DAY OUT IN FRANCE 29TH JANAURY 2011

GARETHS 34TH BIRTHDAY 23RD JANUARY 2011

STARSOUND

STARSOUND - FUNCTION COVERS BAND

FUHLEN TRIP - EARLY NOVEMBER 2010

Cynth and myself flew on from Manchester to Padderborn on the wednesday night, flights were on time, weather was very wet, Natalie picked us us, arrived Fuhlen at 1.15am, following morning i went with Nat and the kids to see Oliver off to Kindergarten.

All seemed fine, we decided to do some shopping in Hameln.

Thursday I borrowed Natalies, to pick up Sali from Hannover Airport Terminal B, I arrived at Terminal C, we finally met up, arrived back at Fuheln to a lovely lasagne hor meal.

Friday Rainer and myself picked up Gareth from Hannover Airport, prior to that, I met up with Rainers music teacher for his guitar lesson in a wonderfull attic music studio, where we jammed some blues music using the electro drum kit.

Saturday we went to Polle for a lovely 3 course meal, and visited northern Germanys oldest monestry.

Sunday we did a sunday brunch in Hameln, finally we took the kids to the local swings, before setting off my return flight to Manchester Airport. Gareth and Sali flew back to Birmingham Airport, I had to pick them up from Wolverhampton Station.

Cynth stayed on till the following Sunday, helping out etc etc.

ERDIGG - WRECSAM - NATIONAL TRUST VISIT SATURDAY 30TH OCTOBER

We decided to meet Wendy, Val and Jeremy at the National Trust ERDIGG near Wrecsam, it was a great Autumn day, there was a special Halloween Festival on. We all took a picnic,we all thought the house was a wonderfull recovery by the National Trust to capture the early workings of this jewel in the crown. We finally ended up with a lovely scrummy pub meal on route home.Herewith a history of ERDIGG WRECSAM.

When Joshua Edisbury was appointed as High Sheriff of Denbighshire, he decided to build a grand, new house more befitting of his status than the humble family home in which he was raised. A mile outside of Wrexham, the building of Erddig began in 1684 to the designs of Thomas Webb, and has survived with remarkably little structural change to the main core of the house. Edisbury's extravagant plans for the house, combined with his diminishing resources, eventually bankrupted him, causing him to leave Erddig, and Wales. Subsequently being purchased by John Meller, a wealthy barrister and bachelor, Erdigg remained in the family for the next 250 years or so. Extended by new wings at either end of the building to provide a Chapel and additional dressing rooms, Meller then installed many pieces of fine furniture to complete his now lavishly decorated new home.

Philip Yorke, the great nephew of Meller, and his wife Elizabeth, unarguably had the most impact on Erddig, altering the front elevation of the house, remodelling and refurbishing many of the rooms, and reorganising the estate. Among his many pursuits and interests, Philip was a dedicated historian with a developing interest in the lives of everyday people. The servants and estate workers at Erddig were always highly thought of by the Yorke family, and this relationship is amusingly demonstrated in some of Philip's artistic work. It was he who started the unusual tradition of having the servants painted, and these pictures would be accompanied by quirky little ditties composed by Philip. Many of these delightful paintings can now be seen hanging in the servants' hall and along the corridor.

During the early 19th century a large, Regency dining room was created by Philip's son and heir, Simon, and this was the last major work undertaken at Erddig, although regular maintenance of the family treasures continued. Every member of the family that lived in this vast country house had an undeniable appreciation for its history and its treasures, each in turn preserving and restoring whatever required attention. Despite this, Erdigg became severely run down after the First World War and, without sufficient money, and the onset of the Second World War, the situation deteriorated further.

The final straw came when the coal industry was nationalised in 1947, effectively taking away the estate's major source of income, and this was immediately followed by the National Coal Board's decision to mine directly under the house, compounding its declining structural state. It was only through grit and determination, not to mention some small measure of eccentricity on the part of the last two Yorke brothers, that Erddig has survived so remarkably intact.
Set in very picturesque grounds, this fascinating house of contrasts is an absolute delight to explore. Unlike many great country homes and manor houses filled with priceless art collections and exquisite furnishings, Erddig is just crammed full of treasures that say more about the different personalities of the family members.

One thing they all certainly had in common was the fact that none of them liked to throw anything away, however worthless or insignificant the article might have seemed at the time, and this adds immensely to the interest. The National Trust have recently made the attic rooms accessible and these really are the place to indulge in a good rummage around the assorted paraphernalia of a bygone era.

TRIP TO PENRYN CASTLE BANGOR NORTH WALES - NATIONAL TRUST

We decided to take a trip to the National Trust Penryn Castle near Bangor on Sunday 17th October 2010, the weather stayed very sunny then clouded over later.

This enormous 19th-century neo-Norman castle sits between Snowdonia and the Menai Strait. It is crammed with fascinating items, such as a one-ton slate bed made for Queen Victoria, elaborate carvings, plasterwork and mock-Norman furniture, in addition it has an outstanding collection of paintings. The restored kitchens are a delight and the stable block houses a fascinating industrial railway museum, a model railway museum and a superb dolls' museum. The 24.3 hectares (60 acres) of grounds include parkland, an exotic tree and shrub collection as well as a Victorian walled garden.

We finally travelled a few miles down the A55 to a Wildlife Trust Birding Hide to do some birdwatching on the Menai Estuary, quite session with Shelduck,Lapwings, Oystercatchers,Greenshank, Curlews,B H Gulls, Flocks of Starlings.

BIRDING ON THE WIRRAL- SUNDAY 3RD OCTOBER 2010

The Dee Estuary, on the North Wales / North-West England border, is one of the United Kingdom's premier birding locations for wetland and shorebirds.

Decided to go bird watching on the Dee Estuary at RSPB Inner Marsh Farm along the front at Parkgate,Hoylake and New Brighton. The weather was very poor heavy rain from early doors till 2.30pm, after that the weather was sunny. Birds seen on the day,Little Stints,Spotted Redshank,Redshank, Black Tailed Godwits, Curlew, Oystercatchers, Dunlin, Black Tern,Gannets,Greenshank,Shovelers,Mute Swans

SPEKE HALL AND JOHN LENNONS AND PAUL MCCARTNEYS CHILD HOOD HOMES - SUNDAY 26TH SEPTEMBER 2010

A combined escorted tour of Mendips and 20 Forthlin Road, the childhood homes of John Lennon and Paul McCartney, is your only opportunity to see where the Beatles met, composed and rehearsed many of their earliest songs. Imagine walking through the back door into the kitchen where John's Aunt Mimi would have cooked him his tea, or standing in the spot where Lennon and McCartney composed 'I Saw Her Standing There'. Join our custodians on a fascinating trip down memory lane, and take a moment to reflect on these incredible individuals

Paul McCartneys House Liverpool

VERY MIDDLE CLASS HOME

MENDIPS - HOME OF JOHN LENNON

ARRIVING FOR THE HOUSE TOUR

AT THE HOUSE-WAITING FOR THE GUIDE AT 12.30PM

We planned this visit as Annie Cullen, was over from France for 10days. We all met at Wendy and Tonys house in Alsager on the sunday morning. We all had prepared a picnic, the weather was cold but very sunny. We arrived at Speke Hall, parked up and started the tour with a warm coffee inside our bellies, then we booked a guided tour, which was very interesting and homely, well worth the trip up the M6/M56.We decided to have our lunch at Speke Hall before departing for John Lennons and Paul McCartneys childhood houses.

VICKYS 30TH BIRTHDAY PARTY FRIDAY 24TH SEPT 2010

We were invited to Vickys 30th Birthday Party held at Hem Heath Cricket Club, near the Brittania Stadiam at 7.30pm, we met up with all the Tudor Family, with all their Grandkids unfortuately Dylan had chicken pox,the party lasted till 12.30am arrived home at 1.30pm.

The disco music was a great selection of very modern and 60's sound, the buffet was well prepared with lots of food left after, Adam, Matthew, Issy were all in good form on the dance floor, followed with Clare, Jenny and Keith and Mal doing some great groovy moves. We had some really funny moments, we also sang happy birthday to Mollie as it was her 10th Birthday. Happy Birthday Vicky and Molly.Ian the west ham fan was in good form as ever