What Happened To April?

It was 21st March when I last updated the blog. That's the longest gap I've had since I started writing this over five years ago and I'm going to try not to leave such a long time between blogs again. There's been quite a lot going on that's put blogging low on the list of priorities but now that I'm back I'll whizz through what's been happening by way of a photo journal.

When I last wrote we'd just taken grandchildren Teddy and Catherine away for a snowy weekend near the Kent coast. There was building work going on at their house so we gave them a break. And we did the same the following weekend with a two night stay at the Premier Inn Ramsgate. 

This time the weather was a lot kinder and we enjoyed a trip to Broadstairs

Snowballs one week, sandcastles the next.

The next day found us at Reculver Towers

Home from Kent it was time to pack yet again and head north this time to the caravan in St Andrews to visit the Scottish arm of the family.

We took my mum with us 

We arrived to burst pipes which was not a great start especially with the temperatures back to freezing

But we did manage to have a lovely Easter with the family

The kids loved their trip to the aquarium

Despite stormy seas outside

Mum loved her visit

Despite heavy snow when I took her back to Edinburgh airport

Shortly after we got back from Scotland it was time to prepare for another of our weekend breaks with our group of friends. We've been doing these long weekends away twice a year for two or three years now and have stayed at some great self catering houses. This one was no exception. We stayed in a shooting lodge in Farndale on the North Yorkshire Moors. It was a fabulous place and Marion and I were fortunate enough to be able to stay eight nights.

The views from the house are stunning

We enjoyed a visit to the National Trust's Rievaulx Terrace

The "sky viewing" circle was a great idea

Inside one of the folly temples on the terrace

The cottage dining room accommodated us all comfortably

After our friends left we had time to enjoy the lodge and the surrounding area. It's not a region that we know well and we found plenty of places to visit within a short drive. Weather was cold but we kept dry and had some super days out.

Castle Howard is a perfect example of how to run a tourist attraction - excellent all round from the breakfast in the cafe to the signage and the quality of guides in all of the rooms

We also had a first visit to Whitby

And the lovely Robin Hood's Bay

The walk from Helmsley to Rievaulx Abbey was excellent and the abbey itself is stunning

But the highlight of the break has to be the Lodge and its fabulous grounds

As soon as we got home on Friday we rushed out to the opening of the Art For Cure exhibition at Glemham Hall. It was a glorious sunny evening and there was an amazing display of art and sculpture on display

This was my favourite - it's by Paul Richardson the sculptor who created our seagull

Saturday saw us heading for London. We had tickets for a new play at The National.

Nine Night was a funny and moving family drama set around the nine nights wake of a Jamaican matriarch in London. Particularly relevant in view of the recent Windrush scandal. We loved it.

The glorious weather wasn't ideal for a matinee theatre performance but we got to London early and enjoyed a walk and some sightseeing before the play

It's been a glorious bank holiday weekend here in Framlingham

As for the detecting, the season is over now with all the fields planted. I did manage a final trip before the farmers finished

A few medieval bits turned up.

So that's it for now. I'm going to try and keep up the writing and not leave such long gaps between blogs. I'm also working on my third novel which is currently stalled at around 10,000 words.