June 24: Sting and afternoon tea

Friday 21 June 

Carol, Jeanette, Sue, Trisha, Wendy

It was Siobhan who had originally suggested going to see Sting at Sherwood Pines..

.. and it was Siobhan who organised the tickets, parking and accommodation.  

So our first task was to unravel all of this to make sure that we could actually go!

The accommodation she had arranged was a small bungalow in Ordsall with four single beds in two bedrooms, staying Saturday and Sunday nights as the concert was on Sunday evening. 

We extended this to include the Friday evening as well so that we could have the full day on Saturday to do something with the schoolies. We decided on afternoon tea.

Jeanette and I arrived on the Friday evening and enjoyed a leisurely catch up and then a run out in the car to North Leverton to have a little reminisce (and loiter outside houses - ooh X lived there, did Y have a shop there?, what happened to Z then? 😁) and look at graves in the churchyard. 

Saturday 22 June 

Carol, Chris, Dawn, Heather, Jeanette, Joyce, Sue, Trisha, Wendy

I went to pick up boxes of afternoon teas prepared by my sister Cathryn at the Gate Inn round the corner. She had already been making 150 teas for a wedding so she said adding another few would be no problem 🤣

Sue and Trisha arrived and we set out our afternoon tea.

Dave (owner who lived in the main house) had allowed us to move the outdoor furniture around so we placed it in the shade under the apple tree by the French doors of our cottage. We were ready for our schoolie guests.

We had a lovely afternoon doing what we do best - eating, drinking and talking!

Sue was there - you can see her knees!

There she is!

The food was delicious and we drank Hugo cocktails and cups of tea.

Joyce tried out the tree swing.. 🤣

It was a perfect number for us to be able to sit together and enjoy all the conversations.

We just had one raffle prize so Dawn put the names into a tea cup and asked Joyce to draw out the winner. 

The winner was .. *drumroll* .. Joyce! Very funny!

Consolation prizes for everyone else.

We followed the sun round the garden, moving table and chairs with us whilst we put the world to rights. 

We talked about all sorts - births, deaths, politics.. and quite randomly a vending machine which Jeanette had seen when she stopped at Grantham services en route to Ordsall. 

(Sorry - missed Sue AND Trisha from this pic!.. 🙄)

Now we've all met vending machines past and present - dispensing chewing gum, gob stoppers, sweets etc - and those in pubs and service stations adding sanitary towels and condoms to the list - even the occasional toothbrush or mouth freshener but this was a new one for us..

She described two of the items in the machine. The first one was a ring to go round an.. appendage.. 🙄 For pleasure purposes.. 😁 The second one was also for pleasure purposes.. and probably requires batteries.. 🤣

These were in a vending machine.. in a public place.. we were all quite incredulous.

The conversation ended with Jeanette promising to take a photo on her return journey.. 😁

Sunday 23 June

We had a leisurely breakfast outside on the lawn in our jim jams. Very nice. 

Then we had a lovely little wander round the Idle Valley nature reserve.

Interesting bug on a thistle.

It was very warm and humid. 

Carol, Jeanette, Trisha, Sue, Wendy 

Late afternoon we set off for Sherwood Pines, picked our spot and set up camp.

No tables allowed so we made ourselves a picnic space with blankets so we could spread out with another afternoon tea.. 😋

We toasted Siobhan.. 💕

.. and then Dick.. 💕 

Trisha and Carol having a Cissie and Ada moment.  🤣

Sting came on after two support acts looking buff and toned - and sang all the Police classics.

We arrived back at our digs at around midnight and just as we were about to turn into the road Jeanette spotted the moon on the horizon - it looked huge! 

So we promptly turned round in the yard and set off to look for a space to see it properly. 

Apparently it was a waning gibbous moon. It looked very big and very beautiful hanging there just above the horizon but it didn't seem as impressive in the pics. 

Monday 24 June 

It was the usual last minute madness of tidying up, sorting out and setting off for home.

I think the last word will have to go to Jeanette who, as promised, popped in again to Grantham services. 

Well when I say last word no words are needed.. 🤣

The actual last word finishes the post as it started - with Siobhan.  Thanks again to all who came for afternoon tea - we raised £115.

Another great effort - our schoolie contributions to Siobhan's Action for Pulmonary Fibrosis charity now stand at £665 - we're well on the way to reaching our target!..