A food and family themed week. The last mince pie. Dawn’s coming earlier evening’s coming later. Nice.
Another foggy and frosty start to the day Tuesday. To the Blue Elephant Cafe with T&L, and walking back to recce Saturday’s GVWC route. Freezing and foggy at the start, down to my T-shirt under blue skies and sunshine by the end.
It was sufficiently sunny to lunch in the conservatory. The bird bath / font, always in the shade, remained frozen.
Work in the afternoon, a prompt end at 5pm and over to The Kilpeck Inn for the night for our Wedding Anniversary. A spacious bedroom with a nice big bathroom, Outback Truckers on the telly to aid digestion after a tasty dinner.
Wednesday got off to a good start with a Kilpeck Inn breakfast, then back home for work. Got quite a few larger bits of work out of the way on Weds and Thurs, no VWW and a short Family Zoom.
Admin on Friday, did the shorter Cockyard walk via KG to post cards to use up the last of my old-style stamps, pottered and prepped for Tom’s weekend visit.
In the evening we walked down to KG for rescheduled Christmas-New Year drinks and had a lovely evening. Just a shame we had to leave at 10pm to weave our way home where Tom awaited having been dropped off earlier by dad. Cheese and biscuits, then bed.
Alarm-start on Saturday, to ensure Tom and I got to EH for my 10am GVWC walk. Cloudy and cool, but the week had warmed up and Tuesday’s frozen mud was now muddy mud. A larger turn out than the sign up forms had suggested, but I had a smashing morning. What a relief. Medical rehydration at The Temple until the last of the walkers headed off, leaving Tom and I to enjoy a late lunch – and another half of Butty Bach….
We walked back home over the Common and then relaxed in the lounge with the log fire on. Light supper, 10pm bed.
Bonfired Sunday while Tom had a lie in, then a short walk Canns Hill – Wellfield – Thistly Field before driving over to Gwatkins Red Cow for their much recommended Sunday Lunch. The rave reviews did not lie and we got to experience the bar area – smashing! We’ll be back….
Dropped Tom off at Abergavenny then home for a lazy late afternoon and evening – and the penultimate episode of Happy Valley……
To A’s for tea and catch up Monday morning, back for a late lunch, cleaned my boots (leather and trek) then gardening jobs – sprinkled the log fire ashes, pruned the deutzia, planted two of the baby oaks in the gap in the hedge between the yew trees, redistributed the accumulated ash from the bonfire.
Packed for Manchester, dinner and telly.
Lots of long tailed tits on the bird feeders this week. And a wagtail ventured to scavenge below the pear tree.
Two goldfinches in mum’s camellia.
Snowdrops, aconites and primulas – all out.
Daffodils in bud in a few sheltered spots along the lanes. Tulips coming through on the willow tree stump and on the verges at our junction. I don’t think they’re the ones Phil and I planted last December, but the previous ones, from Jean, planted this time last year.
On the kitchen project, we decided against signing on the dotted line with Wren. A bit too high pressure and we need more time to work out exactly what we want in terms of layout, types of unit and fridge / freezer / oven etc. We are currently at the “Maybe we’ll just change the doors worktops and flooring” stage. Watch this space!
TV: Narcos (finished season 2), Happy Valley (series 3), Our Flag Means Death (finished season 1), Fight the Power: How Hip Hop Changed the World.
Podcasts: The History of England, Books and Authors, History Extra.
Photos: Herefordshire week 161 on Flickr.
Phil: w/e 2023-01-29.
Bit late publishing this week (Friday 03 Feb) – busy morning in Abergavenny on Tuesday 31 Jan, and then straight up to Manchester for my working week. Read all about it next Tuesday!