Tuesday 17 September 2019


Today




For so many days recently
I have thought...
"this will be the day that I start writing my blog again!"

It is all so easy to stop doing things
but ....oh so difficult to pick it up again!

And even after I sat down, this afternoon, 
in the sun
with my 
laptop on my knee...
things did not go well for me. 
As I tried to use a different computer
and blogger wouldn't let me in!!
Anyway here I am!

How are you all??
I used to hear from so many of you
very regularly
but I expect that few...if any
will remember me!

To catch up....
well I completed 4 years of my Open University 
degree in Classics 
but have had to stop 
for a while
as there are so many health issues in my life,
my husband's and my mother's.
I have been awarded a Diploma in Higher Education
but will have to complete another
2 years if I want to succeed with the degree!!


It was my mother's birthday a couple of weeks ago
and so we had a big family party
After all she is 99!!
This is not the venue but my cousin and I took Mum
to the Ettington Park Hotel
for a cup of tea 
the day before her party.


It really is an incredible place.
I believe they made the film
"Hush, hush sweet Charlotte' here??



The church has only the facade still standing!


The interior seems to look almost Moroccan?


This fireplace is in the entrance hall



This is the library.  It too, is ornate.
There are secret doors in here.
This is where they conduct marriages.
Perhaps the doors are for the bride to escape?



The doorway out of the library



The Hallway



and the lounge

We truly had a lovely afternoon!

I really hope to continue writing here
and sharing things 
that matter 
to me.

I do hope to connect with some old friends and, hopefully, make some new!

Life is pretty difficult, health wise,
at the moment so 
I do hope to 
catch up with you all again soon!



14 comments:

  1. WELCOME BACK - I did miss you. Lovely photos of the Ettington Park Hotel - and I went online to looks at the rooms too!

    Belated 99th Birthday Greetings to you Mom. Thank you so much for blogging today.

    Hugs.

    Joy

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    Replies
    1. Hi Joy
      Thank you so much! Good to hear from you. I have missed all of you but life has just been so full that I couldn’t take on any extra!
      I’m glad you found the hotel interesting. Obviously it was a family home originally. I remember going there years ago when I was learning to drive. Occasionally Dad would say we could all go as a treat. There was an old lady there who had lived there all her life and she used to tell such tales and showed us a secret tunnel! I wish I’d written it down but at that age you think you’ll always remember!
      I’m looking forwards to visiting you soon and seeing what you’ve been up to
      Hugs as well
      Joan

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  2. Oh! I remember you! In fact, I won your giveaway of a tea towel! How wonderful that your mother has celebrated a 99th birthday! I blog very irregularly now as well. How fortunate that I chose today to check on my reading list! Sending you hugs!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Nellie. I wrote a long reply to your lovely note only to discover it has disappeared! I thought that it was just taking a while to come on but when I looked hours later it has disappeared!! Sorry!! I was just saying it’s good to be back in touch again and I will be visiting all my friends gradually to catch up. See you soon
      Hugs too. Joan

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  3. So glad to see you back! I've always enjoyed reading your blog!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Jan. as above....my messages disappeared so here I am again! It’s good to be back in touch. Will see you soon. Smiles. Joan

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  4. Lovely to have you back. All the best with your health issues. Cheers from carole's Chatter

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    Replies
    1. Hi Carole. Yours is another that disappeared! That you for your good wishes. Unfortunately it’s something that isn’t going to go away so one just has to carry on!
      I’ll be popping in to your chatter to catch up soon. Joan

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  5. Replies
    1. Thank you so much for your welcome. The longer note I wrote you might pop up one day 🤣. Meanwhile, it’s always good to see you as well. Joan

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  6. I remember you from your amazing header. Welcome back! I have signed on as a follower. I am so sorry about the health issues of you and your family. I have wanted to go to Wales for as long as I can remember. This place is amazing. It DOES look Moroccan! I have never seen stained glass over a fireplace. What an awesome day this must have been. How blessed you were to be able to take your mom!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Do you know....I wrote you a long reply this afternoon saying how glad
      I was that you’d signed on as a follower etc.....! And I don’t know where it went! So sorry. I honestly did respond. I feel even worse since you comment on my most rec3nt blog not knowing that I had responded!
      I was telling you that the Ettington Park Hotel is in the middle of England not Wakes. We do have some gorgeous family’Seats’ but, especially in Pembrokeshire, we have so many castles....mostly in ruins!
      We are so lucky and blessed to have Mum. She and I have had some wonderful holidays to look back on. When she was 72 we climbed the Matterhorn ( as high as you could go without guides & crapons). Its just so sad now to see her unable to go far but her spirit is indomitable!!
      I hope you and your family are well. Will visit soon .....& I so hope 5hat you get to see this one. Jx

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  7. I was so happy to see your new post and catch up with you a bit. Happy Birthday to your dear Mother! WOW! 99 years young! Hope you get your health back and feel better. Please keep in touch! Hugs, Diane

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Diane. I wrote you a long reply and when I said publish it disappeared! Thanks so much for commenting. It’s really good to be back in contact! Yes, Mum’s doing really well. I’m hoping to go & see her next week as Im having surgery end of Oct so won’t then get to see her til after Xmas.
      Anyway, Ill be popping over again soon
      Love. Joan

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