Happy New Year .

Happy New Year to everyone.May it be healthy and happy too.So many of our friends and acquaintances are getting sick .
We had a wonderful Christmas with our son and family in Cambridge and are sat waiting for our daughter and family to arrive for New Year.
Then back to normal, I hope!No photos .My phone has died.No review of the year either.

Merry Christmas.

We are in Cambridge for Christmas.We had a very wet journey down,drizzle all the way.It took us four and a half hours but we had a couple of stops.Now we are with the family.Our son and his wife and three grandchildren,Ella19,Finlay 15 and Angus12.Lots of games are lined up to play.Unfortunately on Sunday night someone stole all the Xmas booze from the garage.What an awful thing to do.
I have 99 followers .Who is going to make my day and make it 100?

Have a very Happy and Healthy Christmas.Take care if you are travelling.

Love to everyone.Barbara and family.xx

Chester Cathedral.UK

 Last night my husband played his ukulele in Chester Cathedral.It was part of a charity evening to raise money for a charity that helps carers.There was a choir of Welsh learners who had an amazing soloist.The rest of the evening was provided by Flintshire U3A.There were Belle Plates,recorders and the Music Live group which my OH belongs to.5 guitarists,3 drummers,a mandolin and 3 ukuleles.They were brilliant and did five numbers.The cathedral was full!The evening ended with the Singing for Pleasure group doing 5 songs.The whole evening was so good and the standard was so high.What completed the evening for C was that at 5pm there was a knock on the door and our son had driven up from Cambridge(4 hours) and had come to see his Dad play.C was so thrilled.A truly memorable evening.Matt stayed the night and has gone back this morning.

As I get older .....

As I get older I am finding I don’t cope with things like I used to.Maureen Lipman was interviewed on T V a couple of weeks ago and she admitted the same which made me feel a bit better!I worry about things I would have taken in my stride a few years ago.We are away for Christmas at our son’s so don’t have to fret about cooking etc then but our daughter ,husband and two granddaughters are coming for New Year and staying for a few nights.Our son may be coming to stay this week.In the past I would have looked forward to these things but now they all come with a bit of dread.Will I be able to cope? I am sure I shall.
Any of you good people out there feel a bit like me?I would love to know.Any tips?

Today.My husband's birthday.

 He is looking quite good for 77!A full head of hair and only a few grey hairs,apart from his beard.We left home at about 10.00am and were at the Imperial War Museum at Salford Quays by 11.00am.We wanted Togo there because there is an exhibition about WW1 called Lest We Forget.It was featuring paintings by John Singer Sargent ,Nevinson,Paul Nash  and Stanley Spencer.


Afterwards we went to the Lowry to see some Lowry paintings and also a Pre Raphaelite exhibition.Lowry had been a great fan of their work and during his lifetime bought a lot of pictures.

 A typical Lowry.


             The Bower Meadow by Rossetti.

            We walked across this bridge to get between the two venues.

                 
                       The Menin Road by Paul Nash.
                        
                                  B
                       M.            Gassed byJohn Singer Sargent.This is huge2.3 m by 6.1 m.
             M
                                          A Battery Shelled by Percy Wyndham Lewis.

                I think he has had a great day but I am shattered!!!

Manchester Xmas market

 We went to Manchester today to meet up with our eldest granddaughter who is at University there.
Some of the stalls are amazing.Just look at all those sausages.C cannot resist buying Five for £10He was in his element speaking in French to all the French stall holders.Ella had never been to a large Crhristmas market before and was impressed BUT it is so tiring!!!!But  we had a good time..We will see a lots more of Ella because we are spending Xmas with them in Cambridge.Ithink it has helped her settle knowing we are only an hour away.
More photos .Very poor quality.I really must get a better phone.

I

 There was a tree for charity.Write a wish and tie it on for £1.A really nice idea.

Garlic galore.

                                         Wooden names.

Catch up

 It was Ruby's birthday last week. She was 11.We picked her up from school and took her home and had some fun.When Mummy and Daddy came in from work and Emily(13) from school we opened presents .Then we headed into Chester,about halfway between our two homes.We went to this restaurant.It is £14.99 each but the birthday girl got it free.They have the most enormous range of food,all help yourself,Thai,Indian,Chinese,Italian ,Japanese etc.It was brilliant.The staff were friendly and efficient at clearing away plates etc.The atmosphere was buzzing.I understand they have a place in York too.

On a different note,I quite like,well really like having a jigsaw on the go.This one was really tricky with lots of tabby cats.I had bought it in a charity shop but when I had finished it there were 6 pieces missing.One piece in particular I had spent ages looking for.Such a disappointment.

What else have I been up to?
Monday afternoon I met a friend in Costa.We meet every other week.My OH was at his French Group.
Monday evening we went out with our "gang" of friends.We were eleven but two couples have moved away to be nearer their children but on Monday one couple were back so we went out for a meal and had a good catch up.
Tuesday was our Art Appreciation group.It was A talk on "Conflict Art".Very interesting but also disturbing and sad.Images from WW1 .So,so sad.
Wednesday is "granddaughter afternoon".
Thursday I went to a Poetry group.I know nothing about poetry but would like to know more.We all had to take a poem from WW1. I took some Vera Brittain poems.So sad.The lost her brother and her boyfriend,
Friday I always meet my friend Sheila and over a pot of tea and a toasted tea cake over two hours we put the world to rights.She is such a good and close friend and we have known each other for forty plus years.I came in the house and OH went out to band practice.They are performing in Chester Cathedral in December.
This morning we walked to our market town,ten minutes, and had coffee with three different friends.
This afternoon we went exploring an area on the Wirral that a friend had suggested was good for a walk.Had a half of lager in an ancient pub.
Now, C is watching the rugby Wales v South Africa and I am waiting for Strictly and some knitting.
Hope you are all ok.I have 94 followers but love to get to 100.
Barbarax
 reataurant,Rrestaura