This coming weekend is the 'A Trip Down Memory Lane' retreat and as usual I'll be going. This time instead of just flying or driving down to the retreat we decided to have our own little trip down memory lane and have spent the journey visiting friends and family and going to old haunts.
We left home last Saturday and our first stop was to see Lou and Steph in the village of Quorn in Leicestershire. It was lovely to see them with the added bonus of meeting their newly acquired Guide dog puppy 'Hope' who they will have for a year. She was very lively and 'nibbly' but also totally adorable.
The next stop was over to Worcester to see Jonathan's Dad and Ann, and Ann treated us to a very lovely dinner at the King's head. Then over to Peterborough ~ In fact we stayed in Fotheringhay at the Castle Farm B & B which was right by the mound which is all that remains of the old castle of Fotheringhay where Mary Queen of Scots was executed.
And just along the road from Fotheringhay church...
We had a lovely dinner at the Oundle Mill with Andrew (a friend of Jonathan's) then, after a day of wandering round Peterborough, the next night we met up with Christine and Peter at The Cherry House in Werrington.
We left Peterborough and headed over to Norwich and to the Park Farm hotel in Hethersett (where we have a gorgeous boutique room). We went to Hethersett church first and put flowers on Jonathan's mum's grave.
We had no dinner plans so decided instead to have lunch out at Zaks where we often used to go when we lived in Norwich. It hadn't changed much - they still do a great burger. The place is filled with American memorabilia...
We then headed out of Norwich and along the Acle straight to Great Yarmouth where several pennies were spent in the tacky arcades (when in Rome...) - actually it was great fun!
Today has been spent shopping in Norwich and tonight we're looking forward to meeting old friends Jimmy and Julie at Nick's Diner (another old haunt) before we head down to Essex tomorrow for the retreat.
