Friday 20 August 2010

Fakenham Wanderers

No, it's not a football team, although it does sound like one! The FH took the girls out yesterday, with the aim of going to Fakenham market, and then perhaps on to the coast. They left here shortly before 10am and by 10.31am I had had a text from the EFG to the effect that they were "sort of" lost. "Dad doesn't really know where we are," she said, when I phoned to see what was going on. He had taken them to Downham Market, and then thought he would head for Swaffham before turning north. It didn't go according to his plan, but by some small miracle, they did end up in Fakenham by lunchtime!

They pootled around the market, bought the wonderful and much preferred doughnuts from Morrisons, and then ate their lunch. They moved on to Sheringham, went to Kelling Heath and then to Holt, where they bought old-fashioned sweets at the upmarket independent department store that is "Bakers & Larners of Holt" and then they came home. I was relieved to get them home together!! They reported that they had a lovely day, which pleased me.

I spent the day at home - I dealt with the chickens, made a couple of loaves of french bread, some pizzas and a chocolate cake, tidied up, exercised, read a little, watered the garden, and generally plodded around here at my own speed - it was very peaceful.

The teatime event was their friends, T & her brother G, coming for pizzas. They stayed until about 9pm when I had to take them home in the car - they live just around the corner - less than 5 minutes walk but the rain was coming down so heavily and persistently that we would all have been drenched. We were all ready for bed early last night.

This morning, we took T & G and their mum and went to Cambridge to the Fitzwilliam Museum as they had never been there before. The car was parked and we went in to the city on the Park and Ride bus - which my girls find a novelty as we don't use the buses out here in the wilderness as they never go where we need to be! We had a fair walk from the bus station then to the museum, which made everyone hungry, so we had to stop for a snack when we got there. After checking in our bags, we began the tour - there is so much to see there, we could have taken longer, but I think our legs would have given out! The Egyptian rooms were first on the list, then the Greek and Roman exhibitions, before we went through to the pottery area and china exhibits - there was a pair of china chickens which I loved, and a chicken tureen as well - a huge chicken with babies on her back, and the whole thing opened up to serve the soup!!

We saw a lot of art in the galleries, although none of us were impressed with the modern art. There are two John Constable paintings which I did like - much more my sort of art. Unfortunately the gallery where the Lowry is was closed, which disappointed me a little as I do find that amusing. There were several paintings with women with exposed breasts which little boys find funny - and they weren't nude women, just women who had one hanging out in a slightly bizarre way!!

After the museum, we nipped into the shopping area of the city before we headed back to the bus stop. I went to Lakeland for loaf-tin liners and a few other bits, whilst the others browsed in Waterstone's - and some book purchases were made in there - although I did manage NOT to buy a cookery book which was some feat as they had a huge selection and I am sure I could have found one or two I liked!!

The YFG has gone off to another sleepover tonight, and tomorrow will bring a cinema trip for me with the EFG for her birthday (14!!!) and the YFG has a birthday party at the swimming pool to look forward to with her friend from gymnastics.

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