hello!

Red Pandas are super cute but very shy.

Meerkats - can I just say, these little fellas took up nearly an hour

of our day - you cannot stop watching them.

The following day we had to leave and the heavens opened.

We packed up dashing to the car in torrential rain.

30 minutes later the sun was shining so we stopped off in Canterbury.

It has been a long time since I visited.

The Cathedral was covered in scaffolding so not picture worthy,

unlike these gorgeous buildings.

We stopped off for a coffee and brownies - a perfect breakfast.

And that was our trip away and it was very wonderful.

As I said goodbye to Elliott he asked when we could go again. 

I think that is a huge measure of success.

Crochet:

If you've made it this far (so many photos!) I do have some crochet news.

While I was away I began to write up my cushion pattern.

My naive head said 'oh it will be easy'!

In reality - I take my hat off to anyone who writes patterns.

I have persisted and it should be ready soon. 

Slight stumbling block - the pattern needs a name so all suggestions welcome.

I was keen to have lots of clear photos to assist in the tutorial

and the lovely daylight in St Margaret's helped.

I plan to have it available here on my blog and also free to download

through Google docs (like I do with recipes).

I had even wondered on doing a CAL (Crochet Along) at some point

but perhaps I am getting ahead of myself...

Telly:

All this galavanting away and then straight back to work has meant

very little telly.  As mentioned, I have subscribed to Acorn TV

so I am revisiting episodes of Agatha Raisin.

Having read so many of the books I still struggle with Ashley Jensen

playing Agatha. She's a bit too nice and glamourous.

In the books Agatha is a bit of a cow! 

Anyway, it is relaxing watchable TV with murders thrown in.

No garden news this week - it's scruffy and needs a good tidy up.

Recipes - thank you Karen for sending your soup recipe,

it looks wonderful and I am planning to make it - 

unfortunately my food shop let me down

with one of the ingredients - coconut milk. I will endeavour to get some.

I'll be sure to share - through the Blog medium, hands off my actual soup!

This weekend - well not going too far as, like many, eeking out the fuel.

 I need to get to grips with the garden and hopefully

finish off that crochet pattern.

Take care friends, wishing you a lovely weekend,

it's certainly turned colder - we all need a crochet blanket!