Recently we held a board games evening for our friends. There were seven of us in total which meant we could just about squeeze round the dining table to play the games.

Rather than cook a meal we decided to do a buffet spread which we laid out in the kitchen. This led to relaxed dining in the lounge rather than more formal dining around the table. I was pleased with how the spread looked, although I think we need a bigger kitchen!

After breakfast we walked down Steep Hill in order to join the 10.30 guided tour of Lincoln’s Stonebow and Guild Hall which has been the meeting place of the City Council since Medieval times. We arrived early so we spent a few minutes in Waterstones where I perused the board game section.

When it was time to join the tour, we returned to the Guild Hall where a few minutes later we were greeted by Richard, who, because as we were the only two, treated Mr C and I to a personal guided tour.

The tour and talk covered the council chambers, the history of Lincoln, the Mayors and Sheriffs of Lincoln and the basement where all the city’s ceremonial regalia and other treasures are stored. We learned about ceremonial swords versus swords used in combat and the orientation of the markings on the hilt.

One of the swords in the collection is the actual sword used by King Henry VIII (Henry Tudor) at the Battle of Stoke Field in 1487. He presented it to the city in an attempt to secure the loyalty of Lincoln’s aldermen and with them the city.

The mace in the collection is from the time of Charles I and is unusual because it is unaltered. Most such maces had their Royal markings removed by Cromwell’s government during the period of Commonwealth.

In this room we were also shown various charters and seals presented to Lincoln by different monarchs over the years. This almost made up for the missing magna carta.

As we walked round the building, we noticed a photograph of a more recent Royal visit which also pictured Richard in his ceremonial hat. We recognised seeing him it the day before as part of the Freedom Parade.

The tour was excellent, I would recommend it to anyone interested in history.

After the tour we returned to Waterstones to finish browsing the board game section before visiting another local independent board game shop. We were specifically looking for games that accommodate 6 players or more but these are few and far between. We left empty handed but by now Mr C was on a mission and there was just one more board game shop in Lincoln. This turned out to be further away than he thought and when we arrived it turned out to stock mostly miniature figures for war and fantasy games rather than board games. Our route to the shop took us past the 16th century St Mary’s conduit which supplied drinking water to Lincoln until 1906.

The owner chatted to us and it turned out he was originally from Walsall and we started reminiscing how that area including Birmingham had changed over the years. When we had finished chatting it was time for lunch. Suitable lunch options were a bit sparse in the lower town so we returned to Madame Waffle before embarking on the walk ‘up’ Steep Hill.

Mr C stopped to enjoy the model shop and I continued walking up the hill. I paused at the bottom of the steepest part of the hill and a passing lady stopped to ask me if I was alright. I was, but how lovely of her to stop and ask.

Back in the cultural quarter we visited the Museum of Lincolnshire Life where I was captivated by the same displays, I enjoyed on my previous visit in 2016. We then sought out a nearby secret garden, the John Dawber Garden, which on arrival we realised we had visited before when we stayed in the adjacent Charlotte Hotel.

We made our way back to Cathedral View stopping for drink at the Lion and Snake on the way. The weather was lovely so we were able to enjoy it sitting outside in the sunshine. Back at the B&B I was challenged to another game of 7 Wonders Duel and just to be consistent I lost again…

We dined in Thailand No. 1. We found it to have a warm and vibrant atmosphere and delicious food. We returned to the Lion and Snake (next door) for a night cap before returning our billet for the evening.

A friend was visiting to work on a war game scenario with Mr C followed by board games. I had just enough time for a local walk in the glorious sunshine. On my walk I took a selfie in the same place I took the rainy-day selfie on my way back from my recent volunteering at a local school.

Back at home we enjoyed a game of Pillars of the Earth. Then we sat on the patio soaking up the sunshine before a roast beef dinner.

After dinner we played another board game, Zooloretto. I have lost my touch; I didn’t win either of them… But I came a close second

We finished our weekend shop and dropped off a few items for mum before setting off for some fun in the sun. We thought we might lunch in Apley Farm shop on our way to Bridgnorth. When we arrived the café was full, with only outdoor seating available. It was lovely and sunny but far too windy to enjoy eating lunch outside so we continued our journey to Bridgnorth where we enjoyed lunch ‘with a view’ in Violets Tea Room.

I chose a a warmed lemon scone with butter and my lunchtime drink of choice, Elderflower Presse. After our order had been taken Mr C received a message from a friend. “I know it is short notice but I am available for a board game tonight”. Mr C replied that we were available. What game would I choose…

After lunch, it was lovely to step away from Bridgnorth’s  busy streets and enjoy a quiet walk around the perimeter of the Castle Gardens, taking in panoramic views over Bridgnorth, including the rugby pitch which looked more like a swimming pool after the recent rainfalls and flooding.

After walking around the perimeter I stepped Inside the tranquil Castle Gardens and I wondered how the tower keep (all that remains of the Castle), defying the laws of gravity, is still standing!

We returned to the town centre where Mr C and I had a separate random encounter with one of his friends. The street was rather crowded  with people bustling everywhere. I ploughed my way through to a quiet area beyond the market stall, thinking Mr C was behind me. When I turned round I realised that it was a couple following in my footsteps rather than Mr C.

I looked back down the street and couldn’t see him anywhere even when the street was clear of people. I reached for my phone to call him when suddenly I heard a voice next to me saying ‘he is down there’. When I looked to see who had spoken I realised it was that friend of Mr C, we had a brief chat and a hug before he had to rush off.

After our Bridgnorth excursion we enjoyed ‘Fine Dining’ followed by a lovely evening that included the aforementioned board gaming with our friend. We played Alhambra followed by Exploding Kittens!

I invite you to join me at Vision & Verb where I share my life long enjoyment of board games.