us and frank cat Fi | 14 May 2012
Good times
The weather has been garbage for May. Cold, wet and windy and the river has broken its banks. I was worried for the nesting river birds, especially the Kingfishers.
Work – hectic. Diet – failed!
But, Friday evening Frank and Kate came over for drinks and a game or two of cards. Hector won fair and square. As ever we had a great time. Kate brought me some lovely flowers and a sweet drapey scarf. Bless her.
On Saturday morning some much needed sunshine and we headed down the M6 to visit Helene and Martin. We took Rosie and she was quite happy on the back seat in her harness attached to the seat belt clip. We were there by lunch time and in no time at all Rosie and their dog Monty were quite happy together.
After a cuppa we headed out on the track through the fields to the canal where lots of narrowboats were chugging along or moored up. I especially love the ones that people live on – storing logs on their roof and with pots of flowers here and there. Makes me long for some time slowly bumbling along the canals in a little boat. (sigh)
Our detonation was Shugborough and after walking over Essex Bridge. If you stand on the Essex Bridge, you can see where the river Sow meets the river Trent.
Lying on the River Trent one hundred yards downstream of the junction with the River Sow, it was built in 1550 by the then Earl of Essex for Queen Elizabeth I so that when she visited the estate she could go hunting in the woodland around the local village.[citation needed] It is now the longest remaining packhorse bridge in England with 14 of its original 40 span arches left.[citation needed]
The bridge carries the long distance footpath The Staffordshire Way over the River Trent, linking the Trent and Mersey Canal tow-path with the bridal way over the Shugborough estate to Cannock Chase.
Helene and I at Shugborough. While this picture was taken I put my camera bag down (containing binoculars, camera lens and battery) and some time later when we stopped at the cafe for a drink realised i had left it there. Hector dashed back and thankfully someone had handed it in.

The grounds at Shugborough are lovely. Later we all went out for an Indian in Satfford. The lovely Charlotte their second daughter came too. Three giggling girls in the back of Martins new (dashboard straight from the Starship Enterprise) sleek Jaguar. The giggling continued over dinner and chat was lively, full of laughter and didn’t falter. LOVED IT!
On Sunday morning I took a short walk with the two dogs who were quite happy walking on leads side by side. A skylark kept us company trilling in the blue sky above us.
After breakfast Helene and I took a spin in her BMW soft-top and broke the speed limit by 140% when she floored it and I was thrust back into my seat. A real Thelma and Louise moment. We joined the boys at a pub before heading back for a full Sunday roast – all done by Martin. I have to say I have NEVER had such wonderful Yorkshire pudding. Prize winning stuff I feel sure.

































































































