Month: May 2019

Goodbye to Blackpool, it hasn’t improved much over the many years since I was last here! However, it was worth it to see Michael Ball, travel the Lake District and go to Blackpool Zoo!! I also have to thank Mal for being so thoughtful and extending my birthday!

We had to wait an hour and a half at the London interchange, waiting for feeder coaches and then because it was bank holiday weekend, the M25 was horrendous, so about 2 and a half hours late arriving in Herne Bay! Lou picked us up, we collected Ellie and she dropped us off at home. Her car is still not fully repaired and so she has kept mine.

Thought for the Day – “Unexpected kindness is the most powerful, least costly and most underrated way to change a life.” ~ B. Kerrey

The morning’s jaunt was out to Fleetwood, where they manufacture “Fisherman’s Friends” but we weren’t going there, we had a choice of the 150 stall market or the Designer outlet. We went to the designer outlet but it was not very good, evidently nor was the market. Back to Blackpool where we had lunch on the sea front along with a gin and tonic, very nice in the sun.

We then walked the length of Blackpool sea front.

Dinner back at the hotel and then time to pack! I watched “Big Animal Surgery” on the TV later. Fascinating and an improvement on the evenings bingo and entertainment!

Thought for the Day – “Keep looking up! I learn from the past, dream about the future and look up. There’s nothing like a beautiful sunset to end a healthy day.” ~ Rachel Boston

 

 

Our day out this day was to the Lake District. Another lovely sunny day and away from the Blackpool coast it wasn’t so breezy.

First we went to Ambleside which is a very pretty place and we saw the Wordsworth family graves and also went to the Wordsworth Daffodil Garden. A lovely village to wander around.

We drove through a lot more of the Lake district and eventually stopped at Bowness on Windermere and had the rest of the day there and we found a nice pub to have our lunch in. A good thing I went to the loo there, the public toilets are 40p!!

Every evening there was entertainment in the hotel, bingo followed by a singer or comedian. We went out instead!

Thought for the Day – “Relax and unwind and get in a flip flop state of mind!”

We went down to breakfast as soon as the restaurant opened as Mal had a surprise planned for the day. We walked out of the main town and through a really lovely Stanley Park.

We could have both spent the day exploring the park, however Mal had something else planned. It finally became obvious and it was the day at Blackpool Zoo. We had a brilliant day and really enjoyed it. It’s a well kept zoo and they are  into their conservation. I love Howletts but this zoo was very different and although I don’t think they had breeding programmes, the animals were really well looked after. The zoo was also planned out well with lots of information everywhere and I didn’t think we even got around to all of the animals. We did spend quite a while watching the orangutans as they took great pleasure in covering their heads with blankets or straw and hiding !! So amusing.

We walked so much that we caught the bus back to the hotel, it’s great having a bus pass!!!

An early dinner and a quick change and we walked to the Opera House, for the main reason we came to Blackpool…….Michael Ball.

I never take photos when artists are performing and usually leave it until right at the end. When he started the concert Michael said “Forget abut your phones and live in the moment.” Good advice, if only this happened at other concerts. So most did forget their phones!

An excellent performance and well worth travelling to Blackpool for . Mal even enjoyed it!

We then walked along the sea front back to the hotel . A beautiful sky. A long but really enjoyable day.

Thought for the Day – “Impossible is just an opinion.” ~ Paulo Coelho

Day 3 of my birthday! Lou took us to the pier in Herne Bay where we caught the Shearings coach to Blackpool. Meanwhile Ellie is having a holiday with Lou and Rhys and took her to the beach in the afternoon.

There is a reason we have travelled to Blackpool. All will be revealed tomorrow! We checked in the hotel, went for our dinner and then a walk along the sea front as the sun was setting.

They did have entertainment on in the hotel but we preferred the walk!

Thought for the Day – “Be thankful for what you are now and keep fighting for what you want to be tomorrow.”

Day 2 of my birthday! In the morning Tris and Violet came round with presents and a card. Then Rhys came to collect us to take us over to his house where they had cooked a delicious lunch, fish as they know I love fish. Tariq, Sol and River with their girl friends were there too. It was lovely to have everyone together.

Ollie made two delicious cakes, clever boy. He certainly has talent.

I know they all moan when I take photos but I don’t care. I always tell them if I didn’t take so many, I wouldn’t have them of Torin, so they tolerate me!!

Another lovely day, thanks to my family.

Thought for the Day – “Family is not an important thing. It’s everything.” ~ Michael J. Fox

Bargains – Marks and Spencer Discount Code | 50% off | marksandspencer.com & The Hut Voucher Codes | thehut.com & Cheap All Inclusive Holidays | mercury-direct.co.uk & Cheap City Breaks Europe | 2 Nights Hotel & Flights | £139.50pp & Thomas Cook Discount Code | 40% off | thomascook.com & Designer Bags Sale | mybag.com

My 69th Birthday!! That certainly does not seem possible. Lou had her friend Nia staying with her, so they all came over for Sandwich Food Fayre, always a good day. Lots of tastings too so the kids love it!

We then went to The Crispin Inn for a drink  but still they had no Bombay Sapphire and so we left!! We went to the Mermaids Locker and they didn’t either! Well, it was my birthday and I wanted what I wanted! A good thing there are 11 pubs in Sandwich!! Next stop was the Red Cow, yes, they had it and good real ale and a nice garden to sit in!

After all this, we all went back home and Mal made us an afternoon tea, with clotted cream, the lot! He did really well, even the smoked salmon finger sandwiches. Sadly Rhys was working but we sent him cakes home!

Amongst my presents, Mal bought me an “experience” at Howletts, which you can probably guess will be with Arina. Lou and Rhys bought me a very substantial voucher for a posh fish restaurant in Walmer.

I had a lovely day .

Thought for the Day – “You don’t stop laughing because you grow old. You grow old because you stop laughing.” ~ George Bernard Shaw