Two days post Bank Holiday. ..

Well well dear readers of Wear and Dao, where did those two days post Bank Holiday go to? Yesterday was for a dental appointment in Consett in the morning  and the afternoon was spent cooking lunch and cooking up the blackberries from the Blanchland Show. So, nothing much to report dear readers yesterday ...

Today, Wednesday, was rather more exciting for both your old blogger and his partner in different ways, as the partner drove her car to her hairdresser and chatted as women tend to do and as she emerged from the hairdresser's shop she tripped causing her much pain. Meanwhile the blogger bumped into Mac, an old friend from Scotland who'd moved to Stanhope with his wife, now deceased and a regular reader of the blog you're reading now! Mac was delighted to see me and me him too, so I invited him in for lunch or a cup of tea which he declined and promised to call in again sometime.

Mac's career was in the Royal Navy, where he served with distinction becoming  commander of a ship serving Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth whilst the blogger was a republican determined to overthrow the monarchy altogether and as a communist found ways to foment the glorious 'revolution in Great Britain and Northern Ireland ... madness basically, but there you are, that's youthful enthusiasm for you dear readers! 

Anyway, tonight brought exciting news as we booked a trip to Duns in the Scottish Borders and plan to go to see the elder daughter next week. Tomorrow, Thursday, Gillian the Angel of Stanhope may come for afternoon tea which she usually does each Thursday ... indeed who knows, Mac might pop in for tea and a scone or something, now that would be fun in the sun would it not?!!

Bank Holiday Monday at Blanchland Show

Bank Holiday Monday dawned sunny and dry dear readers of Wear and Dao,  and the old blogger and his partner set off for Blanchland and Hunstanworth annual show early to discover the bridge at Baybridge was being repaired entailing a short diversion to Blanchland for the Show. Having parked at Baybridge car park we walked along the River Derwent which leads to Derwent Reservoir picking blackberries and raspberries from the hedgerows. In the Show we paid our £5 each entry and went for coffee in the Community Centre. .. imagine our surprise dear readers to find Jane and Andrew from Langdon Beck Hotel serving the tea, coffee and cakes. With our black coffee we took a pain au chocolat and a slice of lemon drizzle cake and went next door to see the stalls and buy some things like cheese etc then walked around the Show ground buying more things such as chocolate flavoured honey and a metal robin for the front garden  to keep the painted cockerel company!

Leaving the Show for lunch at home picking more blackberries as we went, we arrived home in Stanhope to make lunch of salmon fishcakes with vegetables  ... delicious  (and nutritious ) ... After a nap for the blogger and the partner sorting out her bedroom, we went for a drink at the Grey Bull  then came home for soup for supper and an early night.

Tomorrow we go to Consett for a dental appointment, which won't be much fun!

Sunday plus a Bank Holiday Monday

Sunday at the end of August means a Bank Holiday Monday tomorrow dear readers of Wear and Dao. Anyhow today started warm and dry as your old blogger prepared lunch of salad with prawns, tomato,avocado, sweetheart cabbage, spinach and mayonnaise which went down well with the blogger's partner and Andrew from next door.

After Andrew left we decided to go for  a walk through the caravan park where the rain became heavy and your old blogger wasn't kitted out for the adverse weather conditions. We called in to see Sharon and Kevin at no2 Wear Terrace for shelter, and when the rain eased we went home rather wet!

That was the news for today dear readers. .. tomorrow is Blanchland Show which we plan to visit ... let's see shall we?

Saturday at Chapel Show

Time flies in blog land dear readers of Wear and Dao, and Friday's report about Beamish went missing ... briefly, let's just say it was a warm sunny day and the day at the museum was good fun as the blogger and his partner wandered the site picking blackberries and enjoying the ambience plus the good food at the tea rooms (quiche and salad). On the way back we called in to to the Black Horse pub and restaurant to check it out for next Saturday's 90th birthday for the blogger's partner's mother.

Today, Saturday, we went to Chapel Show with Dan and Harvey the grandchildren to enjoy a lovely day at the Show in more warm sunshine and wandered around seeing the tents and the exhibits until it was time to take the boys home to Toft Hill as they prepared for Monday's flight to Mallorca and a week's holiday.

Tomorrow the day is free, so let's see what we'll get up to shall we dear readers. ..

Thursday cooking ...

So, dear readers of Wear and Dao, another Thursday in 2022 and the last one in August as showtime commences in Weardale, County Durham. First up is Chapel Show on Saturday at St John's Chapel and the smallest of the three shows.

Since Thursday is usually the day that Gillian comes to afternoon tea  the blogger and his partner set to early to prepare a Dorset Apple Cake to welcome the Angel of Stanhope after her absence last week since she and her husband Colin were away for a long weekend celebrating the tenth anniversary of their wedding.

Before Gillian's visit lunch was prepared  (smoked mackeral with roast veggies, spinach and artichokes plus cheese and gravy), which was delicious and nutritious and very filling. Gillian arrived about 3 pm and the three of us had tea and Dorset Apple Cake outside in the sunshine,, again delicious, mostly nutritious and very filling!

After Gillian's departure we contiued moving furniture about since the hospital bed downstairs was deemed unnecessary after the miraculous recovery from the pulmonary embolism of several months. Then it was up to The Grey Bull for a pint each of bitter shandy with a lime top  before returning home for soup and an early night.

Tomorrow is free, so let's see in the morning shall we dear readers. .. Beamish Mureum is a strong contender ...

Wednesday to Nenthead

Today dear readers of Wear and Dao  the old blogger and his partner joined the Wheels to Meals crew on the trip to Nenthead in Cumbria ... specifically The Hive a converted Methodist Chapel with delicious food to eat at a reasonable price. We sat at a table along with John Lloyd the minibus driver and Dennis an old friend from Stanhope. We chose vegetarian curry which was        delicious and nutritious and returned home to Stanhope via the fascinating model village nearby.

Back home in Stanhope we read for a while (A Very French Wedding by Maeve Haran), then the old blogger went walkabout for a little exercise after the filling curry lunch. Over the stepping stones I went to collect more apples to eat or cook and give to friends and strangers including a Jewish Orthodox family on holiday from Hackney in London. Since the ice cream van was open for business an ice cream with a chocolate flake was purchased, then Gillian, the Angel of Stanhope turned up and we walked along to the Stone Bridge over the River Wear and back home to Rose Terrace where we offered tea and pastries and had a good chat about philosophy as usual.

When Gillian departed we went to The Grey Bull for a pint of bitter shandy with a lime top and some cheese and onion crisps before returning home for soup with croutons and an early night to read some more and write the blog you're reading now dear readers! !

Tuesday lunch alone ...

Today, Tuesday, the old blogger was deserted by his partner who had a friend to visit up the Dale. Before she left he set out to deliver some things to Beryl at the Charity Shop at the Community Centre. Then he called in to see John at the Hub to ascertain the arrangements for tomorrow's trip to Nenthead with Wheels to Meals. Arriving home too late to see the partner depart he settled down to read his latest book (A Cat called Bob and the story of James with his struggles against heroin addiction). Another book of poetry by Jamie Tucknut a local author was on the go too, between tucking in to a coffee and croissant when a friend called Dave arrived with his collie dog called Tess. After a brief conversation Dave departed for lunch with Sandra whilst the old blogger set to preparing lunch for himself ... cheese omelette with vegetables followed by blackberry and apple crumble with custard since you ask dear readers!

The partner returned soon after the lovely lunch was finished so we sat out in the sun reading our books before walking over the stepping stones to collect more apples. Returning laden with apples we sat reading again before popping up to The Grey Bull for a pint of bitter shandy before supper of soup and booking a hotel for the forthcoming trip to France and the Eden Project in St Austell ... and writing the blog you're reading now ...