Just Humans Being...

We got back in the early hours of yesterday, worked & we're working again until Wednesday. When we'll have a day off to be volunteers at Hugo's home education group...  We had a very productive time in Stoke, got lots sorted again around Bebe & had great fun with her during a meal out... We also saw Grandad Gerry & Nana Footstep (Sime's Dad & Step-Mum), which is always lovely! I had a tooth out - the tooth I had filled a couple of months ago...  Apparently, the filling had been put directly on to the nerve of the tooth, so no wonder I'd been suffering (my jaw has had a dull ache for a while & my tooth was very sensitive to cold drinks & food). The filling hadn't set underneath, so this dentist said he wasn't surprised that I'd had a metallic taste in my mouth. The guy was lovely, he was very patient with my stupid behaviour & Sime was with me throughout holding my trembling hand! We had a bit of free time too - saw a film &

Last Sunday night, we set off to visit Sime's parents in Stoke... We had to work during the day, so we didn't leave until the evening & stayed overnight in Tewkesbury. The only photo we took in Tewkesbury - this car is an Alvis... We arrived there quite late & left straight after breakfast. Our main purpose was to assist Sime's Mum, Bebe with a couple of appointments. We also went out for a meal with Grandad Gerry... And Nana Footstep... Diets start tomorrow... A sadly closed traditional Potter's eatery... We would have loved to have gone in... Eating out with Bebe... A place mat which advertises a fantastic sounding tonic stout... Unfortunately, it no longer exists. Sime's piled up plate... Staffordshire Oatcakes! Outside the oatcake shop... Next door is interesting - Sime put a box of oatcakes down on the step on a recent visit (thinking it was an empty shop).  Within minutes a scantly clad woman of dubious character swung open the door &

Just how many were there going to St Ives? It turned out to be the wrong time of year to be visiting a very popular town... We used the very expensive 'park & ride'... £2.30 to park & £4 each for the train tickets! But it was a pleasant way to arrive, as parking is very difficult in St Ives... Lots of folks had the same idea... Our train arrives... Tom Dale busking with his 1930s guitar... He was so good - we bought a CD... The town was so crowded that we decided to leave after only a couple of hours! The lovely views on the return journey... We really don't like busy places, so it was great to be heading back... And it was nice to be back in the countryside... We stopped at Zennor - which was fairly quiet... And enjoyed a look round... This water wheel is at the entrance of the museum... The quaint little church... And graveyard... Inside the church - the bell ringing ropes... Which are on the ground floor at the back... There are original parts

It's been another tiring trip. We are used to our fairly quiet little hamlet, so staying in a hotel on a busy main road has meant sleepless nights for the three of us... The hotel was hot & the beds were uncomfortable, but it was cheap & clean, so we're not grumbling really. We did have a lovely day in Bakewell with Bebe & relatives from Yorkshire. We'd forgotten how beautiful the Peak District is... The Roaches on the Staffordshire Moorlands Bleak Moorland And pretty Derbyshire countryside Staffordshire/Derbyshire border Green & stormy Bebe in the back of the car A Bakewell pub with Bebe's (& Sime's) cousins - who we haven't seen for over 10 years! Our cheese rarebit tart - was pretty awful... The incredible shrinking woman... River Wye in Bakewell, complete with carp... Ducks & ducklings In a world of her own... A lovely day & great to catch up with relatives On the way home... The guy on the quad bike used scare tact