OSWALDTWISTLE MILL

Posted by Debbie Atkinson on September 26, 2007 7:47 AM

We had a trip out to Boundary Mill yesterday (just down the M65) and called at Oswaldtwistle Mill on the way back. We hadn't been before and although we didn't think it was as good as Boundary Mill, it had some good bargains and a huge craft centre for people who make their own cards etc.
My husband says he can recommend the pork and apple pies at Boundary Mill - and they do a good bowl of homemade soup too.

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CAMBRIDGE

Posted by Debbie Atkinson on September 25, 2007 8:00 AM

We soaked up some of the clever brain cells floating round Cambridge at the weekend.

It was three days of lectures and tours for the alumni but we gate crash every year using the second son's name. It was wonderful. We (or should I say I - since I caught my other half's head nodding lower and lower) learned about Renaissance architecture and music in Venice and there wasn't a dry eye in the lecture theatre when a sample of singing from St John's College Choir was played as they sang in a small hospital chapel on a Venetian island. We heard a debate between Sir Peter Hall, Sir Trevor Nunn and Julian Pettifer about Shakespeare at Cambridge; we were shown onto the T.B. balcony (where all the beds were pushed) of the Judge Business School which used to be Addenbrooke's Hospital and we heard Zadok The Priest sung in the magnificent Kings College Chapel.
If you're planning a trip to this fantastic place I can recommend the Garden House Hotel which overlooks the river - and if you book it on the internet you'll get much better rates.

I can also recommend the Loch Fyne restaurant and Edwinns Bistro. We met up with the London son who was literally on a flying visit from Hamburg, at the Rupert Brooke pub in Grantchester - another recommendation.

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RED LION

Posted by Debbie Atkinson on September 17, 2007 7:49 AM

We had a run out for lunch the other day and ended up at the newly-refurbished Red Lion on the Burscough road. I'm not very good with directions, but I know we came to the crossroads with the Beaufort Hotel on our left. Then we turned left onto the main road and it was about a quarter of a mile on the left. The inside is nothing like you'd imagine from the outside and there's a lovely sunny beer garden too. My husband had lamb chops and mash (just over a fiver and plenty for a lunch-time portion) and I had a very tasty ciabatta filled with warm chicken breast and lemon mayonnaise plus a few chips and a fresh salad.

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SICILY

Posted by Debbie Atkinson on September 17, 2007 7:35 AM

The younger son has just returned from Sicily with a healthy tan. He stayed in the Art Hotel and moved to a different room each night - apparently every room is designed to reflect the work of a modern Italian artist. They looked a bit too abstract and bare for my liking but he said he can recommend it.

The Art Hotel, Sicily

One of the artistic rooms!

No sooner had he landed in this country than it was time to set off for his work-based sojourn in Hamburg. But he'll be jetting back next weekend to meet us for Sunday lunch in Cambridge - more about that anon.

Our daughter meanwhile is now back from a whirlwind tour of New York - she fitted so much in - The Lion King, a baseball match, the Open Tennis at Flushing Meadow plus journeys up and down the highest buildings she could find - that it's difficult to believe she was only there for a week.

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ART EXHIBITION

Posted by Debbie Atkinson on September 4, 2007 7:53 AM

The artist son has his Masters Exhibition later this month and if you're in Preston you might like to pop in. It's on Wednesday September 19 5pm to 8pm at the University of Central Lancs. He's also got work in a couple of London exhibitions. This lovely autumnal weather always makes me want to get on a train to London. I love Hyde Park when it's like this. The London son's looking for a flat to buy andwith a bit of luck it'll have two bedrooms. That'll save us some money on hotel bedrooms!

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NEW YORK

Posted by Debbie Atkinson on September 4, 2007 7:40 AM

No, I haven't been on a flying visit to New York (not now, not ever, just for the record). Our daughter is there with a friend. We left them to their own devices when they booked online. The consequence of that was that their plane from Manchester went East to Amsterdam before setting off West for the Big Apple. A journey that would normally take seven or so hours took 13. They rolled up at their hotel/hostel at 10pm only to be told there was no reservation. Our daughter called Expedia - the company they'd booked through - and they had no record of the booking. Fortunately my husband had asked her as she hurried out of the door with her suitcase if she had the confirmation print-off, and fortunately the hotel/hostel did have a spare room. They said that this happened frequently with Expedia bookings - so there's a tip for you! Although the London son says that he has booked through Expedia on many occasions without a hitch and blames his sister 100%

Talking about the London son, he was home for his final weekend before going to work in Hamburg for three months and brought the Innocent Cow Car, complete with pink lips, long eyelashes, tail and udder. It was fascinating watching people's reactions as they walked past.

He reports that Hamburg seems like a nice city and his office overlooks the port, but he is having his German conversation skills tested to the limit.

He's hoping to go for a sunny week to Sicily or Morroco next week on a last minute booking - does anyone have any recommendations?

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