14 to 20 August 2024 - A 'Catch-up' Miscellany

I've lived within walking distance of Old Trafford Cricket Ground for over 50 years, including for a while in a shared house that enjoyed a view of the ground. A down jacket is often a useful accessory, as the place can harbour a chilly wind, but on this occasion, after walking down from home on 14 August, it was t-shirt weather all day. A brilliant day to enjoy a 50 over contest between Lancashire and Worcestershire. An exciting and very even match ended when Worcestershire failed to score the three runs they needed to win off the last eight balls. A great result for Lancs, and a lovely day out.

The cricket was a great interlude between many hours spent trying to sort out an email issue whereby I was prevented from sending messages due to Microsoft alleging my mailbox to be full when in fact it had many gigabytes of unused memory.

Many hours were spent, including phone calls with our provider and with Rick, at Grapevine, our local computer shop. Eventually our provider was persuaded to refer the problem to their engineers rather than require me to endure more futile attempts to sort it out with Microsoft.

That resolved the mailbox problem, but Microsoft Outlook needed much attention from Rick in order to get it working as we wanted it to on both our desktop and laptop computers.

With all that going on until finally being resolved (I hope) on Thursday 22 August, I have got behind with my on-line diary, hence this catch-up, which some may find rather tedious, but hey!

Friday 16 August was 'Isabella Day (71)'. She always enjoys a snack when we get home from collecting her. Red jam is a favourite.

She hasn't learnt the alphabet yet, but this jigsaw offers some introductions.

The manufacture of chocolate chip biscuits is a favourite occupation, as is eating said biscuits (strict rationing is applied).

It was a fine day, so we could go camping. Isabella enjoyed the experience and we enjoyed quite a few daily cycles of 'wake/breakfast/play/lunch/play/dinner/bedtime/sleep/wake'.... and so on, each cycle taking about 15 minutes.

Then we found one of her dad's old toys and made a giraffe.

The magic box transforms Thomas (the engine) into a teapot (and similar), which fascinates the three year old.

After dropping Isabella back in Didsbury, we met Andrew, Graeme and Bridget at the Parkgate Inn, in deepest Cheshire, for the last of Andrew's evening walks of this summer, which seems to have flown past.

Andrew's mobility issues have in the recent past meant that stiles are out of bounds on these walks, but tonight was a brave exception.

These fields should perhaps be used for crops other than grass. The area has however recovered from its days as a failed planned golf course.

This is 'polo country', with visitors arriving by private helicopter.

There is a padel court and a tennis court.

The 'poodles' are being prepared for Crufts?

Llama whispering

A Polo horse

An old water tower is being converted.

Our path entered a corridor of Himalayan Balsam. A friend of ours volunteers in a team that removes this invasive species in Trafford. Perhaps we should join them. When the plant dies back it leaves bare earth that encourages erosion, so its removal encourages other more permanent shrubs to bind the ground.

Before finishing the walk at the pub, Sue took this picture for Isabella's benefit.

The following morning, 17 August, found Sue and me at Trentham Gardens, near Stoke-on-Trent, all set for the parkrun held there. But it was cancelled due to another event in the park. With 15 minutes in hand, we hurriedly made our way to Newcastle-under-Lyme and the Wammy parkrun. Setting off three minutes after the start, we soon passed the tail walker, at the back of around 350 participants. I managed to pass about 100 of them, and Sue got past over 200 people, coming first in her age group despite the three minute handicap. (Btw, it's not a race!)

Afterwards, the sports club cafe offered mugs of coffee and home made cakes for the princely sum of £1 each. Brilliant. And as with all parkruns, lots of friendly people enjoying their Saturday morning.

Full results are here.

From Newcastle, we drove to St Nicholas' Park in Warwick, where Sue had organised a family picnic attended by around 25 of her relatives. A good time was had by all.

The park is next to the River Avon, on which a selection of boating opportunities are available.

We spent the night with Sue's parents in Solihull. Her dad is hampered by a dislocated shoulder, but he could enjoy a slideshow from Sue's ipad.

On Monday night (19 August), we enjoyed the dulcit tones of Wyre Levee Stompers, who provided a great night of trad jazz at Eagley Jazz Club. 

The band's lineup is: John Smith: Drums, Bill Barrow: Reeds & band leader, Dave Brown: Banjo/Guitar,  Pete Lindup: Compère and Trumpet, Frank Carter: Bass Guitar, Mike Pearson: Trombone, and newcomer Chris Walton: Piano.  

I'll finish this entry on Tuesday 20 August, when we observed one of our local herons fishing in the canal, with quite an audience, of which several adults were imitating Sue's pose shown below.