By the time I got to work today I was beginning to wonder if staying in bed would have been a better option.
Firstly, I reversed off my drive and did my usual visual check to make sure no windows or doors were open. Then I started to drive off and notice that the locked gate was wide open. I was about to reverse back so I could get onto the drive to check it out when a car came up behind me. I had to do a journey round the block to get back to my driveway. After a quick check and a phone call I was informed it had been done on purpose and that I wasn’t supposed to notice the gate was open :-/
My next port of call was the petrol station to top up with petrol. The petrol pumps seemed to be on a go slow, which meant standing around in the ice cold wind for several minutes. I turned up at work feeling rather windswept, only to encounter some wise cracks about my time of arrival.
At lunchtime I went to the local Town Centre to buy some lunch, and do some business transactions. Unfortunately I had forgotten it was the night before Christmas and was irritated when I saw the queues to the car parks. Finally I got parked up and managed to do some of the things on my list, but not all of them. To my annoyance the sandwich cabinet was quite bare, so lunch wasn’t quite as planned. I have made a note that the TC is a place to avoid until after Christmas.
Then just as I made my final approach back to work after lunch, a foreign lorry was driving way to slow and rather erratically in front of me as another lorry was speeding up behind me!!!…
To escape the situation I had to turn into my works car park with no room to maneuverer, but just as I did that a man stepped out in front of me. I had to drive forward as much as I could without hitting the man and hope for the best. I did pip my car horn at him but he just turned round and smiled quite oblivious of what was going on. I waited for the crunch which quite amazingly didn’t happen.
Maybe I should have stayed in bed…
Tags: Life, Northumber- land, Vacation
Alnwick Castle has been home to the Percy family since 1309 when Henry Lord Percy purchased Alnwick Castle moving the family north from Yorkshire. It is the second largest inhabited castle in England.
The earliest mention of Alnwick Castle in the history books appears soon after 1096 when Yves de Vescy became baron of Alnwick and erected the earliest parts of the Castle.
The Castle was first restored, primarily as a fortress, by the 1st Lord Percy of Alnwick in the early 1300’s and portions of this restoration remain today, including the Abbot’s Tower, the Middle Gateway and the Constable’s Tower.
Since then generations of Percys have continued to make their mark. During the late 17th century the Castle fell into decay until Elizabeth Seymour and her husband Hugh Smithson, later to become the first Duke and Duchess of Northumberland, took up the challenge and turned it into a family residence of “gothick” style with the help of architects such as Robert Adam and the landscape designer, Capability Brown.
Algernon, Fourth Duke later replaced the 18th century “gothick”, employing the architect Anthony Salvin.
Since then modern comforts have been added, and Alnwick Castle was one of the first homes in the North East to have electricity. Run by a recently restored hydro electric system installed in 1889, there was enough power produced to run 100 electric lamps.
When I walked past the garden I must admit to feeling a little regret at not having time to visit it as well. So near but so far… Well there is always next time isn’t there?
Tags: Alnwick Castle, History, Northumber- land, Vacation
The Lion Bridge at Alnwick spans the river Aln and was built in 1770 to replace an earlier bridge which had been destroyed by flooding. It gets it’s name from the sculpture of the Percy Lion which is situated on the bridge. The Percy Lion was made in 1773 by John Knowles and is distinctive for its long straight tail. It is formed around cast lead and situated on a sandstone plinth forming part of the bridge.
When I viewed the Lion Bridge from the castle, I thought it would be nice to get a close-up photograph of the Lion. As I approached around the corner onto the bridge I got a shock; it looked rather like the Lion had had an umbrella stuck up his bum! I am not sure what caused the damage, but it gave me a challenge trying to get some decent photos…
Tags: Alnwick Castle, Northumber- land, The Lion Bridge, The Percy Lion, Vacation
You are on a horse riding away.
On the left side is a long drop.
On the right is an Elephant going at the same speed.
In front is a Kangaroo which you can’t pass.
Behind is a Lion.
How do you get out of this dangerous situation?
Highlight for the answer: Get off the kids roundabout and start acting your age!!!
Tags: Alnwick, Lion Bridge, Northumber- land, The Percy Lion, Vacation
There are too many people, and too few human beings.
Robert Zend
Tags: Cherie's Place Thought, Dunstanburgh, Northumber- land, Sheep, Vacation
The Angel of the North is one of those things you either love or hate. It always makes me smile so I must be in the former category. According to the information board it is one of the most viewed pieces of art in the world – seen by more than one person every second, 90,000 every day or 33 million every year. The information board doesn’t mention that the reason the angel is seen by so many people is because it is situated next to the A1 and is therefore viewed by everyone who drives past on this major road.
It was certainly attracting a lot of visitors on the day that I was there. It is the largest sculpture in Britain and believed to be the largest angel sculpture in the world.
Of course I wasn’t clever enough to take the bottom photograph myself, but some things just have to be done 
Tags: Angel of the North, Gateshead, Vacation
It seems that I have been commenting so much over at nourishing obscurity that I have been given an award for my contributions. I find it difficult not to comment because nourishing obscurity’s posts are always interesting and varied, even controversial at times.
Winning an award for commenting so much made me smile because I am often told how quiet I am, although people who know me quite well start sniggering when they hear this type of remark. I have no idea why
Tags: Award, Blog, Blogging
