PETER BLAKE RETROSPECTIVE

Posted by Debbie Atkinson on June 30, 2007 11:03 AM

The artist son and his wife were invited to the preview of the Peter Blake retrospective at the Tate in Liverpool. Our son's a big fan of Sir Peter's work and apparently the feeling is mutual. Last time they met was when our son's work was in the final of the Mercury Art Prize Competition in Covent Garden and Peter Blake was a judge. At that time they swapped autographs! The retrospective is on until September. I'm looking forward to going along.

Craig with Sir Peter Blake at the Liverpool Tate Gallery.

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WEBSTERS

Posted by Debbie Atkinson on June 29, 2007 2:54 PM

We had a run out to Webster's the furniture shop in Tarleton last night. It was their pre-sale evening with champagne and canapes. I bought the most beautiful table lamp - expensive but you get what you pay for and they're always more than willing to knock a substantial amount off the price so to my mind it was a bargain.
We've just been back to pick it up and enjoyed a coffee and delicious warm scone in the little tearoom there. If I was a millionaire that's where I'd do all my shopping. Hesketh Bank was our home when we got married so I always enjoy a trip around that area.

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MUSIC FESTIVAL/MUD

Posted by Debbie Atkinson on June 25, 2007 6:12 PM

There's a letter in the post and an email in the air. I'm asking for a refund. The Knowsley Hall Music Festival hospitality pack was an absolute farce. Everything we'd paid extra for just didn't happen - no VIP car park, no fast-track entry and the hospitality tent was so smokey that I ended up in the medical centre being given Ventolin. The mud was knee-high and there were so many drunks about that it was an absolute miracle to find a pair of eyes that weren't completely glazed over.
Keane were as good as ever, but even they can't raise the spirits when your feet are stuck in 12 inches of squelching mud. I just count myself lucky that we got home in one piece - hundreds of cars were completely stuck in the muddy car park and had to be pulled out by tractors. Nightmare, nightmare, nightmare. And don't tell me it's because of my age - I may be 55 but even at 15 I would have hated it.

lovely Keane

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CHIPPING

Posted by Debbie Atkinson on June 23, 2007 7:46 AM

I believe The Trough of Bowland is the Queen's favourite place - and I know why. I just love the area, with its leafy lanes and rolling, lush hills. We went for a drive there yesterday and called first at Ye Horns Inn at Grimsargh for lunch. They do two course lunches for £9.99 and the main courses include local duck and pheasant. We just wanted a sandwich (one duck and one prawn) and a bowl of homemade chips - delicious.

After that we set off for Chipping and discovered the Little Town Dairy . I've made a note in my diary because once a month I'm going to go back and stock up on their meat. The place is spotless and the person serving me explained that the beef and lamb comes from the animals you can see in the fields; the cakes are made by farmers' wives and the veg is all grown in the surrounding countryside. That'll do me.

Some of the beautiful, fresh meat on sale at The Little Town Dairy

After a walk round the delightful village of Chipping we went to the nearby Wild Boar Park

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CARLUCCIO'S

Posted by Debbie Atkinson on June 21, 2007 6:27 AM

We went to the Trafford centre yesterday and found an absolute gem - which has opened since we were last there. Carluccio's restaurant and deli. There are massive floor to ceiling glass cabinets to browse around, full of authentic Italian products. The deli counter has huge tubs of anti-pasti. I bought a big tub of broad bean and pancetta salad. For under £2 I got about 25 salami slices (my daughter says it's the best she's tasted). I cooked their dried pasta, threw in the braod beans and some poached salmon and the result was fantastic. They also have all types of Italian breads, baked in London every morning and delivered before the shop opens.

On the way home we visited Weaste Cemetery near Salford to see if I could find the grave of my great great grandparents and two of their children (7 months and 12 years). I found the plot, but unfortunately no stone - I might have to remedy that.

Earlier in the year I tried in vain to get tickets to see Sir Ian McKellen in King Lear at Stratford - his return to the stage. I've just discovered that it's moving to London for a limited spell in November. However, tickets don't go on sale to the general public until September. BUT if you're a full member of the Royal Shakespeare Company (£36) you can book from July 2. I am now a fully paid up member and can't wait to get my front row seats!

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SIZERGH

Posted by Debbie Atkinson on June 12, 2007 8:02 AM

We went to Sizergh Castle yesterday - not far from Windermere. The castle was bubble wrapped ready for a new roof so it was very difficult to see it - even more difficult to see anything inside because all the curtains were shut to block out the bubble wrap. The gardens were a bit disappointing too - maybe we expected too much, or maybe it was the sweltering heat making us a bit weary.
I can recommend the under-£2 pot of tea though - enough for four cups and boy did we need it.

a prettier bit of the gardens

I want one of these - does anyone know what it is?

The castle doesn't open till after 1pm so we went for a walk round Bowness first. And I'm sorry but I still prefer the Yorkshire Dales. Traffic queues, holiday makers, ice creams and run-down pubs are not my idea of bliss. And not just that - I find the sight of people in shorts and walking boots with haversacks on their backs extremely unwelcoming. We did find a lovely old pub for lunch however. It was on a country lane near Crook - we sat in the sun with our shrimp and prawn platters, enjoying the views - and then a bloomin' great dustbin lorry parked in front of our picnic table and for the next ten minutes all the pub's bins were emptied under our noses - it was just one of those days!

We had a look round Kirkby Lonsdale on the way home.

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ALAN BENNETT

Posted by Debbie Atkinson on June 7, 2007 6:20 AM

The Office Suite at The Lowry was wonderful. I don't know where Patricia Routledge finds the energy but I'm glad she does. It's a while since we visited The Lowry Centre - it was an Alan Bennett play last time too - "The History Boys". The layout of the place has changed considerably. What a great day out - my long-deceased relations from Salford would never hav believed it! We browsed in the outlet centre and then sat outside enjoying a dring in the sunshine at one of the many bar/restaurants. Then for £5.99 we had a help-yourself eat-as-much-as-you-like Chinese buffet (fatal for the diet).
While we were at the theatre my husband noticed that a production of Dad's Army was being staged in December - we've now booked (my birthday present). And when you book online you're asked if you'd like to book a pre-theatre meal - so I've done that too!
If you like the idea of the Dad's Army show I'd book soon because it looks as though tickets are selling fast.

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THE TEMPEST

Posted by Debbie Atkinson on June 6, 2007 8:34 AM

I'm not sure when The Tempest at The Royal Exchange in Manchester finishes but if you lik Shakespeare it's certainly worth getting tickets. Pete Postlethwaite's Prospero is mesmerising and once you get used to Ariel's strange antics and Scottish accent he's great too. There are some hilarious moments - funny, I don't remembering it being at all amusing when we studied it at O-level.
We're off to The Lowry in a minute to see Patricia Routledge in Alan Bennett's "The Office" - I just wish it wasn't such a sunny day.

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LEEDS/LIVERPOOL CANAL

Posted by Debbie Atkinson on June 3, 2007 5:19 PM

We went for a Sunday morning walk today along the Leeds/Liverpool Canal (not all of it obviously). We started by the Saracens Head pub and walked for an hour. I've lived here all my life and have never done that walk before. So peaceful, we passed lots of houseboats and on a warm still day like today I almost wished I was on one. Lots of wildlife about - coots, moorhens, ducklings and plenty of fish plopping around, water lillies and yellow flag iris - I could have ticked a lot of I Spy boxes. We went past a field of donkeys too which was a bonus. We walked as far as The Ship pub and I just wish it had been serving coffees. There were plenty of picnic benches out - what a missed opportunity.

We enjoyed the Edwardian Day in Ainsdale Village, lovely to see the sun shining and the village packed and as far as I could see, no litter around this morning. Although I spotted a middle-aged overweight lout walking through Ainsdale at 11am carrying a bag full of beer cans. He couldn't wait to get started and was swigging from one of the cans as he trundled along. When he'd finished the dregs he left the can on a garden wall. If I'd been a bit braver I'd have said something to him - but who knows what niceties I might have earned for my trouble.

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