Birthday week

Took a few days off for my birthday back in August. For the day itself (a Wednesday), booked myself in for a Spa Day at Aqua Sana Woburn Forest, Center Parcs' newest 'village', opened in 2014. Had been quite impressed by my visit to the spa at Longleat Forest back in 2009; also had heard a number of glowing reviews of the Woburn Forest spa from people at the OU, especially my colleague Jill, who actually spent Christmas at Center Parcs a couple of years ago and recently spent a Luxury Spa Break there with her husband to celebrate their tenth wedding anniversary. The LSBs are rather expensive but I've tried hinting to Ruth that one might be nice for some special occasion, but have so far got rather a lukewarm reaction.

Have set up an Aqua Sana account, just in case I may want to go again. According to the copy of Spa Escape I picked up, the revamped AS website offers 'a fast track to spa bliss'.

Spa Escape also noted that, although spas are attracting more men than they used to, the UK still lags far behind the rest of Europe when it comes to spa-going. I saw a few men there, most with their wives or girlfriends though I did see a group of three chaps together making their way to the restaurant. My boss Judith recently told me a story of a work trip to Germany she once went on, where it was quite the done thing for work colleagues to go to the spa together after work, presumably in much the same way as Brits might go to the pub. Clothes were apparently not worn. Both our minds boggled somewhat at the thought of sitting around naked with your workmates/superiors, but I suppose it’s normal in context … Tricky to give someone a stern talking-to about their work progress the following day though if you’ve been nude in front of them the evening before??

Found my way to the Center Parcs site relatively easily but managed to become confused once inside and drove several times around a massive featureless car park, before retracing my steps to the entrance lodge in hangdog fashion, to be given directions by the friendly girl on duty. On arrival, discovered I was entitled to a complimentary coffee and pastry, which I didn't need to eat having in fact had coffee and pastries before leaving the flat, but did anyway. Changed and spent a pleasant few hours mooching about the various different areas within the spa, including a brief swim in the little pool. I had booked an Elemis Intensely Cleansing Salt Scrub (frangipani-fragranced), which was pleasant though more modest than the two previous all-over body scrubs I've had at spas, in that the therapist kept you partially covered by a towel the whole time (despite the paper pants) and confined the scrub to legs and the upper part of the back, leaving me - as I am, to Ruth's surprise, relatively unself-conscious in a spa environment - with a vague feeling that I hadn't quite got my money's worth. The spa itself is very nice with an impressive number of different rooms.

My first visit to Center Parcs was with a group of other young(ish) people in 1991. Can't seem to find a photo of myself, but here's a photo of two of the other women in the group, neither of whom I am still in touch with. The chalets have been poshed up a good bit since this. That visit was to Elveden Forest in Suffolk, at the time one of only two CP sites in the country, the other being CP's first village at Sherwood Forest in Notts. Sherwood's spa has evidently recently had a refurb and looks jolly nice. Already pondering how I might justify a visit.

On the Thursday, did some domestic stuff including arranging things in my lovely new Joseph cutlery organiser. Pic nicked from John Lewis, but I'm sure they won't mind as I've spent plenty of money there over the years. Drawer was certainly in need of a clean out.

Then went for a 7-mile walk via the new housing development at Oakridge Park, via Great Linford, where I stopped for a cup of tea at the Costa at the little shopping centre, and then into Central MK.

Grand Union Canal near Oakridge Park

Went down to Abergavenny for the weekend and baked myself some birthday fairy cakes to accompany a tub of gin and tonic-flavour icing I'd bought from Lakeland. Also baked a batch of regular fairy cakes, which Nia and Alys helped to ice and decorate - I'd purchase the tub of jelly diamonds imagining one per cake, but after Nia had arranged about eight on her first cake I abandoned the idea of there being any left over.

On the Saturday Mum, Ruth and I walked over to Abergavenny Castle to see a quite interesting exhibition in the museum on significant local women.

Castle grounds with Blorenge behind

'Tis the end of the year, etc

Various discussions recently have led to my considering taking out another flat in Milton Keynes, though ONLY FOR ANOTHER SIX MONTHS. Really. Because by that point, everything will be crystal clear re what to do moving forward re residence situ. As I find myself unable to face the remainder of the winter in Travelodges given impossibility of preparing hot food in the evenings, and (perhaps feebly) can’t face either lodgings or a room in a shared house, it seems currently the only option given Ruth’s continuing lukewarm attitude to moving to MK. Viewed five flats the week before last, four of which were perfectly nice, but have not taken one as yet, partly because dithering over locations. Have two more viewings booked for Monday 5 January so will see what those yield.

Had our Information Office Christmas lunch on Thursday 18 December, at The Black Horse at Great Linford. Turned out to be considerably more enjoyable than the previous two, perhaps partly because the recently-retired Nick came along and bought three bottles of wine for the table. Nick appeared in a good humour despite having been recently diagnosed with coeliac disease and severe anaemia. An amusing time was had with some cracker innards, leading to both Guy and Andy crawling under the table at one point though I forget quite why. Service was a bit sluggish but food wasn’t bad.

‘Broke up’ from work for Christmas at midday on 23 December. Went into Reading in the evening and dined at Chennai Dosa, an Indian restaurant opposite the library that I’d never been to before, apparently part of a chain. The place had a slight air of being about to close down: there was a paper sign on the door stating that it was not accepting card payments; the tandoor was not working rendering half the menu unavailable, and half the restaurant had not been laid and had the chairs stacked on the tables. Having said that, the food was very nice when it arrived, though Ruth’s Chilli Chicken was too hot for her. I had the Palak Mutton which was offputtingly green but very tasty. We didn’t have one of the dosa dishes (apparently an Indian crepe, and presumably the chain’s speciality) though did see others eating them. Picture pinched from this article in the local press from earlier this year when the restaurant was the target of a swoop by immigration officials.

After dinner we went for a swift drink at the Wynford, currently about Reading’s sole gay venue, and then made our way along Kennetside to The Jolly Anglers to join Claire and others of her friends for a Christmas music evening/singalong. In fact, to my relief, it wasn’t as much of a singalong as Claire had implied, with a group rendition of The Twelve Days of Christmas being about the only thing we were expected to join in on. The musician, Laurie, played both guitar and piano and Claire and another friend of hers sang.

Ray came round for an early breakfast on Christmas Eve before heading off for a couple of hours work and then over to Emma 2’s. Ruth and I set off mid-morning for her parents’ home in Norfolk, and, despite the best efforts of my car to turn off towards Center Parcs at Elveden, we arrived at I think around 2:30pm, having stopped at Birchanger Green services for a brief lunch on the way. Wood Farm looked about as dilapidated, certainly on the outside, as when I last saw it (which was the last time we went there for Christmas, in 2010) although a new kitchen is apparently due to be fitted soon. There were eight of us for lunch on Christmas Day, including the four friends of Mrs Millard who came on the last occasion we spent Christmas there.

Re Center Parcs: my colleague Jill has gone to Center Parcs with her family for Christmas. I am not at all envious. A new one has recently opened quite near Milton Keynes.

On Boxing Day morning Ruth and I drove out to Thetford Forest and followed a couple of its marked trails to make a welcome walk of 4 miles or so. We returned to Wood Farm for lunch in the company of Lucy, a dietician friend of Mrs Millard’s from her time working in the NHS. Spent the afternoon reading Five Get Into a Fix, as part of scheme to ease myself gently back into regular reading with some undemanding material, while Ruth and her mother went through some of Granny Box’s old diaries and other documents. We returned to Caversham on the non-motorway route via Milton Keynes on Saturday.

Lydia

Pets corner: Harley had another teeth-rasping operation a week or so ago, from which he appears to have recovered well. Willow is still adorable, still destructive and slightly less smelly than she was, although still seems to have something of a matted rear end. My parents' remaining cat Lydia has, as noted previously, become friendlier and more forthcoming since the death of Emrys, suggesting that a dominance hierarchy may have existed previously, unsurprising given Emrys’ tetchy temperament. I gather she is now much more willing to come into the sitting room of an evening and be friendly. She is, however, wary of little Nia, which is unfortunate given Nia’s keenness to befriend her.

Came down to Abergavenny on Monday morning, where I still am. Family get-together for lunch at Mum and Dad’s on Monday, followed by opening of more presents. Nia appeared pleased with her Mr Tumble outfit and accompanying spotty bag, and with this blackboard/whiteboard combination easel, which she did her best to play a part in assembling. Yesterday was initially very cold and foggy, but we still ventured out to Belgrave Park to attempt to tire Nia on some play equipment.

Went into Hereford with Mum this morning and breakfasted at Diego's, next to the former Left Bank Complex, sadly still empty. Walking from the cafe to the library, we received a shock on casually glancing into an estate agent's window to see a prominent ad for Annedd Bach, Michaelchurch Escley, for £425,000. So the chap who bought it from Mum and Dad has in fact barely owned it for a year. Hoping that it's bought by someone who actually wants to live in it this time.

Center Parcs part 2; saints

Returned intact from our mini-break at Center Parcs. Very nice accommodation and a lovely woodland setting. The central 'Plaza' and similar areas did become a wee bit trying after a day or so due to the crowds of young families, but I suppose that was to be expected. I'd definitely consider going back though. It's certainly a cut above Butlins - here's a picture of me at Butlins in 1992, the one (and only) time I've been there.

Budget-class accommodation at Butlins Bognor Regis, 1992

To offset that depressing picture, here's a photo of the lake at Center Parcs.

The lake at Center Parcs Longleat Forest

Spent much of Monday on the train, travelling to a meeting at Staffordshire University (formerly Staffordshire Polytechnic, formerly North Staffordshire Polytechnic, formerly Staffordshire College of Technology. Phew.).

Staffordshire University

From Wikipedia

Tuesday was the feast day of St Michael the Archangel, my confirmation saint. Catholic Online gives you the lowdown on Mike here. He’s the patron saint of both paratroopers and the police, so presumably a bit of a hard law-enforcement-type dude as well as being a blond fluttery angel creature. The Wikipedia entry on Michael currently has an amusing image of a Guido Reni painting featuring Michael standing on Satan’s head. After that he probably took Satan’s dinner money as well.

I chose a male confirmation name largely in an attempt to be a bit rebellious, and in part because I was (apparently) christened on or around Michael’s feast day. In the event it caused a bit of confusion on the day, as my brother and I were confirmed together and the bishop made the not unreasonable assumption that it was Dave who had chosen the handle Michael – resulting, as I recall, in the parish priest having to hiss in the bishop’s ear “No, Michael’s the girl!”. Such fun.

Scanning down Catholic Online’s vast list of saints, there’s certainly a wealth of choice when it comes to choosing confirmation names. Had I been more creative, I could have chosen to honour St. Amaswinthus, St. Macrobius or St. Sexburga (despite her name, renowned for piety and humility).

Open House London; bowels; Center Parcs

On Saturday I finally, after several years of just thinking about it, made it up to Open House London. Met Helen at the National Theatre and had a bit of a poke about - the intention had been to join the OH-advertised tour but in the event we arrived having just missed one and decided against waiting around for an hour for the next one. Instead we wandered around the ground floor space and I took some pictures. It is a truly fantastic building – and I hope it outlives Prince Charles by a very, very long way.

After leaving the National we went for a pleasant lunch at Strada and then walked westwards along the South Bank to the Garden Museum on Lambeth Palace Road. I had never even heard of this place, which claims to be the country’s only gardening museum, before I noticed it advertised in the Open House brochure. The museum was set up in 1977 in the former parish church of St Mary-at-Lambeth (which apparently had been just about to be demolished and turned into a car park) as the ‘Museum of Garden History’. The main point of interest was the temporary gallery space made from prefabricated timber that’s recently been erected within the church – this is, apparently, a freestanding timber “belvedere” structure that works within the existing church to provide a new exhibition gallery for the museum’s exhibits. There’s also a tiny but attractive garden in the former churchyard. Helen and I spurned a talk about asters (a tad too specialist for my interests) in favour of tea and a thumping great piece of cake in the café.

Items of note in the museum include (apparently) a total immersion font, which Helen and I managed to miss completely. We were also intrigued to learn that Archbishop Parker’s bowels are buried in the churchyard, although the rest of him is buried at Lambeth Palace ... why? Were they special enchanted bowels? The mind boggles.

We ended a pleasant day out by going over to Trafalgar Square to see the giant chess set installed as part of the London Design Festival. When we got there the square was packed and a game was just beginning between two young players, one of which was apparently the top girl chess player in the UK currently. She was a surprisingly trendy-looking lass - I had been expecting thick glasses and sensible shoes. The Fourth Plinth (see 9 September post) was occupied by a woman wearing several placards and having a bit of a rant, but unfortunately it was impossible to hear her over the traffic and the commentary on the chess game, so from her point of view a bit of a wasted slot, no doubt.

As of Monday Ruth and I are now ensconced at the Longleat Forest Center Parcs for a four-night midweek break. Spent Tuesday morning in the (extremely nice) Aqua Sana spa flitting serenely from one steam room/sauna/meditation room to another, finishing off with a Tranquillity Scalp Massage. Did hire a bike, partly because I felt I should, but so far have not actually ridden it much and am realising it's quite a while since I've done any cycling. Duller day today so braved the Subtropical Swimming Paradise (!) for a bit of a dip, unaccompanied by Ruth, who scorns getting wet - doing much actual swimming isn't really possible but the main pool has a wave machine every 15 minutes so one can do some bobbing about, and I did brave a go on the Wild Water Rapids.