Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), Sunday 25 August 2013

Clare Bailey said:

Clare:  I used to think that about the cormorants, too, and after your recent mention I tried to write a little ditty about their strange habits, but however I worded it, it turned into something rather rude, so better not published LOL!!

Go on, Lindy - I guarantee I'll laugh!

[/quote]Best not to upset anyone of a delicate nature, Clare !!!   (or the mods!)       ;-))       You'll just have to use your own imagination LOL!!!

It's very sad but I don't think I've visited any historic property at all this year!  In a blatant attempt to make up for this I'm going to post a few photos of......my home town!  Felixstowe isn't exactly a mecca for tourists but it does have a few good points:

You see this on the right as you come into Felixstowe on the main road - it's a bit of a local icon.  This is the water tower in the village of Trimley St Mary.

This is from the top of a hill appropriately named Convalescent - I can tell you that you'd need to convalesce if you walked to the top of this!  The pier is near the mottom of the hill and you can see the rather big cranes of the Port of Felixstowe over the rooftops in the distance.

This is Landguard Fort - it's next to the nature reserve and yes, they did have an osprey fly over last week!  Every so often they do historical re-enactments here though sadly I've yet to see one.

This is the Viewing Point just around the corner from the Fort.  The dock cranes closest to us have since been demolished and there's a new caff and visitor centre.  One of those old cranes hit the local headlines last year when a pair of peregrines made a nesting attempt on it - sadly, nothing came of it.

This lovely place is Gulpher Pond - it's on the road to Old Felixstowe and Felixstowe Ferry.  It's about half an hour's walk from my back gate and is packed with a variety of ducks.

This is the road to Felixstowe Ferry - a foot ferry can take you across to Bawdsey, home of radar development.  This whole area is very unspoilt and comes complete with Martello towers.

The Ferry Boat Inn at Felixstowe Ferry has stood for hundreds of years and yes, I do have to duck as I enter!  The food here is gorgeous and Limpy loves the fish - it tastes as though it was caught on the same day, which it probably was!

I hope you all enjoy these - I think Felixstowe is an attractive place.

Lovely photos Clare.

The first time I remember seeing Felixstowe on TV was on "Around The World In 80 days" with Michael Palin. The container ship he travelled across from Newark, NJ on arrived there. When he got off he got a lift with the world's most boring and disinterested lorry driver, and ended up at Felixstowe Station, boarding a train for Ipswich. It was here that he made the comment that after just travelling around the world, he couldn't believe just how much time it was going to take to get back to London, having to changed trains as well. By the time he got back to London he was in a foul mood!

I've seen that - I thought it was brilliant!  I seem to recall that he couldn't get anything to eat on the train from Ipswich to London, and then there was a bomb threat on one of the Underground stations on his way to the Reform Club.

My favourite scene from the whole series had to be the trouser-eating cockatoo in Hong Kong - just beautiful!

I do have a copy of the book at home and it's a wonderful read.

Yes, I remember that scene too.

"Hello Polly, I've been in a sketch with you, John Cleese used to bang you on the table!"

Hello everyone - it has been busy on here today and I have enjoyed reading and looking at your photos,thank you. I keep meaning to tell you all about a small restaurant that is in a village quite near my brother's house in Brittany. The restaurant is right beside a river and the English translation of its name is Rendezvous of the Fishers. Inside, a small bar area and a restaurant that maybe sits 30. The owner,Nicolas, runs between the bar and the restaurant - which is always busy, mostly locals and local workmen who march in at 1230.It seems that the lunch hour in France is 2 hours long--- The reason that I am telling you about this restaurant is because my dear OH, who you might remember is an accountant, like Clare and also Margo's husband, is still reeling with shock at the prices!! For 11 euros per person, a four course lunch, starter, main course, cheese, pudding, also wine and coffee.Basket of bread and butter also ice cold water. Bread, water, wine replenished free. When OH went to pay the bill, he was given a cognac on the house. It was interesting to watch the French folk. The wine was automatically brought to the tables. Some of the workers drank their wine- usually rose wine at lunchtime- others ate their meal and drank the water (free) and left the wine, in its carafe, without drinking it.I have seen this before, in France. I don't think that a Scot who wasn't driving would leave wine on the table unless he or she was teetotal :-))

Ooooh! Who mentioned Michael Palin?! The older women's crumpet!!! Nice pics of Felixstowe, Clare - never been there.

Sounds like a great place to eat, Heather - thanks for your description.

Lots of posts today – good to have so many of us around.

Lindy – well done for designating some unwanted ornaments for the auction room! I enjoyed the extra photos of L M Hall, thanks.

NiteOwl - I remember the bread-cake tea-cake conundrum when moving from Yorkshire to Lancashire! I think of you as a very busy person, and am amazed at the amount you get done with your health issues, so don’t worry about a bit of ironing having to wait!

Alan – whist listening to Owen Paterson on the box this morning, I had a few guesses at your reaction! I hope you really did calm down at RW – nice photos! GCG gets the prize for perseverance!

Annette – that was a very early start this morning! I don’t know Early Girl tomatoes – these are Gardeners Delight, which have done really well for us two years running. J didn’t get his hair cut after all – had to get another repair to his glasses; good thing optician does it free!

Lynette – pleased to see you are still getting more strength back in your knee. How is your OH now?

Clare – thanks for photos of Felixstowe. I think those dock cranes which you say are now demolished were brand new state-of-the-art last time we were there!

Heather – sounds a lovely little bar/restaurant in Brittany! Pleased you had a good time seeing your brother.

Don’t know what time I’ll get on here tomorrow – eye check up, and shopping to make the journey worthwhile.

Owen Paterson is just bizarre. Could hardly answer the simplest questions on C4 news.

Sandpiper:

Cheeky starlings: