This and That Thursday

Hello!

I hope everyone is having a good week so far. I thought it was time for a post about my recent escapades.

Walking and Step Challenge

I am still trying to complete my final medal for the Lord of the Rings walking challenge run by The Conqueror Challenges. The final medal is very long but I really enjoy the challenges and it keeps me moving. If anybody would like to join a challenge here is a link for 10% off. I have also signed up for the 1 million step challenge run by Diabetes UK. This runs from July and is three months long. Here is a link if you want to see what it is about. To be honest averaging 11,000 steps a day is proving quite challenge and I am slightly behind because I got Covid but hopefully I will manage the challenge and get some decent sponsors.

Witley Court

We went for a recent visit to one of our favourite English Heritage properties, Witley Court. I always love visiting but I also find it rather sad to see the ruins of what would have been a wonderful house. I do however find it very shocking that they ripped out the library and replaced it with a ballroom! The ballroom is huge so would have been an amazing library. Walking around the ruins and grounds also meant a good step count.

Brockhampton

Another favourite is Brockhampton which is a house owned by the National Trust. It was a beautiful day so we did loads of walking. The house is also really interesting and is deceptively a lot bigger inside than it appears on the outside. I also really enjoyed how each room was set up as a different time period from the house’s history.

We are limited in how far we can go at the moment and we sadly don’t have a summer holiday in sight because our house is still covered in scaffolding and we have people working on the house 5 days a week until possibly September.

Etsy

If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you

This and That Thursday

Hello!

I thought it was time for a post about everything non book related going on currently. It has been a busy couple of weeks here with all the work on the house beginning but it is very exciting because once everything is done on the outside we can start work on the inside which will eventually mean I get my library! I am still learning Greek with Duolingo and I have also started some courses with the Centre of Excellence.

Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron

We recently visited the Museum of Iron and it was really interesting and fascinating to see all the things people had made out of iron. There is a lot of reading to do there and I found it hard to take it all in so I hope to go back soon and read the rest and also see the things which were outside as we missed the outside things due to the weather.

Coughton Court

Coughton Court is one of our favourites and we went to visit when we actually had a nice day. Coughton Court are also having a lot of work done so half of the house is currently covered in scaffolding. It was really interesting to see how they are storing the paintings and keeping the house safe during all the work that is going on.

Attingham Park

Today we took a break from all the roofing work and spent a few hours at Attingham Park. It was so nice to go for a walk around the grounds and go around the house. We learned all about how they clean the valuable carpets. It was a shame to not be able to see the Drawing Room properly but it was interesting to see what work they were doing. Sadly, yet again we weren’t allowed upstairs even though on the website it said upstairs was open. It seems every time we go the upstairs is closed due to lack of volunteers! Of course I also paid a visit to the second hand bookshop.

Croome Court

Over half term I met up with my friend and we had a lovely few hours at Croome Court. Croome Court doesn’t have much furniture in it but it is still fascinating and has beautiful grounds to walk around. We were blessed with another day of good weather.

We have also spent quite a bit of time working in the garden and managed to fill a skip in one day with all the stuff we removed.

Happy Reading

Etsy

If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you

This and That Thursday

Hello!

I thought it was high time for a post about my escapades outside of reading. The Easter school holidays was rather busy for me as I took some time off teaching and went on some adventures.

Bath

We usually go to Bath at least once a year, usually more but we have never gone at this time of year so we thought we would see what it was like. It was busier than we are used to but it was still a fab little break. It also involved quite a bit of book buying.

It wasn’t all book buying though. We also had a lovely afternoon tea at the Pump Rooms, we visited the Ladybird exhibition at the Victoria Art Gallery and we went to Dyrham Park just outside of Bath. We also did lots of walking and eating out.

Cambridge

I also visited Cambridge for the first time. I met up with my best friends and we had a good little explore. The weather was terrible so we had to do a lot of ducking out of the rain but we did manage some book shopping and we visited a very interesting museum. We also had great fun spotting all the giraffes!

Croft Castle and the Ironbridge Museum of the Gorge

We have also been doing some visiting closer to home. A couple of weeks ago we visited one of our favourites which is Croft Castle and today we visited a new place which was the Ironbride Museum of the Gorge. The Museum of the Gorge has only just recently reopened which is why we have never visited as we like to visit Ironbride. I also did a tiny bit of book shopping!

Happy Reading

Etsy

If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you

This and That Thursday

Hello!

Welcome to my first This and That Thursday of 2024.

I will be honest I have been rather hectic with work so have had less adventure time. I am now teaching at three different schools as well as teaching from home and doing playing work but I can’t complain as it helps me do the things I love, oh and pay the bills.

Walking and Pokemon Go

During 2023 my walking really took a hit so my husband and I have decided to really make an effort and get back into our walking again. This has also meant I am playing more Pokemon Go. I am in a bit of a competition with my sister-in-law with Pokemon Go but sadly she has really pulled ahead due to my lack of movement and playing. However, I am determined to catch up again! If anybody would like to add me as a friend my friend code is 6008 1727 2520.

National Trust

We have managed a few of National Trust properties so far this year. We went to one of my favourites in the New Year to see their Christmas displays before they took it all down. Berrington Hall does one of my favourite Christmas displays and they never disappoint. We have also been to Hanbury Hall which we haven’t been to for many years. I had forgotten just what a beautiful property it was and what beautiful gardens it has. This week we went to Benthall Hall which also included a lovely walk and a trip into Much Wenlock for lunch.

Etsy

I am still running my little Etsy business and I am absolutely loving it. The TBR Tickets are proving very popular and keeping me busy. I just love creating new bookmarks and coming up with new products for my fellow book lovers.

So there are a few things I have been up to. I am really hoping for more walks and more adventures soon, I just wish it would stop raining!

Happy Reading

Etsy

If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you

This and That Thursday

Hello!

I thought it was time for a non bookish post.

Holiday

As soon as I finished school we went on holiday to Kos for a week and I absolutely loved it. We spent a lot of time relaxing by the pool or the sea but we also went to see some of the sights and spent a day on the island of Nisyros. You can’t beat going to visit a volcano on a really hot day! It was so nice to get away and just relax for a week. Coming back to cold England was a bit of a shock though.

Harvington Hall History Festival

This week we also went to one of the talks that was happening as part of Harvington Hall’s History Festival. The talk we had booked for was Alison Weir giving her talk on The Six Tudor Queens. I have never listened to a talk by Weir before but absolutely love her books both factual and historical fiction. She did not disappoint. Weir’s talk was fantastic and she is a very good speaker. She also did a book signing at the end which I was very happy about as I had taken her latest book to get signed. I was one very hyper Book Dragon when this happened.

Etsy

This week I have been busy with my Etsy. I have made some new Bee and Flower bookmarks and have started putting some Christmas items on my Etsy. I know it seems crazily early but Christmas is already appearing in the shops!

I have also been doing some usual chores as well. We are hoping to do some more adventures during the summer holidays but for now I have a lot of washing to catch up with!

Happy Adventuring!

Etsy

If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you

This and That Thursday

Hello!

I hope everyone is having a good week so far.

I thought it was time for a non bookish update. Although some of my adventures are book related in a way.

Warner Bros Studio Tour

I went with my husband and besties to the Harry Potter tour during the half term and this was the first time we also had the afternoon tea which was very yummy and the service was excellent. As usual the tour was brilliant and I highly recommend the afternoon tea if you haven’t had it before.

Cosford Museum

I love visiting Cosford and my husband and myself go at least once per year. Sadly, one of my favourite planes had moved so I didn’t get to see it but I managed to see some of my other favourite planes and bought two books and a cuddly penguin.

Learning Greek

I have recently joined Duolingo and I have started learning Greek. I am really enjoying it so far and I am aiming to do at least 20 minutes a day of studying.

I have been quite busy work wise with teaching and playing for weddings so I am trying to make the most of my free time at the moment. Hopefully more adventures will be happening soon.

Happy Reading

Etsy

If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you

This and That Thursday

Hello!

I hope everyone is having a good week so far. I have been busy working and getting ready for Christmas but I have also managed some fun adventures as well.

Wightwick Manor

We went back to one of our favourite National Trust places to see their Christmas displays this year. I really enjoyed the theme of A Christmas Carol and thought it was beautifully done. I always find Wightwick so quirky and pretty but with the decorations this year as well it really was magical.

Christmas Stall

I have recently done my first Christmas stall with my new business Lyra’s Pawsome Books. I really enjoyed the day and sold some items as well which was an added bonus. I will be definitely doing more stalls in 2023.

Bath Christmas Market

Last week we stayed in Bath for a few days and did loads of Christmas shopping at the Christmas Market. It was really nice to get away for a few days before it gets really busy work wise over Christmas.

Frankenstein Museum

There were parts of this which I found interesting but I did not like the weird smells that also came with the displays. It was quite creepy in places but it was funny to see just how much the monster has been used in film, TV and advertising over the years.

On the run up to Christmas we have some more Christmas adventures planned but the main thing we will be doing is prepping and playing for Christmas jobs. I am hoping to get some reading done on the run up to Christmas and also some more products for my Etsy.

Happy Reading

Etsy

This and That Thursday

Hello!

I thought it was time for a check in of my non-bookish activities. A lot of my time is currently taken up with work and because the weather has been so horrid I haven’t managed much walking but we have been trying to make the most of our days off together.

Statesman Train and Whitby Abbey

We recently went on a Statesman Train to Whitby and back with my husbands family. The food was absolutely incredible and I managed quite a bit of reading on the train. It would have been nice to have had a bit more time in Whitby but we managed to see the Abbey which is somewhere I have always wanted to visit.

Christmas Shopping

I love Christmas and I love buying Christmas decorations so we have been to a couple of places to buy some new decorations. These include lights for the outside and inside, I also managed to get a few Christmas presents as well. I have yet to find a new singing toy but I have managed to find a light up Father Christmas. I buy a new Christmas singing toy every year. I’m hoping to get some more decorations when we visit the Bath Christmas Market in December.

Christmas Card Making

I have recently got into Christmas card making and I am really enjoying it and finding it a nice relief from work. In fact I am finding it a little bit addictive. Due to the sheer amount of cards I have been making and I am now putting them on my Etsy site as well just in case I get swamped with Christmas cards. I am going to have a go at making some birthday cards as well. If you would like to check out my Etsy site the link is below.

Etsy

Walking

We are trying to go on walks when we have time and the weather isn’t to horrid or it is too dark. We have been having a lot of rain recently which has been hampering our walking but we are still trying. On Tuesday we went for a lovely walk with beautiful sunshine and explored our local nature reserve.

So there are some of my latest adventures and endeavours. We have quite a few things planned for the run up to Christmas so I will keep you all posted.

Happy Reading

This and That Thursday

Hello!

I thought it was time for another adventure update. I was on half term last week which meant more adventures as I had no teaching.

Bath

We spent a few days in Bath which obviously meant lots of book shopping but we also went to a few nice places for cocktails. We also visited the Jane Austen museum which we haven’t been to for quite a few years. I really like the Jane Austen museum as I find it really interesting and the gift shop has some beautiful items for sale. The Jane Austen tea room is also very nice.

We had a champagne afternoon tea at the Pump Rooms which was really yummy and in the evening we went to the theatre to watch and listen to the opera Dido and Aeneas by Henry Purcell which my husband very kindly got me for my birthday. I studied part of the Dido and Aeneas opera at university and I have always wanted to see it live so I was really pleased to get the chance to see it.

On our last day we went to see the Rodin and Degas exhibition at the Holburne Museum. I love the Holburne Museum and it has become a tradition to always visit when we are in Bath and see the latest exhibition.

Wimpole Hall

I also went to Wimpole Hall and Farm to meet my best friend who I haven’t seen for ages. Wimpole Hall has one of my favourite libraries in the National Trust. The library is huge and has a book room attached, I would just love to spend all day in there reading and drinking tea. We also went to the farm and saw the latest arrivals of the piglets which were very cute and had lots of fuss off a very handsome shire horse called Stanley.

We are hoping to go on some Christmas related adventures very soon as you can’t beat a nice festive adventure.

Happy Reading

Etsy

This and That Thursday

Hello

Over the last few weeks we have been trying to get some adventures in before Christmas. Christmas is always a busy time for us work wise so it is always nice to have a little break before the madness starts.

Lantern Show

We went to a lantern show near us which was absolutely amazing and great fun.

Carol Train

We went with family on a steam train for a Christmas evening which involved carol singing, mulled wine, Christmas decorations and festive fun. It was really nice to spend time with family and I love going on a steam train.

Bath

We usually go to Bath over the New Year but because of work commitments it wasn’t possible this time so we went this week instead. I love Bath and I really missed not going last year. I was really happy to visit Toppings’ new location and to visit the new Persephone Books that has opened. I also visited Mr B’s Emporium which has really changed since we last saw it. It wasn’t all bookshops though, we also went to the Rossetti exhibition at the Holburne Museum and the Fashion Museum in the Assembly Rooms. I really did not want to leave but I have a big list of places I want to visit next.

The rest of our time has been taken up with Christmas decorations and work. Here are a few snaps of the Christmas decorations.

Happy Reading

If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you