A weekend in Rossendale – July 2015

Lesley and David's garden looking lovely

We were invited to a garden party at Lesley and David’s house to celebrate her 60^th birthday. The big day actually took place on 4 April while we were in Paris, but this way there was more time to work on the garden! And the weather would be warmer, in theory at least.

This is a record of Richard’s and my view of the weekend. Well, mainly my view.

Thursday 16 July 2015

A visit to the Whitworth Gallery in Manchester

We left Thalwil, Switzerland in a heatwave. Hints about bringing a jacket were hard to heed when the temperature was 33 degrees centigrade and very muggy.

We sorted out some things to take. It's 18 degrees maximum in Manchester. Rain also expected, according to my iPhone weather app. We are taking the 16.16 train to Zurich and then to Basel, and having dinner there. We arrive in Manchester at 22.25 if Easyjet is on time. That’s a big if.

We actually arrived in Manchester at 23.00 after a delayed flight. Lesley was there to meet us but everyone else at Lumb Gaps had gone to bed. We slept in Robbie’s room. Thank you Robbie!

Friday 17 July 2015

It was hard work putting the tent up

We slept until 7.30 am and I read ‘The Dressmaker’ set in rural Australia. It’s rather slow-moving. We got up at 8.30 and had coffee and a nice breakfast of cereal and fruit and a boiled egg with Lesley and Grandma. Kathryn appeared later. David had an early start at work.

Then we all went by car to the Whitworth Gallery in Manchester. It has been recently refurbished and the new special exhibition featured Chinese art from the 1970s onwards. We saw ‘Still Life’, an installation of Stone Age axe heads by Ai Weiwei, some photomontages of Tiananmen Square and many other topical paintings and photos. The rest of the Whitworth collection was very varied with works by Lowrie, Turner and William Morris among others.

Joan and Richard at the Eagle and Child

Then we queued at the gallery for lunch of fresh sandwiches or salads. Afterwards we drove to Marks and Spencer where I bought some tops and a long dress from the Per Una collection. I also got some earrings. Then we walked to Waterstones bookshop and looked round. I only bought two books. We also had a coffee there. On the way home we called in Sainsbury’s and I got tasty cheddar and Cumberland sausages to take home.

For dinner David made a delicious venison stew, served with veg rather than salad. Kathryn collected Laura and Sam from the metro stop. Tomorrow we all need to help set up the garden for Lesley's party but Sunday's forecast is for rain.

Saturday 18 July 2015

Our host and hostess

I woke at 5am but managed to go back to sleep till 8.30. Had a shower. We unloaded the dishwasher and then had cereal, fruit and boiled egg for breakfast.  Today we all had to prepare for the garden party.

Richard and I helped prune and water the plants. The others put up a tent on the lawn, which was quite tricky. Luckily Laura and Sam were tall enough. We had lunch outside but it wasn't that warm.

Sisters in law

Then I went to Tesco for papers and a few last-minute items with Lesley and David. I did the quick crossword in the Guardian. I spent quite a while on the computer with Lesley booking the hotel for the trip to Stockholm in August. We will be staying at the Radisson Blu Waterfront hotel. On TV we saw the Tour de France and the golf from St. Andrews. Scotland was much wetter than Rossendale.

In the evening we took a large taxi and had drinks and dinner at the Eagle and Child in Ramsbottom. It was a very nice meal. Robbie met us there after finishing work in Grimsby.

I was so tired in the evening when we got home. I slept badly. Probably too much wine.

Sam and Laura were good on the drinks service

Sunday 19 July 2015

Today it's Lesley's belated 60th birthday party in the garden. It rained overnight and wind is forecast later but now it's sunny.

After breakfast it was all hands on deck. Robbie went to collect the bread from the wrong Tesco, we started getting out more glasses and plates, tables were arranged on the lawn. A man from Cumbria delivered a new bench. Robbie set up a sound system in the garden. There was a phone call from Margo, Archie’s niece from Western Australia.

Lesley and David with Pat and Mike

The first guests arrived soon after 11. I helped Kathryn make a tomato salad while David made a fennel salad. About 30 guests came. David and Cheri brought tablecloths and ice. Champagne was plentiful. I enjoyed talking to Marjorie and Ken, always interesting with their travel stories, and Mark, Alison and Jennie.

The guest list comprised close family and friends:

Lesley, David, Kathryn and Robbie Hernandez from Lumb Gaps Farm.

The extended Sowerby family

Joan Newton from Marton, the guest of honour.

Richard and Julia Newton from Thalwil, Switzerland.

David and Cheri Newton from Sedbergh.

Laura Newton and Sam Brown from London.

Marjorie and Ken Sowerby, Joan’s sister and husband from Huby, near York.

Mark, Alison and Jennie, Marjorie’s son and family from Huby, near York.

Kim and Kris Costello, Chris Banner and Charlotte, Jo Banner and Josh, Marjorie’s grandchildren from Stockton.
David and Colette Kinsman, daughter of Barbara Newton, from Lancashire.

Mike and Carole Goldwater, local friends of Lesley and David.

Pat and Mike, friends of Lesley and David.

Jill and her daughter Sophie who made the desserts.

Kathryn and Robbie at the pub on Saturday

The Spanish food was delivered and served. Jill and her daughter Sophie brought desserts. We had paella with chicken, tuna empanadas, various salads and wine. I sat at an outside table with Richard and Joan. Laura and Sam served drinks. I also talked to Colette and David. The weather stayed dry but rather cold. Groups gathered on the lawn to chat and admire all the hard work done in the garden. The sculpture fountain was working well and the plants were beautifully pruned.

Later there was more washing up to do. Laura and Sam got a taxi and caught a train back to London.

In the evening we watched two good BBC4 programs - the last one in the series about operatic voices, this time about basses. It included lots of my Dad's favourite singers including Paul Robeson. Then we saw Andris Nelsons conducting the CBSO in Beethoven's Ninth Symphony at the Proms.

We have to leave early in the morning to catch our flight to Basel.

Sophie and Jill who brought the yummy desserts

Monday 20 July 2015

Always nice to see Cheri and David

We woke at 6.45 to get ready to return to Switzerland. I showered and got dressed for Swiss weather. It's at least 10 degrees warmer there. We had cereal for breakfast and fruit. Grandma was up but not Robbie. Kathryn was going back to London today too.

Lesley took us to Manchester airport. The traffic was very busy but we encountered no serious hold-ups. We checked in our case and went through a tedious security check. Richard's pen was suspect. Then we had a coffee and eventually caught our Easyjet flight. It was only 15 minutes late taking off.

We didn't bother buying food on the plane. I read the Guardian G2. In Basel we soon got our case and got the bus to the station. Before getting the Zurich train we had lunch in Le Train Bleu. We both had beer and Flammkuchen. Then we rushed to get the ICE to Zurich. There we caught the 4.12 to Thalwil where it was very hot and we had to wait ages for a bus.

At home we unpacked and looked at the post. My new computer needed two updates. Richard popped to Migros for milk etc. We watched the golf; the Open at St Andrews had been postponed due to earlier rain so we saw the end of the final day. Zach Johnson from US won in a three -way play-off. Tea was sausages and mash. Yummy.

Another successful Newton family weekend!

Julia Newton, July 2015