Bury and then back to Essex for a family weekend

Bury

We arrived in Bury, just outside of Manchester late in the afternoon and were greeted with lots of hugs and kisses and some tears I am sure. We headed out to an old English pub to have a meal and catch up.

The next day we hit the streets to check out where mum grew up. Some things have changed drastically, like the church that Doreen and Derek were married in is now a Tesco car park!! But some things stayed the same such as the house mum grew up in.

Walking and driving around with Doreen and Derek was just like driving around with mum and dad and we can see why they have remained friends throughout all this time and distance.

We stopped off to meet their daughter Allison who lives in a cottage that was built in the 1800's, I think - cant remember now, and had all the old brickwork still intact. It was a tiny semidetached but the improvements that have been made are huge windows at the front and back which let so much light it. It was really beautiful to see it and also to meet Allison.

After lunch we headed off to Clitheroe via Pendle Hill where it is believed that this is where the witches resided and the famous witch trials of 1612. This was close to Bury, where mum grew up and now understand why mum has witches throughout her house!!

In Clitheroe we met up with Doreen's other daughter Tracey, who we met around 22 years ago. Clitheroe was very pretty and it had a Keep (fortress) at the top of a hill, yes you guessed it we had to walk up there!! Not too bad just a short walk. This Keep was hit by a cannonball during the English revolution and the hole still remains.

We headed back to meet up with Allison and Tracey's children and enjoy a family get together. Afterwards at Doreen and Derek's we introduced them to pavlova for dessert and some fudge we got at Bath. With an early start to the morning and again hugs, kisses and tears we left Doreen an Derek with a promised return trip and longer stay and made our way back to Chelmsford for a weekend with Matt, Kim and kids.

Weekend with Matt and Kim

Our first adventure with Matt and Kim started with the movies to watch the Hunger Games. Now anyone that knows me (Jene that is) knows that this is not my type of movie, however I will admit that I did enjoy it (just not sure if I would watch the next one, so don't get too excited Deirdre!!). After this headed back to Matt and Kim's for some catch up chats that lasted till early hours of morning. When we awoke we decided that we all are to old for that any more!!

We headed out to the river where there was a Lock. Had seen this many times in movies and shows but to see the boats up close was really interesting. By chance a friend of Matt and Kim's was there with his boat - not a long boat though, but the kids got to have a ride and we got to see how a Lock works. Scott helped out with opening and closing the Lock and was amazing to see that the water goes down one one side and the fills up to allow the boat to pass through. The we went off to a massive park which was one where Matt and Kim's ward plus another ward meets for Easter Monday rain, hail, snow or shine for a family picnic and Easter egg hunt.

Scott made his yummy Chinese meal that was enjoyed by all (even kids) and I introduced them to sticky date pudding. Since it had previously agreed that we were too old to stay up till all hours that morning, we again talked till early morning, and made even earlier as daylight savings started that night!! Off to church and got to meet Kim's family as they are in the same ward. Kim's dad and brother in law also dropped by that night so had a good time talking to them (and getting the dirt on matt as an adult!!). Matt dropped us off at the airport hotel for the commencement of our time in Rome and Paris. Sarah, Jared and Emily are joining us in Rome for a couple days and will be great to spend time with them there. Bring on gladiator school!!