Linctus

When I was a small girl, there was seldom more than a single bottle of cooking sherry in the house, for people generally didn't drink alcohol at home so much in the 1960s.  My Grandad worked for the Customs and Excise however, and somehow, from time to time, an unlabelled bottle would find its way into the cupboard, often around Christmas time.  It was always known as "Daddy's linctus" and I now realise it was most likely a rather good port - which wouldn't last very long in this household.

Well, today there are a few bottles of linctus around as patience has its rewards in the form of last year's sloe gin.  Earlier last week, my good WI friends Marjorie and Connie did their harvest of the blackthorn hedges around Bourton on the Water and brought me two large bags full.  They tell me that there are not so many sloes this year and I can tell from looking at my blog from 2007 that they are rather later than previously.  But my goodness, they are of fine quality!

Of course, before I could begin this year's Sloe Gin process, I had to bottle last years. I had also frozen the sloes to split the skins before steeping in the gin - so much easier than pricking with a darning needle!

Same procedure every year.  That's a large demijohn for us, which will be bottled as needed, a smaller bottle for Edward and of course, a bottle for Marjorie and Connie.

And the quality control is most important, so sampling has to be done. Cheers!

To "Brideshead" and beyond

The rain finally came overnight and we woke to leaden skies and wet pavements.  Time to go home.  Our journey took us via Byland Abbey, however; one of those places you stumble upon as you turn a corner, suddenly finding a magnificent structure immediately in front.  Wow.

It had been our intention to drive along the ridge past Ampleforth towards Hovingham, stopping for a short time by the Mouseman workshop.  You can read about Robert  "Mousey" Thompson here.

The furniture is beautifully crafted and perfect in a large country house or parish church setting.  Since we have to furnish neither, we admired and moved on.  Not before I'd taken a photograph of their raw material in the form of stacks of English Oak, gently weathering outside the workshop.

On then, to our intended destination. Castle Howard.

We arrived with the morning rush, but that was fine - this place was large enough to cope.  We loved wandering around the house at our own pace and appreciated the fact that we could take photographs.

Though undoubtedly grand, Castle Howard is most certainly a real family home too.

The views were magnificent, both outside and in

We really enjoyed an exhibition of Nick Howard's photographs and found the inevitable exhibition to both the recent filming and the 1980's TV series interesting, for after all, many will always think of Castle Howard as Brideshead.

We drove to Hull mid afternoon, intending to spend the night there and drive home tomorrow morning.  Mummy's bungalow stands empty and with no buyers forthcoming, we tend to put it to the back of our minds.  But having satisfied ourselves that all was well, we decided to drive on back to Gloucestershire tonight.

After Strictly Come Dancing and Hull Haddock and Chips, of course.  We have our priorities!

So what would you choose?

We're staying in a "boutique" hotel here in Yorkshire and I'm intrigued by the selection of CDs and DVDs in our room.  I wondered how accurately  they reflect the interests/taste of the guests here and whether they are aimed more at their desired target group.  Most of the guests here are around our age or even slightly older - couples in their 50s I'd say, with the odd exception, both older and younger.

The music CD box contains:

• American Life,  Madonna
• Spiritus, ?
• Ladies and Gentlemen, the best of George Michael
• Berlioz, Symphonie Fantastique
• Bocelli, Sogno
• Songs in the Key of Life, Stevie Wonder
• Come Away with Me, Norah Jones
• Live at Knebworth, Robbie Williams

The DVD movie box contains:

• Y tu Mama Tambien
• 9 1/2 weeks
• Some Like it Hot
• English Patient
• Sleepless in Seattle
• Jamon Jamon
• Dirty Dancing
• The Godfather
• Casablanca
• The Piano

I can't decide whether I think these choices are just too clever by half, revelaing great insight and some adventure, or that I could do better!  I think I would make some changes, most certainly - but I'd definitely keep such classics as Casablanca and Stevie Wonder.  What about you?  What do you think ought to be in there?

Incidentally, we've watched/listened to not a single one!  We've hardly been here, and when we have, we've been eating dinner - had the tasting menu with the wine choices tonight, for after all, when one's bedroom is only steps away, isn't it too good an opportunity to miss?

Day off

A fine day dawned so we headed for Rievaulx Abbey this morning. 

First stop, the exhibition centre where some background information was displayed - I loved the drawings which characterised the explanations of life in a monastery.   Whilst we were there, a school party was being shown around by one of the monks from nearby Ampleforth.  His voice and manner of speaking was delightful to listen to and I was pleased to hear how responsive and thoughtful the children were in answering his questions.

I especially liked the way the grass in the nave revealed a hint of how it was, what had been or even what is hidden beneath.

and in between the squally drizzle, the sun shone and highlighted small details and glimpses through the ruin.

Later in the day, we had company

We met uncoming traffic in some tight spots (but note they're English ducks who know which side of the road to run on)

We stopped for tea in "Aidensfield" - where we seemed to have entered a time warp and some kind of TV country

Finished our day in Lastingham, where the Norman crypt in St Mary's was full of atmosphere and the papier mache angel hanging above the nave was a striking feature in the church above.

Interesting place to work #4

Not exactly in this building, but in this place, which I doubt many would recognise.

Today, my work took us to the county of my birth, to glorious countryside and to a delightful market town:  Ripon, in North Yorkshire.  Having fulfilled my obligations, tonight  we are in Helmsley, a similarly lovely market town in (or on the edge of?) the North Yorkshire National Park and tomorrow we're hoping for good enough weather to explore a few of the lovely places nearby.

How lucky is that?