More from Bath ...

On Day Two we ventured beyond Bath into the beautiful surrounding countryside, all gently rolling hills and honey coloured villages. Apologies for the picture laden post .... there was was just so much to see.
First, we headed to Bradford on Avon ....

We found the Saxon church of St Lawrence, dating from around 700 A.D. It was tiny, with room for only about ten people at a push.

The church next door is much newer .... only dating from Norman times about 300 years later!
A short walk along the river led to this amazing Tithe Barn, which was cavernous. It is probably the finest example of such a medieval barn in the country.

You can find out more here on this link:

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/bradford-on-avon-tithe-barn

There were some beautiful shops in the out buildings. I wanted to buy  a very fine table but sadly we couldn't get it home! We may have to investigate their on-line store.

Next stop, the lovely village of Lacock, where they filmed my very favourite costume drama

Cranford!!!!
You could just imagine Miss Mattie stepping out of one of the cottages!

We were there to visit Lacock Abbey, originally a medieval convent, and then after Henry VIII closed it down, it became a private residence.

These rooms were used as classrooms in the Harry Potter films.

Finally we drove to the little village  of Castle Combe, which we had read was 'the prettiest village in England'. It didn't disappoint.

We found out from a display in the church, that this was the village where they filmed the recent tearjerker 'War Horse'. 

So there we have it, a short tour of the world's finest film set. Mr. B. summed it all up when he said
"It looks like Disney, only it's real!"

A Very Special Birthday!

Sending very special birthday wishes to my lovely Father-in-law who is 80 today!

Here he is showing us all a few moves at his birthday bash at the weekend!

It was a wonderful family occasion, full of love and laughs, and fun and food!

Happy Birthday Mike!

(My daughter has just added a post too .... here)

A Postcard from Bath

It's the last day of the half term break .... 

why do holiday weeks go faster than any other weeks in the year?

We spent a few days away in our caravan last week

We were incredibly fortunate with the weather, which stayed dry, and not too cold, so we were able to enjoy strolling around the streets of Bath, admiring the wonderful architecture all around us.

We took a peep into days gone by inside No. 1 Royal Crescent, which has been recreated in true Georgian style,

... and admired the fine houses in the Crescent itself.

Homes like these were rented by the affluent families of the day, for the 'Season', when they came to take the waters, and enjoy fine social occasions.

No wonder the city is used as a location for so many films, like Persuasion and The Duchess.
Street after street is filled with these stunning buildings!

We'd done the whole Jane Austen thing a few years ago, but she's never too far away!

The Abbey is another fine building, with a beautiful interior. 

Sunlight was flooding in through the huge stained glass windows.

The ceiling is amazing.

I loved the angelic musicians above the choir stalls.

There are so many pretty little shops like these .... it's a shopper's paradise.

... and teashops too. This is Sally Lunn's which is said to be the oldest shop in Bath.

The Pulteney Bridge over the River Avon.

We had a little picnic on a bench by the river .... for the first time this year.
It was still cold, so we ate fast, and didn't linger too long!
But I was delighted that we could actually sit out in February.... there was definitely a feeling that Spring is waiting round the corner!

I've been a bad blogger!

I haven't been posting very much recently.

I haven't had much to say really!

I hate Winter.

I hate being cold.

I hate the greyness of it all!

I've barely been out the past few weeks (apart from going to work)

.... I feel that I've just been hibernating until warmer days come along.

However ..... now it's half term and we're off in the caravan again. Hooray!!!

We're having a few days in Bath .... I'll send you a postcard soon!

Fancy that!!!!

I was on a course this afternoon, when I heard someone say 'Are you Kathy?'

Another teacher had recognised me from my blog photo!!!!

Fancy that!!!

Then, suddenly, I knew who she was too .... she had read my blog last year and commented on a few of my posts, and we had e-mailed each other for a while.

We found we had so many similarities in our lives, it was uncanny..... both primary school teachers in Merseyside, both our daughters had been to Durham Uni at the same time and had mutual friends (but didn't actually know each other) .... and so it went on.

It was so lovely to meet her in real life, and today we found we had more things in common too ... we're co-ordinators for the same subject in school, and her husband went to school with someone I know!

We're hoping to meet up again on the next course in April!

Isn't blogging an amazing thing!

Snow hits Liverpool!!!!

No, not that sort of snow ..... (well not yet anyway, fingers crossed)

This sort of snow .....

 ..... Snow Patrol!

Earlier this week Mr B and I headed out on the town to a 'gig'.

They were playing at Liverpool's Echo Arena on the waterfront.

 I think every city has a wheel now, but this one is lovely at night.

You can see how far away from the stage we were .... but it was very loud so we heard it all, even if we couldn't see them very well.

It was a great show, and we both had a little dance and a sing-a-long with all our favourite songs.

Snow Patrol is one of the few bands that we can play in the car, and the whole family is happy to listen to.

I'm playing this one a lot in the car at the moment.

Scavenger Hunt ~ January 2012

Here I am with my Scavenger Hunt results for January ..... better late than never!

Information at Betws y Coed

In the distance

Liverpool's Liver Building



Company

The Apple Store in London

Entrance

The doors leading into the Great Hall in Liverpool's St George's Hall.

2

Stickers on sale at Liberty

Mess

This sounds tasty

Blur

A very bad photo of the moon.

In season

Frost in January

Warning

On the model of the Overhead Railway carriage inside the Museum of Liverpool.

Soft

 Pink and white marshmallows

Odd

All in a day's work .... Mr. B. (headteacher) on a school trip to the Dewa Museum in Chester.

In my bathroom

Bathtime bubbles by candlelight.

I'm delighted that so many of you are still excited by this little project, and I'd like to say a big welcome to lots of newcomers who are scavenging for the first time!

And here's the list for February:

Music 

Food

Love

Cupid

In the sky

Black and white

5

Leap Year

Train

Crowded

Empty

Heritage

Happy hunting!