25-05-25

Good morning, one and all.

Firstly, thank you so very much for your lovely comments yesterday.  I've just done one reply at the bottom rather than individually and I send much love to any of you who have lost a dearly loved pet.

Yesterday was very pleasant.  The chat with Chris was, as always, great fun - how we manage to keep going non-stop is beyond me, but we do and it's great.

A bit later I set off to Val's - very easy journey - and she drove us further up to Halstead where we had lunch and then visited Sconch, the yarn shop that used to be at Blake Hall Craft Centre.

We went to the Little Book Café for lunch.  I thought it was a book shop with a coffee corner but it wasn't, it's one of those lovely cafes in a very old building, offering wonderful meals and, as a plus, second hand books that one can borrow, read there or buy.

http://www.littlebookcafe.co.uk/

These were the cookery books and, yes, I was sorely tempted but I do NOT need any more books, I really don't.

And this was my lunch (I nearly forgot to snap it) which was lovely!  Their own salad with leaves, tomatoes, onion crispy bits, olive, avocado, mozzarella and goodness knows what else with a honey and mustard dressing on the side.  MUST look up honey and mustard dressing - it was scrummy.

It was all washed down with a very nice coffee.  Perfect!

Then we wandered round the corner to Sconch.

https://www.sconch.com/

Of course I did - I'll show you what for when I make it, OK.  
It's a really lovely shop and if you live near Halstead, well worth a visit, assuming you like that sort of crafting.
It's a bit further than Blake Hall is but I am already planning a return visit to Halstead.  I know where to park now and there were several interesting looking shops and a church that might be worth a visit and I can combine it with a return visit to Hedingham Castle.

Val also gave me a wonderful bunch of flowers - thank you so much, Val, they are beautiful.

Once home, I chilled for a while and, in the evening, joined an online chat with friends from the Slim Win group.  It was a laugh.

Today, it is Slimming World, of course, and then I am off to the surgery for my medication review.  I know all is well but I'm still nervous and very glad that they won't be taking my blood pressure (results already send to them) because it will probably be way up - white coat syndrome!!

Once that is over, I will stop off at M&S on the way home to get a few bits and bobs and, once home, I have a meal to prepare for Dave and Anna.  Shepherd's pie (gotta use those leftovers) with fancy veg (hence the trip to M&S) and, probably, nice fruit.

It's all go today.

What are your plans for this Friday?  xx