Ahh, what a weekend. I didn't really want to leave the Cotswolds last night and return to dirty, noisy, smelly old London! Ok, so it's not so bad, but I just love being out in the countryside and me and my lovely Mummy had such a great time.
I arrived on Friday evening and after a warming bowl of soup, we made our way through the garden gate to the cosy pub next door for a nice glass of red wine before collapsing into a cosy bed.
Saturday morning we were up early and on our way to Stratford-on-Avon. Now, as I mentioned in my previous post, my camera is misbehaving so no pictures of Stratford I'm afraid. It is taking pictures, but the view finder is totally blank so I can't see the picture I'm taking to know whether it is in focus or straight. So the pictures at the end of this post were taken very randomly and I had to do a lot of sorting to find some good ones. Very frustrating!
We didn't spend too long in Stratford, just long enough for Mum and I both to buy a new top, for Mum to buy me a handbag which is to be a Christmas present so has been hidden away, and for us to have a very long look in Laura Ashley. Mum bought a couple of new lamps for one of the guest bedrooms, and I was very good and just looked. Tight budget this month so no purchasing! They had some really lovely things so this took a lot of will power.
We headed back via Shipston-on-Stour and popped into a lovely Interiors shop that had been badly damaged in the summer floods. They've worked like crazy to get the shop open again and had a grand re-opening on Saturday. Mum had an invite so we enjoyed a glass of bubbly while browsing the lovely furniture and accessories.
Saturday afternoon was spent chatting over a late lunch, waiting for B&B guests to arrive then down to the church for Mum to do the flowers for Remembrance Sunday. It was late afternoon as we walked into church. The church yard looked quite magical in the dusky light and as we opened the door to the outer porch of the church we heard the sounds of organ music coming from inside. The organist was practicing for the next day so while I sat watching my talented Mum arrange her flowers I had lovely music to listen to as well. The organist left and finally Mum and I were ready to go. I carried the empty buckets down to the front door, and as I opened it I got quite a shock. Neither of us had been aware that while we were inside it had become completely dark. When I say completely dark, I mean completely dark. It was pitch dark. I couldn't see the path leading away in front of me, never mind the gate and road beyond. And this was with a glimmer of light coming from inside the church. Once Mum joined me at the door and we turned the church lights on it was even darker. We could see faint light coming from windows of the cottages down the lane but that was all. With a lot of giggling and stumbling, we managed to find our way to the gate as our eyes slowly became used to the dark.
We finished off the day with a lovely dinner of salmon followed by lemon meringue pie, more wine and curled up on the sofas watching the festival of remembrance from the Albert Hall which was lovely and very moving as always.
Yesterday we had a lovely day again, starting off with the Remembrance service at Church then down to a nearby village for Sunday lunch in a lovely pub called the Red Lion. We had a table in a cosy room right next to a big log fire. I just adore the smell of woodsmoke so was very happy to be almost sitting in the fireplace! We enjoyed lovely roast beef with all the trimmings and a yummy pud of pavlova with hazlenut cream, banana and toffee sauce. As you can imagine, after that lot all we were capable of was going home, lighting the fire, taking a sofa each and snoozing, with Smokey the cat on Mums knee and me doing some very slow knitting. Dad returned home to find us in a very sleepy state to entertain us with tales of his sailing trip.
So as I mentioned, the photo taking was not easy but of the dozens I haphazedly took, a few came out. I thought you might all like a little look at some of Mum and Dads cosy home. It's the loveliest place to be.
Open the front door and walk into to the cosy and welcoming hallway.
You'll find the lovely green dresser full of pretty blue china and see the window which used to be the stable door when the house was the coach house for the pub next door.
Though the door into the stone corridor which leads through to the dining room
Or into the Sitting Room....
If it's a gloomy day the lamps will be on
Bed and Breakfast guests are lucky enough to eat breakfast in the lovely dining room
Climb the stairs and turn into the first cosy guest room
You'll notice that a few NonnieHome cushions have made their way onto the bed!
Down the corridor
You might want to have a little sit down to admire all the pictures.
Into the second guest bedroom or as it's usually know 'the pink room'.
I hope you've enjoyed this little tour around The Old Coach House. Not too bad considering the camera problems. I hope I can get it sorted as I don't think I can manage to take pictures of product without seeing what it looks like first.
I have a busy week ahead as I really need to make more progress in making stock for the next fair. I'm suddenly panicking that it's not actually that far away. Infact, has anyone realised that Christmas itself is only six weeks away?! Got to go......lots to do!!
xxx
