Nice people thread 2 - now even nicer

Davesnave

lostinrates wrote: »

Thismorning I've been reading about dog-poop wormeries. I'm trying to decide what to do with it all. a less fun topic than day out. a wormery, if it worked, would be green and cheap.

I'm not aware of that kind of wormery. Not sure I'd like to use the end product either!

What's wrong with a series of holes in the ground?

On a different subject, we've just had lunch watching a Greater Spotted Woodpecker doing acrobatics to reach our nut feeder and fat balls, while the regular pair of pheasants attempt to look inconspicuous underneath, catching the spills. Well, Mrs Pheasant managed the latter, but he just looks more ridiculous each time I see him.

The cat had a swallow last night; always a danger when they are flying low.:( I've seen her leap and snatch them, but at age 13 or 14, I thought she was getting a bit past it.

carolt

vivatifosi wrote: »

Portmerion is somewhere I've always wanted to visit too. Maybe we should point all of our cars in that direction one day and meet up there.

ETA: While we're on the subject of trips, Carol, did you ever decide where to go for your anniversary?

Funny you shoould say that - just finished booking it all yesterday (finally!) and OH is off to buy a vital accessory this afternoon!

Before you start imagining totally the wrong things , it's a pop-up tent. We were going to go to Europe, but my MIL who will be babysitting scuppered that plan by telling us she only wanted to do 1 night instead of the 2 she'd originally said she'd do, and didn't want us to fly because of the volcano ash (in case we got stuck there and she got left in charge of all 3 on her own for an indefinite duration...I can kind of see her point there! :eek:).

So that left us with Eurostar...but by the time I'd factored in travelling time to anywhere at all further than Lille, Paris or Brussels, there was barely any weekend left.

So I started to think about the UK instead - and vaguely googled festivals, as we've been to a couple with the kids, but quite fancied enjoying a festival without having to take small people to the loo every 5 minutes and not get to see late stuff without 1 person having to stay in the tent to babysit.

Happened accidentally on a smaller festival I'd not seen advertised anywhere but which has some of my and OH's favourite bands, that we've wanted to see for years. Plus we get to wake up romantically in a tent, drink alcohol (ooh!) without worrying about kids or driving back straight away...just chill and enjoy the music and enjoy being a grown-up instead of someone's mummy all the time...just what I wanted really.

Even better, as it's not that far, MIL has agreed to let us have another night away - so we get to enjoy ourselves for 2 WHOLE NIGHTS!!!

To non-parents, I realise that might sound really sad...but it will be the first time we've had more than 1 night away on our own since we became parents a decade ago.

Really looking forward to it!!!

silvercar

That sounds wonderful, carolt. I totally understand the joy of being kid free for a night or two and have suffered the obliging relatives changing their mind on commitments.

carolt

fc123 wrote: »

Sounds like you walked down my St. You know what? When we found it end '97 6 units from 9 were vacant and unwanted. The Costa used to be a jumper shop that was on it's last legs. Strabucks marched in in about 2002 and the rents then soared as the LL all thought that this was IT.
As I knew the staff I did hear that they threatened to walk in 2008 over their rent reveiw but just told the LL what they would pay..end of.

Thre is just enough what I call 'museum shops' left but it's the coffee/food chains that hoover up 95% of the spend. Really there should be 2 rental levels ...less rent for more character.

At the start it was 100% right for us and I did have a nose for a good street with potential but the last 2 years....it was totally wrong as you can't pay the bills with the 'wanderers' though we did run ranges and accessories throughout the season to catch visitor spend...which was successful.
A lot of characters left as each indie closed too and whilst the chain store emplyess are lovely, it's not the same.
Not one chain on our lane paid into the Xmas lights fund...not one. We used to fund it with 3 others.

I think I will PM you on where I sell now as it put's things into context...we were a very good shop but I do feel I have lost 'something'....but it is just dormant and can resurafce should comm property return to sensible prices.:D

Definitely did pass your old street then - I definitely remember the Costa and Starbucks. Can't see the appeal though, when there are so many great cafes and restaurants around all about. Why head for a big chain?

We dined in a Vietnamese on what might have been the same street? - fantastic and great for kids too - kids menus where they could get something other than just the usual pasta-and-tomato-sauce routine, and cleverly they had all the spices/herbs on a separate plate so you could add/not add them as you wished - v good for fussy children. And all for less than £3 per portion! And kids' colouring materials brought to the table too - always a plus.

We liked Brighton and Shall Definitely Go Back. Even 2 hour train ride wasn't too bad...

carolt

lemonjelly wrote: »

Nice peeps.
Can I request suggestions for nice days out?
Thinking of stuff to do all across summer. Interested in any suggestions. Primarily stuff that takes a day (including travelling - though all day isn't a problem). Anyhting that is nice to do for a day, nice to visit. Can be relaxing, or have stuff to do.
Seriously, all suggestions welcome!

You've had some lovely, v intriguing suggestions (esp davesnave's ferret man!), and as I know the area v little can suggest little, except possibly exploring the area's amazing industrial heritage?

And I may be totally wrong here, but isn't the Cadburys museum somewhere in that region?

Not mentioned chocolate for a while.

PasturesNew

Davesnave wrote: »

Yes, and Bibury, where huge trout lurk in the river alongside the main road.

The locals don't like you feeding the trout with carp like white bread, so I take along a packet of dry Go-Cat and inconspicuously flick them in....:rotfl:

That's because the locals know that if you feed fish and ducks with bread, it swells up inside their stomach, making them full and unable to get enough nutrients from their food intake.... so they die.

PasturesNew

I went to Portmerion a thousand years ago... it must have been about 35-40 years. It was on a family holiday. We used to either go to Wales or Cornwall. My dad had been watching The Prisoner on the telly, (1967-1968) so that's why we went there. Don't remember a lot about it to be honest.

Davesnave

PasturesNew wrote: »

That's because the locals know that if you feed fish and ducks with bread, it swells up inside their stomach, making them full and unable to get enough nutrients from their food intake.... so they die.

In theory that's correct, but where I used to live, both the ducks and the carp used to get whole loaves of Homepride numerous times a day, yet they were not to be seen floating belly up later on.

Davesnave

I have found something nearer home for you, LJ. What about Ryton Organic Gardens in Coventry?

http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/gardens/ryton.php


Looks like a good 'un to me. It's the updated Henry Doubleday Research Association garden.

fc123

carolt wrote: »

Definitely did pass your old street then - I definitely remember the Costa and Starbucks. Can't see the appeal though, when there are so many great cafes and restaurants around all about. Why head for a big chain?

We dined in a Vietnamese on what might have been the same street? - fantastic and great for kids too - kids menus where they could get something other than just the usual pasta-and-tomato-sauce routine, and cleverly they had all the spices/herbs on a separate plate so you could add/not add them as you wished - v good for fussy children. And all for less than £3 per portion! And kids' colouring materials brought to the table too - always a plus.

We liked Brighton and Shall Definitely Go Back. Even 2 hour train ride wasn't too bad...

I think I know the one...on the corner of a little square with some tables outside?

I had some random thought 2 nights ago and went on a Right Move hunt on the Isle of Wight. OH has a cousin who moved there from inner London years ago...saved his marriage he says. He works in the prison.

Looks nice and I have been there once 25 years ago for a day trip.


My reclaimed/rrecycled interiors store was going to have an upside down room on the ceiling. Our shop in Brighton had a really high industrial ceiling and the idea was to saw off the legs of the furniture and attach it to the ceiling so you looked up and saw a room above you....you know, asst chairs and tables etc. strewn toys and cushions.
I think you're kids would have loved it and I will bet I could have flogged you a linen tea towel with a sketch I drew of the pier for £6.99

Oh well...the idea is in my head so who knows if it will come out into RL one day.