The Collar and the Cab

Yesterday was a rather special one. My hubby and I went to the publishers to collect some books. At long last, after years in the writing his book has at long last been published. Whoop whoop.

 First glance of the book was seeing it on a trolley. Soooooooooooooooo exciting.

Then Mr P actually gets to hold one of his books. All these years of seeing him busily working on this book and then this year seeing him reading it over and over again, checking for mistakes. Now here it is for real.

Mr P spent ages pouring over all the details of various publishing companies. Eventually he chose Troubador and then when he went to visit them discovered they were just up the road from us in Kibworth. They have been excellent and have really helped him with everything in order to get this book published.

Mr P has helped to write a book before, but this time it is a very different subject matter and onlyhe is the author. But this book is a great manual if you are struggling with depression and is available on amazon.

Another lovely coincidence re the book is that it came out on the day of my younger daughter's birthday and TJ is the initials of my youngest son. Should also say it is thanks to my youngest daughter for designing the book and drawing the book cover.

Well one happy hubby and I'm one very very proud wife. Believe it or not I have not read the book. I decided I wanted to read it as a hard copy. Tomorrow night we are heading off to France for a long camping weekend and the book is coming with me. Happy bank holiday weekend.


Oh PS if you would like to read the book then you can leave a message and I will get back to you with details of how I can send you the book and how to pay. Or maybe you'd like to read some excerpts and decide whether to buy the book go to my hubby's blog here.

Stuffed Up

OK I am writing this blog with a very full belly. Yep this weekend has been full of wondrous food. It started with a trip to Leeds to stay with some friends. Now both hubby and wife are great cooks so it would be rather rude not to eat the food. They also have the most amazing coffee machines - yes plural is correct! So Mr P and I rather enjoyed the delicious coffees. Now in between eating and drinking we managed to roll ourselves outside to a National Trust venue - Beningbrough Hall.

The gardens were truly amazing. I loved the walled garden the best.

Wouldn't this be a fantastic way of dividing a garden or planting against a boring wall.

Or how wonderful to build an arch with fruit trees. So many ideas.

Scattered around the gardens were these bikes and scooters for the children. I love the way they were just abandoned in the middle of a path - great idea.

The blossom on the trees were amazing - so lovely to see these children just running through the trees enjoying the magic.

Now who'd have thought there were so many types of wooden pegs created over the years.

Now the reason for all these 300 teacups is because the Hall is celebrating 300 years of being built. Lady Victoria Dawnay lived in the hall from 1892 until the early 1900s. She was the granddaughter of the Prime Minister Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey after whom Earl Grey tea is named .

Having fun in the children's room.

The next day we went to our friend's allotment. I love looking at allotments. Thought this greenhouse was cute.

I love seeing what junk etc people use to make their allotment useful.

Everybody's patch has a bath allocated to them. This one had some extra visitors.

Some have got their patches as a garden, because they do not have one where they live.

The afternoon was spent at Middleton Woods. Now I never knew these woods existed. Oh it was a delight with all the bluebells.

Well we had a lovely weekend and were fed as if we had no eaten for weeks. This week I'm trying to adjust my eating! Well time for bed. Good night all.

I Do Like Bank Holidays

Oh I do wish every month had a bank holiday. Mr P and I had a lovely long weekend in Northern Ireland, spending time with our oldest child and her hubby.

My daughter suggested we took a walk in the grounds of Stormont, where the Northern Irish parliament sits. What we had not realised was that we could go inside and were treated to a private tour.

Afterwards we headed to The Lamppost Cafe, created in the the theme of Narnia.

In order to get inside you have to go through the wardrobe!

Inside were various Narnia bits and pieces.

After a yummy lunch we then head to the Titanic quarter. Mr P headed to the Titanic Museum and us
girlies headed to a craft show!

The excuse being that I wanted to go and see Fabric Affair, to buy a book. My daughter ended up with some gorgeous mermaid fabric to make a skirt.

This whole area has been developed wonderfully and I look forward to going back and seeing more. On the way home we stopped off at a petrol station to get ice cream! I cannot get my head around these stores. They are amazing they sell everything and have a wonderful array of breads and ice cream.

The next day we headed to Donegal.

Oh boy I have fallen in love with the county - it is so beautiful and I know that we shall visit again.
But meanwhile here are a few pictures....

Castle Doe

Here I am only braving putting my hands in the sea. Don't let the sun fool you, it had been snowing earlier!

Now I promise - totally by accident we came across a tweed mill. After we went inside it became apparent that this was where Fabric Affair buys their tweed - what a small world. Mr P was lovely and said I could have some tweed.

Anyway Donegal is a must.

Next day we were back in Northern Ireland.

Daughter displaying her cute knitted jacket.





























Time for a cake and coffee, in Bangor.

The last day was spent at Castle Ward. Here, some of the series, Games of Thrones was filmed. It was exciting to see this venue as this is where my son in law played a part in the series. Also he played an archer in the latest film Dracula Untold, in the Belfast studios, in the Titanic Quarter.

Here's my son-in-law showing off his recently gained strength from the gym.

I was about to say there's something appealing about bells when I realised my pun!

Never seen a tree with so many nobby bits.


























Since this visit I have had an email from the National Trust asking me to fill in a survey about this visit. But the question that made me laugh was the options for the weather that day. I found myself filling in that we had rain, sun, hot and cold. They probably think I'm a bit of a nutter - they're probably right.

Well all very soon it was time to leave N.Ireland but not until we had a visit to A.J's Diner, in Downpatrick.

After we left there was a queue up the street. past all the election posters! Golly you don't see those on the mainland anymore. In fact Mr P and I have just voted and we had absolutely no information about the candidates.

Well bed is calling.