Friday 27th September

We've just come home from an eagerly anticipated short stay in a Landmark Trust Holiday cottage. Their holiday cottages are always very unusual and this was no exception;

Stoker's Cottage, next to an old pumping engine in Stretham, near Ely. Here's the cottage, 

And here's the pumping engine house next door!

The key was hanging in a keysafe in the old privy at the back of the cottage; the privy seat was still there, boarded over. I'm pleased to say that the cottage came with full mod. cons. as they used to say!

On Monday we didn't do anything much apart from unpacking and settling in. We could have enjoyed a lovely fire

but that would have been unwise with all the oxygen equipment around. I was very cosy tucked up under an old-fashioned woollen blanket. 

Oon Tuesday we drove for 40 minutes to Oxburgh Hall, which happens to be 40mins from where Bob and Ang live! We met inperson for the first time ever, and had lun ch together. Ang and I must have talked almost non-stop with Bob and BB occasionally getting a few words in here and there.

We also did the September Cover Collaboration Swap.

Here's my patch

It's a little pen pocket, stitched onto a sample of fabric sent to me by HSL chairs. The pocket comes from a fabric panel of differently shaped and patterned labels in the Downton Abbey style that Ang sent as a flat gift some time ago. I slipped a biro bookmark inside the pocket as a flat gift.

I also took the opportunity to pass on a couple of very heavy books that I thought she would like; Gentle Domesticity by Jane Brockett and Tender by Nigel Slater. I did check to make sure she didn't have them already.

Here's Ang's piece for September 

I knew she was going for something in Autum colours. The design is taken from some beach art created from pebbles collected a couple of weeks ago on a family trip (the day which ended with Bob hurting his ankle and going to A and E , if you follow her blog)

The colours and detail are just beautiful; I recommend you click on the picture and zoom in.

While I was folding the cloth up, I noticed the back; I find is as interesting as the front.

Ang also gave us a very non-flat gift; a lovely box of Norfolk produce including a jar of her own marmalade. 

What a wonderful way to start the holiday!