Good morning, everyone. A new week and a bit of a change in the weather round here. Much cooler, cloudy - a bit dismal really, especially after such a gorgeous day yesterday.
It truly was gorgeous, wasn't it? Wall to wall sunshine and cloudless blue skies pretty much all day.
The day revolved around a visit to Diana and Tom's for lunch. Diana is (was) Mum's half sister. Before we left home, I made a quick dash to Bickerdikes for a couple of nice little 'thank yous' to take with us so that was my half hour of exercise for the day. I was glad to get that in because the weekend, as with all my Dad weekends, was very food-naughty!
We had a great time chatting and catching up on all sorts of stuff over a delicious lunch of salmon and salad, followed by a tropical fruit salad.
When we left, before we set off back home, Dad took me on a tour of Kettering streets with family history. Both Mum and Dad's families were Kettering folks, born and bred, both sides were in the boot and shoe business in different ways, both grandads (mine) had small boot and shoe companies and both families lived very much in the same area. So we went in and out of very narrow roads - Digby Street, Bath Road and others, locating all the old homes where Mum, Dad and grandparents were born and/or lived, past the house where Auntie May used to live, finishing off down Kingsley Avenue where Dad's parents finished their days, first in a lovely house and then, after Gramps died, in a smaller house that was built to the side of the property when the big house was sold, where Nanna lived until she passed on.
Diana and Tom live in the house that was Mum's dad's home, the other side of town pretty close to Wicksteeds, so goiung there was also memory packed .
It was all very lovely, happy and nostalgic. I have very fond memories of childood visits to Kettering.
Today, I'm off home after breakfast. I'll have some washing and some shopping to do before a bit of tuition and a nice, easy evening. It should be a really nice day, whatever the weather decides to do.
And there might be tomatoes to pick! xx
Morning Joy, it's dull and cloudy here today too, but not at all cold - warm and muggy actually. We lived in Northampton for about 25 years before moving down here, so know Kettering quite well. We used to take husband's kids to Wicksteed park when they were up visiting us for the weekend. Hope you have a good journey home. xx
ReplyDeleteIt was the highlight os our visits to Kettering, an afternoon at Wickies! It's nice that it's still going strong.
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I don't know Kettering at all but it must have been fascinating to go down memory lane with your dad. DH's dad grew up on the Castle kennedy estate here in Scotland and DH also lived there for a while when he was little so for him our recent visit is full of nostalgia. Some of the houses I have lived in or relatives lived in have been pulled down now so there is nothing to go and see.
ReplyDeleteIt really was lovely but the roads were much narrower than I remembered as a child. Many families still didn't have cars, of course.
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Safe travels home, Joy, and have a wonderful rest of the day!
ReplyDeleteMany thanks, Debbie, and you have a lovely week too.
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That must have been just as lovely for your dad as it was for you. Shared memories are wonderful.
ReplyDeleteWe've had rain on and off for most of the day and it's much cooler. Definitely autumn!
It was. He hasn't gone that way for a long time now - there was no need when Auntie May was alive and Diana and Tom live the other side of Kettering really. We were both taken aback and how narrow the roads are and how small the houses. You forget, don't you?
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