Lazy Saturday Afternoon ...

I was going to say "Two Post Tuesday" but realise it's Wednesday already! Where did Tuesday go then? This first post is all about finding a nice pub to meet some friends on Monday, and the next one will be an update on all those embroidery threads and kits I bought recently ...

So ... Lazy Saturday Afternoon (and other matters) ...

Some friends were due to travel from Ascott under Wychwood (post flooding) to Cornwall on Monday so we arranged to meet for lunch somewhere just off the M5 in the Bridgwater area. Not knowing the pubs (with garden for their dogs) in the area P and I decided that sunny Saturday was ideal to go exploring. We went here first, and decided it was rather nice. The menu looked good - something for everyone - and the garden was a joy; the photos in the link don't do it justice. Then we trundled off to the second one I'd picked from a Google search. More commercialised, and not what we wanted for a relaxed hour or two catching up with friends*.

*Actually, A and I met in 1966 (she was 15 and I was 16) at her cousin's 21st birthday party. Her aunt and uncle were friends of my parents. We got on so well, became penpals for a suitable number of years and rarely met, finally writing each year in our Christmas cards "let's hope we'll manage to meet up in 1970/80/90" etc etc. In 1990 I actually called on her en route the pretty way from Bath to Northampton. And that was it until 2000 just after my 50th birthday. We met in Marlborough for lunch - a suitable half-way point for us. It was unbelievable to realise that this was probably only the 5th or 6th time we had EVER met in all those years. Since then we've tried hard, and I posted about meeting her for lunch a couple of months ago in Lacock, our new half-way point. And now, TWICE in TWO MONTHS. Unbelievable. Even harder to comprehend is the fact that we have both been married 30 years and until Monday had never met each other's husband. We haven't met each other's children, either, know each other so well! So each hubby was meeting 2 unknown people for lunch!!!! And we all got on like a house on fire. We spent a good 2½ hours chatting about all sorts of things and finding that the men enjoyed similar things. A and I knew we'd all get on, but it was great to come home afterwards and for P to say what a lovely couple and what an enjoyable time. I'm hoping N thought the same!!!

Anyway, I digress ...

The second pub was adjacent to the M5 so very noisy, but also adjacent to a canal. So, after a humungous prawn baguette P and I had a short wander along the canal bank, and then meandered back through Sedgmoor and the Somerset Levels.

We had a lovely drive back through the Levels. It was a treat to take time out and pootle along at about 25 mph enjoying the scenery. Normally I'm behind the wheel trying to get from A to B in the shortest possible time. There were hardly any other cars on the roads we chose, so it was really relaxing.

Without realising it we had driven around the area where the The Battle of Sedgemoor took place. I have a brochure in front of me, so can tell you that this battle was fought in 1685 and was the last major battle on English soil. It was the climax of a rebellion led by the Duke of Monmouth attempting to overthrow James II. I was useless at history at schook, but remember writing about the Monmouth Rebellion. I had no idea what it was, of course, but now I do!

I got back home feeling as if I'd been on holiday. It was a treat not to be racing around. In fact I've had a reasonably relaxed few days, culminating in visiting Niki (Nostalgia), another friend briefly, and Liz (co-dealer at Dairy House) yesterday. Some travelling around, but no time restraints for a change.

Enjoy the photos!