If I had a Vacuum Cleaner......

We went out today, with Mr and Mrs Bluefunnel. We had a place we wanted to take them. We didn't tell them where we were going so it was, to quote Mr M, "a magical mystery tour without the magic"
We took them to Lechlade-on-Thames where there is a wonderful shop - The Christmas Shop - google it. If you like any little part of Christmas, and even if you aren't that bothered, it is just a fabulous place AND it is open all year around.
Mrs B was so excited she couldn't remember any of the tree decorations that she had and her mind went blank. So did mine because I totally forgot to take a single picture while we were there. I think this is because I want to go back again. Perhaps I'll take my daughter...

We hadn't really planned anything for after the Christmas shop so we let Mr B give directions to Mr M about which way to turn at junctions even though it was a non badge day. Um, I need to explain that don't I? Right.
When Mr M and I were in the Lake District we went on the Ravenglass to Dalegarth Railway and in the little shop I found some badges Driver, Fireman, Guard and Signalman. Ever since then we have worn those badges for our day out. Depending on who is driving as to who gets what badge. Today I searched my handbag and realised that I had taken the badges out since last time and forgotten to put them back in!!! Then, as we drove out of Wales over the Severn Bridge we realised that Mr B had forgotten his blue badge for disabled parking - sigh - it was a non badge day.

It's spitting! let's get in there

Mr B saw a sign for the Cotswold Woollen Weavers Mrs B and I decided that we did want to go there and have a look so we did a turn around and followed the signs. It was amazing! I was so strong and didn't buy a single piece of the fantastic woollen cloth they had, although my mind was conjuring up images of things I could make.

We nearly sprinted across the car park because it was just starting to rain as we got out of the car.

impossible not to touch

Mr B headed for the coffee shop while Mr M headed for the loos and Mrs B and I went in and began the meticulous investigation. There is a weaving museum mixed in with all the stuff for sale    and it is just so interesting to come across ancient tools and things when you are just admiring a particularly fine weave. Well, it is for me anyway.

Upstairs was even more exciting with loads of old fashioned toys and games to buy. I think I need to go back there too.

There were huge leather-bound books with real vellum pages that contained the pattern library for the weavers. Each one has hundreds of pages and each page can have a dozen samples of a particular weave in different colourways. There were five long shelves of them!

each one of these tomes is a pattern book with the
 weave patterns stored in them

 From there we went to a farm-shop with a restaurant. I have forgotten the name of it but the food was delicious even though the shop was just ok. We were heading slowly towards Cheltenham so that we could then go towards Gloucester and stop at Over Market. Now that's a farm shop! They have huge wooden crates outside the door with Pumpkins and cabbages of all colours and bags of apples - 2.5kilos for 3pounds, I bought Bramleys and Russets. I also bought a big Red Cabbage because I want to pickle some for Christmas.

The Silver Fox Cafe, under newer management

We then travelled towards Chepstow. This meant we had to stop at the Silver Fox Cafe - highly recommended on previous occasions but it has been transformed! It used to be a truckers cafe, all formica topped tables and pictures of old trucks on the walls. Now there are squishy sofas in the first room and there are table cloths and placemats on the tables. It was here that I said it.
We were reading the menu and Mr B pointed at something and said "does that say Waghorns of Prestbury?" I looked at it and said "If I had a vacuum cleaner I could read that."
My mind was saying magnifying glass but my mouth said vacuum cleaner. Of course they ribbed me all the way home about it and everytime something came up about reading or seeing Mrs B would say "She could see it if she had a vacuum cleaner. On two occasions I said it myself! I suspect that this will be one of those phrases that remains as a family joke for centuries.