It is the month of June, the month of leaves and roses, when pleasant sights salute the eyes and pleasant scents the noses.
Nathaniel Parker Willis
No Comments CherryPie on Jun 2nd 2026
We visited the very first UK Games Expo in 2007 and bought a couple of games to add to my small new games collection; Pillars of the Earth (I loved the book) and Nexus Ops, both very different games.
After all this time it seemed appropriate to visit the Expo as it celebrated its 20th birthday. The Expo has expanded significantly since its early days in a Masonic hall, now taking over 5 halls in Birmingham’s NEC.
We certainly noticed the difference, walking over 4.5 miles during the day. The only purchases we made were expansions to games that we already own; Heat Pedal to the Metal, Castle Combo and Dixit. I was also pleased to see there is an upcoming expansion to Kelp which is one of my current favourite games.
During our visit I had a lucky escape from a Dalek, it was its day off from ‘Extermination’ duties.
No Comments CherryPie on May 31st 2026
Kiftsgate Court Gardens has been on my ‘To Do’ list for far too long. When we visited the nearby Hidcot Garden several years ago, a friend told us that he thought that Kiftsgate was the better garden of the two. We have been meaning to visit ever since but every time we were in the area the garden was closed.
Kiftsgate was on my radar ‘to visit’ during our recent holiday in Winchester but Mr C thought he would rather visit as a day trip from home. Today (27th May) was that day. The journey was a little dull but the weather was perfect. We had lunch in the courtyard where we found a shaded table before entering the garden.
We are Historic Houses members so were able to visit the gardens for free as part of the membership. The lady who checked us in suggested we visit the upper gardens first before descending into the lower garden area and that is what we did
The pathway down to the lower garden is a little narrow and uneven and, from time to time, we had to step aside to let others pass by. At one point Mr C stepped aside to let a family past, he complimented the young girl (being carried by her father) on her Angel wings. A little bit of conversation ensued as the family passed by.
Then I heard the words, ‘I am Megan’ and I was transported back to the previous day when I was a Visitor Reception volunteer at Attingham Park. A young girl walked ahead of her parents right up to a fellow volunteer and said to him, ‘My name is Megan’, and as her parents caught up with her she said,, ‘Have you met my brother?’ A brief conversation ensued before the family left to enjoy their visit to Attingham Park.
Back to Kiftsgate, the words, ‘I am Megan’, caused me to look to see if there was a brother following. There was, so as the family passed me, much to their surprise I asked them if they had visited Attingham the day before. I explained that I was at visitor reception when they arrived and we had a brief conversation before we went on our different ways along the path.
Kiftsgate garden was well worth the wait and we had the perfect weather to enjoy it.
Much later, we dined on the patio enjoying the warm-but-welcome cooler temperature after the heatwave.
2 Comments CherryPie on May 29th 2026
For a change the bank holiday weekend was sunny rather than rainy. Sadly, we weren’t able to take advantage of the sunny weekend because Mr C was suffering with food poisoning.
Thankfully, on bank holiday Monday Mr C felt much better and we were able to enjoy a mini adventure to one of our favourite places, Hodnet Hall. We enjoyed mackerel pate for lunch and then a short walk to the walled garden before returning to the car to pick up some essential supplies from Sainsbury’s on our way home.
No Comments CherryPie on May 25th 2026
If you respond consciously, what you want will happen. If you react compulsively, what someone else wants will happen.
Sadhguru
No Comments CherryPie on May 24th 2026
Just as I was about to leave the school the fire alarm sounded. The school was evacuated and the roll call taken which meant I was delayed until the all clear had been given.
I walked home the long way round in glorious sunshine.
No Comments CherryPie on May 22nd 2026
Who knew that hidden in the Welsh countryside there was an Inn with my name…
On the way to Chester we realised that the museum that Mr C intended to visit is closed on Wednesdays. After being delayed by roadworks and diversions and very slow service at the Grosvenor garden centre just outside Chester we decided not to visit the city. Instead Mr C took us on Welsh mystery tour where we spotted the Inn with my name. Mr C parked the car and insisted I took a photo.
Eventually the mystery tour led us to Denbigh and signposts to the castle. We navigated the extremely narrow roads to the castle to find that it too was closed on Wednesdays.
Maybe we should rule out Wednesdays for future days out!
No Comments CherryPie on May 20th 2026
