Saturday/Sunday 9/10 November - Isabella's Second Sleepover

It doesn't seem like three months since Isabella's last sleepover, but she was raring to go again in November. The pictures are incomplete and somewhat lacking, partly due to my being harassed by a lion that didn't really want its picture taking by what at the time was considered to be a tiger..

Here's what triggered the lion episode, thanks to leaves collected on the towpath.

"I don't need a coat to go to the park." Progress from last week is that the scooter has been replaced by a balance bike (see above) that we've been trying for ages to get her to use. "In my own time." "And by the way, I'm cold, I need your fleece Grandma."

We played on the roundabout for ages while the children now on it were waiting patiently. They were very polite when we finished and checked to confirm that fact before having their own brand of roundabout fun.

Meanwhile, Isabella had moved on to catching Grandma on the slide.

An early night follwed as the poor girl was shattered. Asleep by 7:45. Last time it was much later than that.

Sunday morning brought out the Duplo house and the Playmobil campervan, who joined forces to provide a massive picnic and much entertainment.

Apart from that, we played a lot, watched lots of Octonaut cartoons (educational!) and made some tasty biscuits to take home for mummy and daddy.

Saturday 9 November 2024 - Wilmslow parkrun #433

A few of us gathered at Wilmslow for Greg's 600th parkrun. Here's an extract from the official run report:

On a perfectly still, cool November morning, we started with an annual Wilmslow tradition on Remembrance weekend. Run Director Mandy started her briefing early; this allowed time to play the Last Post, and observe a one minute silence, to honour the brave men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice, and who continue to do so in conflicts around the world. After this moving tribute it was business as usual, and a mention for Greg Barber on the occasion of his 600th parkrun! An astounding milestone achievement. We also welcomed visitors over from Ireland.

Little did we know at the start that we were in the presence of Olympic royalty! BBC presenter and Wilmslow regular Rachel Burden had persuaded her co-presenter Rick Edwards to do his very first parkrun, and none other than cycling legend Laura Kenny was there to enjoy the fun too! All this was recorded for the BBC 5 Live Breakfast programme on Monday morning - tune in to find out how Rick and Laura got on.

Here, the 223 participants mill about at the start.

I know I'm slow, but really...!

I did manage to overtake a few folk to finish in 32 minutes, position 165, and I was there to greet Jeanette at the finish.

Meanwhile, the full results are here, but Andy, one second ahead of Sue, and Sue adjourned with the rest of us for coffees, oblivious of their having finished just a few seconds ahead of Dame of the Realm and multiple Olympic Gold Medalist, Laura Kenny and her friends!

Well, that was a jolly start to the weekend!

Autumn in Timperley

Richard's 60th birthday. Readers have I know been waiting for this entry. We treated him (and me, Sue and Jenny), to some of Daryl's excellent salmon fillets. Mary Berry's 'Make it Easy', 'Salmon and Herbed Hollandaise Pavé', with suitable starter (asparagus), accompaniment (Sprouts with Peas, Shitaki Mushrooms and Cashew Nuts) and dessert (Raspberry Parfait). This made for an excellent meal, helped by a bottle of Bollinger that we won in a Jazz Club raffle!

Autumn in Timperley has provided some lovely colours despite there being grey (but mainly dry) days with not much sunshine. I think we had half an hour of sunshine in 11 days.

The following pictures were taken more or less a stone's throw from home from the canal towpath, but De Quincey Park has also sported some lovely autumn colours.

Near Walton Park

Walton Perks cafe doing good business

By the cemetery near Marsland Bridge

Sale Marina

The above pictures were taken on 12 November. The couple of snaps below were taken on the misty morning of 13 November on the bit of towpath that you can see from our house. The water must be quite good here, sustaining lots of fish. This is evidenced by the frequent sight of fishermen. 

Kingfishers fly up and down, and there's a resident cormorant as well as an egret and a family of jays. Grey wagtails get under your feet, but not as much as the Canada geese. On the water there are lots of mallards, a few moorhens, and the occasional coot. Swans glide past looking for bread, and herons take their places at regular intervals beside the path, ignoring humans. At this time of year the peace can be shattered by a flock of black-headed gulls, and a colony of starlings who roost in a poplar tree. There are numerous hedgerow birds as well - blackbirds, robins, sparrows, song thrushes, sometimes blackcaps, and an assortment of tits, below which feral pigeons, wood pigeons, and sometimes a collared dove, all scavenge for left overs.

Here are some pictures from De Quincey Park taken on 17 November.

De Quincey Park - 18/11/24

De Quincey Park - 19/11/24

De Quincey Park - 19/11/24

Bridgewater Canal - 21/11/24

Tuesday 5 November 2024 - Shutlingsloe

Today was one of those days when but for the advance planning we would probably have stayed at home. As it was, Graeme and Andy joined Sue and me for a familiar and enjoyable 12km stroll over Shutlingsloe from the Leather's Smithy, to Wildboarclough and back via the Hanging Gate Inn and the Gritstone Trail.

On the summit - cool and misty - three fell runners who were doing the 'Cheshire Three Peaks' - Tegg's Nose, Shutlingsloe and Shining Tor - appeared out of nowhere, the only people we saw out walking today. Photos of the respective groups were taken, and the jolly threesome set off towards Shining Tor.

We thought of another Andy, who last night said he would be able to spot us on the summit from his living room above Bury.

Once we were out of the cool breeze, we stopped for coffee and chocolate digestives. Here there was a good crop of assorted Wax Caps.

Down in Wildboarclough, despite the greyness of the day, autumn colours were most attractive.

There's a well marked path from the Crag Inn to Lower Nabbs. We thought of Sir Hugh (aka Conrad), a friend who has recently been having a few problems with stiles and gates, and we thought he might be able to negotiate this metal kissing gate without too much of an epic adventure.

There were more Wax Caps near here, and further on, as well as this pretty Petticoat Mottlegill that we left in situ.

It was good to see that the Hanging Gate has reopened, but not on a Tuesday.

So we continued onwards, eventually reaching the small ravine from which the steep exit brings you out at the Ridgegate Reservoir a few metres from the Leather's Smithy, which was inundated with customers today.

Tomato and basil soup went down well.

Here's the 12km route, with about 400 metres ascent, taking us a leisurely four hours or so.

Here's a sample of our findings, and there was also a bag of Meadow Wax Caps that made for an excellent starter.

Monday 4 November 2024 - Some Jazz and a Park

Monday night jazz at Eagley Jazz Club brought a great evening, courtesy of the 'Night Owls' and their repertoire of jazz classics from around a century ago. The present band members appear to include Justin Trudeau and William Hague!

That was after one of our many visits to De Quincey park, returning home via the canal towpath, currently home to a family of kingfishers and a lone cormorant, amongst the usual selection of wagtails, ducks, geese and swans, etc.

Common Ink Cap

Saturday 2 November 2024 - Wythenshawe parkrun #592

Wythenshawe was a popular parkrun venue for run number 592. Above, you see many brightly coloured runners gathering ten minutes before the start. Large numbers of 'Couch to 5K' and 'MileShyClub' runners had decided to join us. That was great for me, as it offered a chance to finish in the top half of the field, which is very rare.

A few minutes later the 'Couch to 5K' brigade were joined by the regulars, making a total showing of 468 participants, the third highest ever at Wythenshawe and a good hundred more than usual. Here they are at the start.

I start very slowly these days, and can sometimes accelerate a little towards the end, which brings familiar faces into view every week. Here's Paul, with another friend, who I sometimes pass in this way. Other times they finish some way ahead of me. It's not a race, but we do have a bit of fun passing and mutually encouraging each other and those around us, especially the children.

Not pictured here at the finish is Colm, who in my last two runs has finished just behind me, not for lack of trying, he tells me.

It's a rare occasion that I can picture Sue coming through the finish. I had to wait 17 minutes for this!

Full results are here. We enjoyed the usual post run coffee/cake/socialising.