GERVASE PHINN, THE WEST END, A REUNION AND A RAMBLE

WEDNESDAY



Today we visited Gawsworth Hall Open Air Theatre for a picnic tea in the gardens, a tour the 550 year old house and an evening of cultural entertainment. The ex Inspector of schools and now author of many books, Gervase Phinn, recounted amusing tales from his working days. He had the audience in stitches for nearly 3 hours. It was a great evening. I purchased his latest book and managed to get his autograph and a cuddle to boot.

FRIDAY

Friday at Gawsworth was a musical evening with songs from current shows in the West End. Grease, The Sound of Music, Chicago, Jesus Christ Super Star, Mary Poppins, Cats, Phantom of the Opera, Lion King, Blood Brothers, Mamma Mia and of course Les Miserable. The music was of a very high standard and we enjoyed the night immensely.




SATURDAY and SUNDAY



We held our planned reunion this weekend with seven girls from my college year. 40 years since we left Nevilles Cross . Scary!!! The girls started to arrive mid morning on Saturday. Judy Sharp, followed quickly by Gill Hoad, Chris Taylor (Glaisedale) Jan Lickley (Eastbourne) and Linda Dix. Pat Butler and Dorothy Hailes would arrive on Sunday. They all organised accommodation in and around Macclesfield. It still amazes me how we just continued where we left off- so comfortable in the company of one another. The men knew the drill, they disappeared into another room and left us to it. We reminisced; we talked and laughed till we cried. Ten of us sat down to dinner. I made a couple of main dishes and Linda made a dessert, and all too quickly it was midnight. Sunday dawned a beautiful day. By 11.30 am we had a full house. I fed them lunch in the garden (yes the sun was shining), and then we were off for a hike. No problem for ex Phys Ed students! Bella needed a walk too! We drove to Rainow, walked the walk, and talked the talk, then ended up at the pub at Kerridge. The sun still shone. Our first good weekend of weather since we arrived in Macclesfield!!! Our evening meal was booked at a local pub. Colin and I had tried it out the week before and passed it as excellent value for money. Another successful night. Back to 265 for a night cap. All too soon it was Monday morning and they all called back in before leaving. We look forward to another reunion next time I’m in the UK.

MONDAY

Inspired by the thrill seeking escapades of the Pickles family in the USA; swimming the rapids and humming the desert ridges, we decided to throw caution to the wind and embark on a daring tea shop ramble. Our challenge would be to circumnavigate the National Trust Park at Alderley Edge without a guide book and with only the promise of the sun as a navigation aid. Progress was stunning for the first hour but slowly the realisation dawned that home base was not around the next corner, or the next, or the next. Showing signs of desperation Kerry again called out for a flock of guiding geese and once more her oneness with nature was rewarded. Unfortunately this bunch (they did not deserve their collective noun) had no sense of direction at all, as shown in the photograph. Even the cattle were too embarrassed to lift their heads. So we had to resort to native cunning and actually ask someone for directions. Worse still our pocket money did not stretch to an ice-cream, and even Bella showed signs of disappointment or tiredness. We must now have a crack at Kinder Scout.