Sunday

Sunday came about all too quickly this weekend, to cheer ourselves up, we decided to take my Dad out to our local for a spot of supper. This is actually the same local where we over heard the conversation regarding the amount of fluid in some blokes lung. (see Do you know how much fluid I had in my lung?) As the pub has changed ownership, and we had an old chap of our own to help blend in, we thought it was a safe bet.

Leanne phoned up to book a table, and they asked if we were bringing our dog. A positive sign in my book. We have been bumping into the new owners fairly frequently whilst walking our respective hounds. I think it’s a sure sign we have ‘arrived’ in the village when the pub landlord is on first name terms with your pet.

We didn’t take the dog, nor did we take the cats. The cats have developed the habit of coming along on Chess’s evening walks. It’s very cute, they run along, in and out of Chess’s legs, dash into a garden, pop up through a hedge further up the path, and repeat. The neighbours cat joins in sometimes. Poor Chess, it can't be doing much for his street credibility.

Senior moments

Introducing the Seniors!

What an action packed weekend. Lovely friends from New Zealand to entertain, lovely weather, plenty of chat, good food and wine. We looked at spoons, survived the hamster escaping, (“I don't want to be alarmist, but I can’t see the hamster,” said our guest.) Slippers were definitely on trend for our used-to-way-warmer-climate kiwi guests. Undeterred by the predicted highs of minus one, we were intent on showing them some of the local highlights.

We chose Marks and Spencer to start. In our defense, this was requested. After a day in Sheffield to visit Marks and Spencer and see the cutlery exhibition in Sheffield’s Millennium Galleries (we thought it was our duty to show off Sheffield’s claim to fame), we needed to entertain a small boy with a passion for castles. Where do you go? Bolsover Castle, of course. It’s called a castle, so in theory should have some castle-like qualities.  

Laughing Cavaliers

After eventually leaving the house on Sunday morning- no small task as there were six bodies who needed to breakfast and shower (and only a small detour past the motorway roundabout due to bad communication regarding directions), we arrived.  Putting on my best Kiwi accent we gained entrance using our NZ Heritage card. As we were Kiwis (or so the woman thought) the woman behind the counter proceeded to guide us through every minute detail of the audio tour. Her attention to detail was impressive, shall we say. Others may have said overbearing. All we actually needed to know was; press 99 on the audio thing when you get through the door. Not where the door was (obvious), how to open the door (again obvious) and which foot to put in front of the other to walk (well not the last bit, but it was close).

When we got in to the castle grounds, the tour started off in the riding school bit. There’s a great area with hats to dress up as Cavaliers, a wooden horse, blocks to build your own fantasy castle - all very good stuff. After that came the castle grounds and the actual castle to explore. Unfortunately, by this time, both children started their mantra; “I’m cold, can we go home now?” Fair enough, we had been there for at least half an hour. We ignored the kids and carried on regardless.

It was all very lovely and castle-y, even the kids enjoyed it - especially the room with the oil-filled radiator. Back home by way of Hardwick Hall and lovely sun setting over the moors. What a lovely part of the world we live in and how lucky to have such good friends to share it with.

A year in pictures

Friends, family, kittens, castles, snails, zombies, spiders, dogs, running, art, rivers

Cleaning up

Nice light on the Edge

Maisie certainly cleaned up with her gifts, us adults not so much. We have obviously reached that point in our relationship where it’s fine, even exciting to give and receive things for the house. I'm not talking nice table lamps or ornaments, I’m talking dustbusters and a CD player. Things you would normally just buy if necessary. 

I overheard Leanne talking in an excited way to Maisie “Ohh look, a mess. I can just suck that up with my handy vax!” Well, maybe be not those words, but that was certainly the sentiment. The pets seem to have a talent for creating mess, so it will at least be a gift that Leanne will continue to enjoy for ages. 

Unfortunately, the new dustbuster doesn’t have a setting for cherry liquor, fortunatly the dog does. We had a few out on the board with the gingerbread house. Maisie had been sawing away at the house, making some renovations to make it more open plan; but left the board on the dining table. The dog saw his opportunity to snaffle a cherry liquor chocolate. He managed to spill the contents over the carpet and then chomp up the chocolate. I’m fairly sure his subsequent mad behaviour is directly related to the cherry stuff - dancing around, returning to the carpet, licking it frantically, and more dancing. I think he even managed an “I love you humans” before collapsing onto his bed for the rest of the evening.

I have been enjoying listening to old CDs not listened too for ages - with the occasional interruption from Maisie of "What on earth are you listening to?" The girl has no taste.