The robin that fell out of the fridge

Take one garden-bird-watching session, one husband with a blocked-up ear, and you have a problem...

Having been watching, through our kitchen window, the various members of our local ornithological community bouncing around the bird-table (clearly delighted that spring appears to be on its way), we turned our attention to lunch.

Opening the fridge to get out the ham, I remarked in passing "One of the yogurts fell out of the fridge yesterday - that's why it's dented." I got a startled look, and when I repeated what I'd said, my husband replied "sorry - with this blocked ear, I thought you said "one of the robins"..." I then spent the rest of our lunchtime in repeated helpless giggles at the thought of a robin hurtling out of our refrigerator going "****, it's cold in there..."

I'm easily pleased.

Self-catering in Shropshire

... the best we've ever found. If you ever want glorious views and the best attention to detail and comfort imaginable, don't hesitate to visit Sue & Peter at Pooh Hall Cottages. Click on the photo below for some images.

Pooh Hall

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Anybody want to come see the Rector's wife being a drunken, dysfunctional, emotionally manipulative, disillusioned, middle-aged harridan?

The Sewell Barn Theatre is great: seats about 100, steep raking on 3 sides of the acting area, just to the north of Norwich. This is my first performance with this group, much to my surprise and delight; Selwyn enjoyed prompting for their production of Kindertransport last year.

My fellow performers are Louise and Andy (as Honey and Nick), and Noel (as my husband George); we love working together on this incredibly exhausting and challenging, but very rewarding play.

If you want to check out the sort of thing to expect from the play, try having a look at a clip on YouTube of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton - effectively enacting their own marriage, one wonders?



and if you feel you can cope with all this emotional wringing-out, we'd be delighted to see you. Performances and booking details are given on the Sewell Barn website - contact Jarrolds on the number shown. Seats are unnumbered, so where you sit depends on how early you arrive at the theatre! (However, if my friends and family could sit as invisibly as possible towards the back, I'd be mighty obliged...)

(Oh, and if any friends beyond the realms of deepest Norfolk would like to attend, remember that the Rectory does a very reasonable B&B. You only have to ask.)

The East Anglian Anthem

I have been waiting for this song all my life. Or at least, since I moved to Norfolk...

La belle France: 2008

Back from another tranquil meander around France. As last year, we travelled by car, using the highly civilised Chunnel crossing, rather than the ferry.

Our travels took us in a large diamond shape, from Calais at the top to the Limousin area in the south. Five B&Bs - one in England in both directions, two in France each way - and two gites for a week each. You can see the locations here.

The more masochistic reader may wish to begin our travels here, and then click on Newer Post after each entry to move to the next bit. Some individual photos are included; some link to a set of photographs on Picasa.

On to the Limousin

We crossed the country south-west to end up in what must be pretty much the centre of France. Here the countryside became more interesting again, with beautiful mountains and greenery; and we arrived at our second gite.

Run by English couple Rachel & Jamie, we loved the little Gite au Chez, and relished sitting in the garden under the tree, eating supper, gossiping, and watching the mad careering of the hirondelles. A simply furnished, light and comfortable bedroom, excellent shower, and beautiful views.

France 2008: Le Gite au Chez

A week in Burgundy

The Burgundy area - or, at least, this part of it - wasn't actually one of the nicest we've stayed in. The scenery is a bit unexciting, and the nearby towns felt a little utilitarian, to say the least. However, we enjoyed some excursions to enjoyable places.



The church in Vezelay



The striking spring in the middle of Tonnerre



Selwyn in the Abbaye de Quincy