Monday, Mail and Me - ok just me

 We went to Liverpool to a funeral. This is me in the only top I have that isn't a T-shirt just about to write in the book of condolence. Never been to a funeral with one of those before - not one I have seen anyway. We met up with cousin Ela and after we had spoken to Dolores (Cousin Richie's wife) and Laura (Cousin Richie's step-daughter) we had a little of the food and then made for the hotel. Ela met us later in Wetherspoons and we had a relaxed meal while talking all the time.

We had decided to stay in Southport over night, because we knew the hotel, and come home the pretty way. Someone forgot to check on road works so we had an interesting detour around Hereford but that's a different story and not really worth telling except that Mr M was shouting at the rain because it had stayed with us all the way.

 Before we left we had to have breakfast. There are several places in Southport that we have tried and we like Andy's Snack Bar the best. We could check out from the Travelodge, put our bags into the car and walk around the corner for breakfast. Cousin Russell is looking a little better and he tells me he has gained 6 pounds since he got here - Perhaps now he can see why Mr M and I don't lose weight.

This year I seem to be trying to get the ultimate "Clouds-across-the-mountains" picture. It always looks so photogenic so I click away and then discover that the window was shut and my eyes had ignored the raindrops. -sigh.

The lesser spotted Blaenau Wharf

I scored a point! a whole point! What? you don't understand? You mean you don't play the points game? OH. Let me explain. You have to say something that makes the person you are with Laugh out loud, and preferably snort as well even if they don't want to. You should score double points if they are having a bit of a sulk when you manage it but that's something to ... discuss at the time.

Today we were out for a ride and were waiting at the traffic lights to turn into the Costco car park. Mr M was peering ahead and said

"So that's a Marsden's pub, The Sandpiper, like the Blaenau Wharf."

"Oh," I said with my Saturday head on and in full working order, "so they are all named after birds then"

Mr M laughed so hard he nearly forgot to move when the lights changed to green. When he could breathe again he said

"Yes, the twitchers come for miles to see a lesser-spotted Blaenau Wharf"

And then he awarded me a point!

We went to Cold Knapp because there are dragons - see, in the picture? oh can you only see a plane coming into Cardiff Airport? We-ell. When they are at a certain distance from their objective and if they are at a certain angle they look just like dragons to this little old lady's eyes. This gives us a really good reason to go to Cold Knapp and open the windows to top up our sea noises storage tank and to watch the Dragons arrive - the clouds were pretty good too. 

I did another good laugh line here too but didn't score a point (he's really mean with them) I said.

"The trouble is it is very difficult to tell a close up seagull to a faraway dragon. He laughed but said nul point

Bit of a Trauma

Bit of a hiatus in the blogiverse for me. You see it was my birthday at the end of September and we had enjoyed a jolly good day and we were looking forward to my daughter's birthday just after. I woke up the day after my birthday and for some reason felt compelled to fire up the face book page.

 

 That's when I learned that my cousin Richie had died the night before. His lovely wife could not access any telephone or emails because his phone was thumbprint locked - think about this people - so the only way she could tell his family was to put the announcement on FB and pray that we would see it.
I am ashamed to say I totally freaked out and turned into shrieky cow. Full out panic for at least an hour because his brother lives in Mexico and I didn't want Brother's wife to go on FB and see the announcement before I had a chance to tell him the news. Thank goodness for the six hour time difference. I did manage to tell him before he saw the FB page and so we then had to wait while he made arrangements to fly home earlier than planned He arrived stressed and grieving and I am under instruction to feed him to make him put on weight - I can do that!!!

 We took him out for the day on Saturday and here we are in The Rest Cafe waiting for breakfast. Do I look tired and fed up? I wasn't, I was actually just feeling hungry.

We then went out for a little ride - as we do - and went to Clive's fruit farm. Now is the time to visit there. You can sit in the cafe with ease and then move further and further away from the wood burning stove as you shed layer of clothes. They had Howden Wonder apples which I am advised are perfect for apple butter and I also bought bacon and pork pies and more apples and pears. Cousin Russ was suitably impressed.