We had a slow, relaxing morning before leaving for the Alresford Agricultural Show. We all split up when we arrived so Graham and I strolled through the farming section – old tractors, old farm trucks, small steam engines, cattle, sheep, goats and bees.
After meeting up for lunch Elaine and I then went to buy something to eat then looked through the vegies, jams, craft and cakes tent. I was really surprised at how sparse the exhibits were, only about 30 jars of jam and only one item of patchwork.
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| Punch and judy |
Mary, Elaine and I left the show at about 3pm and got home quite quickly. Graham and the girls left at about 4:30pm but took over an hour to get home because of the queues of cars trying to get out.
Once home we juggled washing in and out of the rain that started as we arrived and then got involved in dinner preparation.
After dinner we all went to a concert in the village hall by three young classical guitarists. One was a local boy, Christian, who is about to audition for the Royal College of Music and the other two are graduates of the same college – Tom Ellis and Laura Snowden. All three were very good although I only recognised two of the pieces.
Sunday 8 September
We woke to a rainy morning and while Elaine read and others slept I went down the yard to open up the chook nests so they could get in to lay.
When the family got up our chores for the morning were to pick the crabapples for making jelly then stacking the firewood that had been delivered yesterday. It was great that Elaine and I could do something useful.
Rain continued to fall intermittently during lunch so we stayed indoors catching up on diaries and emails. But as soon as the rain cleared we drove down to Itchen Abbas, parked the car, and walked with Graham, Mary and Tara along a public footpath. It wound through fields and along the river Itchen then back around by Avington House. It was a lovely bracing walk and great to be out in the cooler weather.
Home again to a warm kitchen. Today outside was around 19C but the kitchen was up to 30C in the middle of the day. Amazing temperature differences.
Unfortunately our phone seems to have stopped even though I put money on it the other day. That will mean another visit to an EE shop to sort it out even though we thought we had done so in Winchester and had received a phone call from Graham after that.
Again we enjoyed a great meal with fabulous food, convivial company and wonderful wine with the family.
Monday 9 September
This morning started with Rosie off to school and as we left for our day out Mary and Tara returned from their morning walk. As Mary had work today and Rachael had study at home Graham, Elaine and I drove into Petersfield where another very helpful young man fixed the phone by pulling it apart and putting it back together again! Oh well!
On then to the Weald and Downland Museum for my third visit there – one in the 1980s, one in 2006 and this one. I absolutely love this living museum of rescued buildings and people practising more traditional ways of farming, gardening and building. I'd love to live close enough to volunteer here. This museum is also linked to the West Dean college where traditional farming skills, arts and crafts as well as more modern methods are taught.
Back home in heavy rain by about 3pm for family duties to start again and for us to juggle damp washing which luckily Rachael had got in as it started to rain. The day out had been damp enough to leave rain jackets on but thankfully it did not rain hard until we were on our way home.
After I had prepared a tray of zucchini a la grecque to roast for dinner, Graham took Elaine and I to call on Theresa and Richard (neighbours) who live in and are repairing their thatched 1500s house called Soames Place. It was excellent to see how such a house can be lived in successfully but also the headaches involved in renovation.
Later in the evening Graham rang JoJo who had come to stay with us and go on a field trip in the late 1980s. It was great to speak with her, catch up on family news and reminsce about old times even if it was only for a short time.
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