Month: October 2026

Simply Books is a wonderful, independent bookshop located in Bramhall. If it were a little closer to home, maybe we’d visit more often. On the other hand, our TBR pile continues to grow rather than shrink. A second branch, Prologue, in Stockport, was officially opened one pleasant Saturday morning. Liesel drove me there on her way to her regular WI coffee morning. And when I arrived, there was already quite a long queue. Good to see a book shop being so well supported.

The ribbon was cut, we were each welcomed by owners Ben and Karen as we entered the premises. And it wasn’t too long before it was so full, it was hard to walk around. I only bought three new books, my aim was zero. Plus a cup of coffee and a cinnamon bun. Yes, it is also a coffee shop and wine bar.

A bus ride and a walk away, I had another coffee at the Metropolitan in Didsbury while reading a new book (where did that come from?). Liesel and her Mom had a good time with the ladies of the WI.

Liesel’s birthday was a couple of weeks ago, and this was her first opportunity to celebrate with the family. We met up with Jenny, Liam, Martha and William in the Turkish Bistro in Cheadle and we all enjoyed the meal. We’d brought our own birthday cake, one that Liesel had baked yesterday, and the waiter took it away, added a candle, and returned it while a very loud rendition of Happy Birthday to You embarrassed Liesel from the loudspeakers. Yes, of course we all joined in.

Liesel started off well, cutting the cake, but after a while, Martha pointed out that the knife was upside down! That’s what happens after travelling for 24 hours and not sleeping very well!

Liesel, her Mom and I returned to RHS Bridgewater, specifically to have a closer look at the Chinese Streamside Garden.

There is a very long description, which I shall attempt to replicate from memory:

The heart of the Chinese Streamside Garden captures the key attributes of classic scholastic gardens, where the focus is self-cultivated growth through artistic endeavour and learning. A rare and remarkable place for retreat, reflection and creativity.

In classic Chinese gardens, nothing is accidental. Rock, water and buildings shape the space, while plants carry symbolism and mark the rhythms of the year. Together, these elements create a garden of layers, meanings and discoveries that unfold over time. The carefully composed stone, water, architecture and plants here combine to express harmony with nature.

Interlinked pavilions celebrate the Four Arts of ancient Chinese learning: qin (music), qi (strategy game), shu (calligraphy) and hua (painting).

The planting in this garden is designed to reveal the changing beauty of the seasons, while winding paths and subtle screens encourage quiet contemplation.

The creation of the Chinese Streamside Garden and the Yangzhou Scholars Garden is the result of an enduring RHS collaboration with the local Chinese community, the Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China in Manchester, the China Flower Association and Yangzhou Municipal People’s Government. It has been made possible thanks to the generous donation of Lee Kai Hung CBE DL, Mrs Lee Chan Koon Woon, the Lee Kai Hung Foundation and the support of the Chinese Streamside Garden Working Committee.

This acer in its Autumn colours is positioned next to a traditional weathered, perforated Taihu stone (scholar’s rock) inside the Ling Yi Pavilion area.

I’ve always liked the juxtaposition or contrast between red and green.

One bonus of walking around with someone else, not just by myself, was that we spotted more of the Lego structures.

Thousands of bricks and hundreds of hours of very enjoyable work, I would imagine. If I were looking for a new job…

In the evening, we visited Aviva Studios in Manchester to watch Susan Calman. It’s her first live stand-up tour for ten years. Too much time making TV shows, I reckon. She was very funny but there were a couple of sad, moving moments too.

Too far away to get a decent picture of her on stage, so here’s the tour poster. If you like comedy and/or lasagna, this is the show for you.

In a break from our antics, let’s have a quick look at young Keiran’s adventures.

So exciting to see him standing up!

Barbara came round and took Leslie to a concert. So Liesel and I visited Sale, where we ran some errands and more importanatly, enjoyed lunch at Blossom Bistro.

I always invite Liesel and her Mom to join me on the regular walks. On this occasion, they gracefully declined. The woods in Northenden weren’t as muddy as they often are after so much rain. But it was a lovely day for a walk.

The Laureate is a restaurant inside a hotel in Manchester. When we arrived that night, the hubbub of 200 people in the foyer very nearly deterred us from dining here. We were assigned a table as far away from the rabble as they could manage. After a short while, silence enveloped us the very loud 200 disappeared on coaches to whatever event and I hope they had a jolly good time.

After a decent meal, we walked over the road in the light drizzle to RNCM. We’d booked tickets to see Eddi Reader again, she always puts on a good show. The support was Miwa Nagato-Apthorp, a singer-songwriter from Hawick. I liked her songs so much that I bought her EP even though we’re not supposed to be buying any more physical CDs.

Again, we were too far from the stage to get a decent photo, so she kindly posed for me at the merch table.

Eddi Reader announced that the band was a man down tonight. I thought someone was ill. But no. It turns out her husband, John Douglas, had died in August after a brief illness. I’d totally missed that news at the time, and I think we were all in a bit of shock. Good on Eddi for still turning up and putting on a great show, but not surprisingly, she wasn’t as upbeat as she usually is.

Next day, a group of six of us got soaking wet on a walk around Wythenshawe Park. The weather gods waited until we were in the most exposed part of the path that goes around the park, then they turned up the wind and the rain to 11. Within a few seconds, we couldn’t have got any wetter.

Not everyone was walking in the rain. Some folks were lucky to have sunshine in their park.

So exciting to see him walking!

We last visited Speke Hall three years ago, so well overdue for a return. I don’t think we realised at the time that it was right next door to Liverpool’s John Lennon Airport. We crossed the Merseyside Gateway Bridge so that set us the challenge of having to remember to pay the toll, online, later on.

The River Mersey is of course much wider here than in Northenden. We could have made the journey by boat, I suppose, but we don’t know how many weirs and locks and rapids there are en route. So that’s why we drove. But, next time, maybe we’ll float on a river forever and ever, Emily…

We planned to follow the coastal path but after obeying the wrong sign, we ended up leaving the property and found ourselves at the back door of the airport.

Yes, John Lennon Airport plus an aeroplane with a Paul McCartney song title on the side: Jet.

By the time we found the correct start of the trail, we’d walked quite a long way, so we decided to have a look at the house instead.

It was quite busy here at Speke Hall today, but we did have the opportunity to take a bad photo of ourselves.

What I think I need is a longer arm, or a selfie stick, or an injection of necessary skills.

Like last time, every room had a member of staff, ready to pass on either real or made-up information about the house.

It always amazes us that old houses like this are far more decorative than they need to be. The skill of the various craftsmen and women sometimes seems wasted, putting these carved characters way up in the eaves.

I thought this clock would be a nice addition to our luxury apartment, but sadly, it wasn’t for sale.

What I particularly like was that the two thermometers show the temperature in degrees Fahrenheit and in the more unusual Réaumur scale.

But none of this takes away from the Hall itself, of course, creaky floorboards and everything. After all the walking we did, Liesel was complaining about her feet having swollen.

We very glimpsed in interesting work of art at the side of the road as we passed by at nearly 70mph. Too close, really, especially for those of us who’d like to get a half-decent picture.

It’s a 30-meter-high sculpture and gateway landmark located on Speke Boulevard, Liverpool.  It features a parallel two-sided progression of 12 giant structural fins set at graduated angles to mimic a dynamic tidal wave of the Mersey. The Mersey at the Liverpool end, not the Northenden end. Apparently, it is recognised as one of the first major UK sculptures specifically designed to be viewed and experienced from a moving car.

It’s been a while since we’ve had the pleasure of collecting the children from school. So long, in fact, we weren’t sure which door to expect them to appear from. The lemon bars that Liesel baked for their post-school snack hadn’t cooled down and set by the time we left, so, plan B, we bought them an ice cream at the park before driving home.

While William ran a marathon on our treadmill, Liesel was showing Martha some crocheting techniques in preparation for helping out at Guides a couple of days later. Jenny and Liam joined us for dinner. Taco Tuesday is always welcome, especially by William, and not just for its alliteration.

Well, Autumn is here and our favourite mushrooms have come up on the grass in the communal car park.

Whatever they’re called, no, we didn’t eat them, we left them for the neighbours to enjoy.

After the Wednesday walk, I took my coffee home. Barbara came and accompanied Leslie to her communal choral sing-along. So Liesel and I enjoyed our date, just the two of us. We visited Dunham Massey and it was delightful to see two fallow stags having a kip right beside the Hall. They weren’t bothered by people getting too close, and it was a great opportunity to have a good look at their racks.

After lumch, good old National Trust toasties since you ask, we went for a shorter walk than we usually manage.

It’s always sad to see a large, old tree, gone. So, what happened? This, one of their largest trees significantly declined over the past five years. They don’t fell all diseased trees but when they are close to paths, people’s safety must come first. I wouldn’t want an old, diseased branch to fall off and bonk me on the head. They’ll plant a new tree in its place, and the wood from the felled tree will take on a new life as wildlife habitat in quieter areas of the garden. 

I spent a few hours in Manchester, having another assisted stretch, passing time in the Central Library and wandering around until it was time for the first gig of the week.

Tom Robinson was playing at Hallé St Michaels, and having unreserved seating was great, I plonked myself down very near the front. Lee Forsyth Griffiths was the surprise guest, and he did a great job.

He commented on the paving stone outside the venue, laid by Prince Charles, saying he hoped it wasn’t too painful.

Tom Robinson was accompanied by Adam Phillips on guitar. He played many of our old favourites of course, including new up-to-date lyrics for Up Against the Wall.

After the show, I had a very quick chat with Tom, it was good to see him again.

I caught the tram back to Sale Water Park where I’d parked the car earlier. A nice, easy trip home.

Not enough time in Manchester, so the next day, after my massage, I returned and had a walk, venturing into sunny Salford.

<ph Cathedral Church of St John the Evangelist aka Salford Cathedral

I don’t know whether LS Lowry ever lived in this house, but according to the blue plaque, it was the subject of a charcoal drawing in 1926.

After wandering around in a big loop, I crossed back over the river Irwell

This 8-feet tall bronze horse sculpture sits in Bexley Square, opposite the Old Town Hall. It’s next to an 11-feet tall gas streetlamp  that reads “Salford Firsts Inspiration”. It details various historical achievements associated with the city, now 100 years old, including references to the UK’s first horse-drawn trams, the first public library, and figures like Emmeline Pankhurst and James Prescott Joule.

For good reason, Salford beckoned the following day too. I’d booked to see a recording of the radio programme The Verb, now on Radio 4 but formerly on Radio 3. A great place to hear poets talking about poetry. Very entertaining but yes, often what they’re talking about flies way over my head. On this occasion, I drove into Sale Water Park and took two trams into Salford.

I was reminded, as I walked by, that we still haven’t visited the Imperial War Museum North, but it was not short of visitors today.

Don’t worry, this old Russian T-55 tank poses no real threat. It was designed and made by the Soviet Union during the Cold War, 1947-1989. It is the most widely used tank of all time and is still in use around the world today. This particular model was captured from Iraqi forces by the Royal Engineers during Operation Tefic, in lraq 2009.

I found the BBC Philharmonic Studio easily enough, and the many security staff were very friendly. Scores of people were in line waiting to be allowed into the auditorium. I was surprised to see Ian McMillan, the presenter of the show, in the queue too.

I sat in the second row from the front and enjoyed the audience participation as much as anyone. This including a new ode: Autumn is a-comin’ In.

They all spoke about John Keats’s poem Ode to Autumn, a very seasonal topic, as well as their own poems.

At home, time for a quick snack before setting off for Glossop. This small town in Derbyshire has never been high on my list of places to visit, but tonight, Tom Hingley was in concert at a pub, The Oakwood. I drove because if I’d come by bus and train, I would have had to leave halfway through the show to get home. I met Tom and helped him carry in some of his equipment. For the second time ever, I was a roadie.

Tom and I had a nice chat before he played. We watched the two support acts, Mitch Barnes from the band Selica and James Stuart.

I managed to make my one pint of lemonade and lime last all night. The venue was upstairs in the pub, a venue known as The Treehouse.

It’s a fairly small venue, intimate is the word, with between 30 and 40 people here tonight. Carrying pints up the stairs was a challenge for everyone, on of the door was on a very strong spring: this is just one of the reasons I stayed put.

Tom sang a nice mix of his own songs and the big hits from Inspiral Carpets when, while he was lead singer, they scored ten top 40 hits.

The drive home took a bit longer than anticipated, in the dark, and as is the custom these days, I had a moan to myself about the brightness of other people’s cars’ headlights.

Meanwhile, back in Alaska, Liesel and friends went on a bit of a road trip to visit a friend, Debbie, in Palmer. The views from the Old Glenn and Parks Highways were stunning.

Their original plan was to drive on to Talkeetna but in the end, Liesel, Una and Monica returned to Anchorage.

Liesel and I, in our own particular ways, are preparing for her return home to Northenden. But actually, our apartment wasn’t that untidy, and the cleaners, Alison and Kayleigh did a fantastic job as always, thank you very much. Liesel is packing for herself and her Mom but so far, I’ve been told there is no need to hire a bigger vehicle in which to transport all of their luggage back home from the airport.

And of course Keiran is taking on many challenges. This week, for the first time, he ate a whole tomato and was asking for more, more more!

Anyway, back to Northenden. Soon after the cleaners left, I too departed on a trip to Liverpool. Frankie Archer is on tour promoting her debut album The Dance of Death. Unfortunately, she wasn’t planning to play in Manchester, so Liverpool, being the nearest alternative, was the obvious place to see her perform.

There was no parking at the Premier Inn that I’d booked, so I parked up a whole 7-minute walk down the road! My room was far too hot and the small window couldn’t be opened. The AC was very half-hearted and even after turning it down to the lowest temperature possible, the room remained way too hot.

So I went for a walk, looking for something to eat and not expecting to see anything of particular interest. But seeing ‘Bombed out church’ on Google Maps, well, I couldn’t miss seeing that close up!

It wasn’t as bombed out as I’d expected, and I didn’t feel inclined to clambour over the locked gates to investigate more fully, even though it was beginning to get dark.

The venue for tonight’s show was the music room at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall. The support band came on, both musicians wearing crow’s heads, and they played some jaunty electronic music for a while.

Only when I saw them sitting at the merch table during the interval did I recognise BBC radio broadcaster, writer and musician Mark Radcliffe and tech boffin, remixer and DJ Paul Langley. Together, they are Une. I heard it pronounced both ways, oon and una. One of their albums is called Dark Side of the Une, so that’s probably a clue.

Thanks to The Haunted Generation for this photo since, in the heat of the moment, I didn’t take a picture of them without their beaky heads. Mark was very gracious though, and after I bought a couple of CDs, he recorded a message for my radio show!

This was the first time I’d seen Frankie Archer playing with a bandmates, Amy Thatcher and Francesca Knowles, in other words, the genre-blasting duo known as ATFK. This meant that Frankie had more freedom to jump around the stage with her violin, while singing.

I had a chat with the couple sitting next to me, they live in Walton and listen to BBC 6 Music too. We all enjoyed the music tonight and it was nice to have a quick chat with Frankie afterwards.

It was still pleasantly warm as I walked back to my accommodation for a good night’s kip, despite the room’s heat.

Another Premier Inn breakfast set me up for the day and for the drive home. You know the song The Leaving of Liverpool? Well, I now know why leaving Liverpool is so hard. It’s not the leaving of Liverpool that grieves me but, my darling, when I think of thee. Oh yeah? Why I found it hard to leave Liverpool this morning was the large number of red traffic lights that I encountered, plus, misinformation from Google Maps which insisted I turn down roads that, when I got there, loudly and proudly proclaimed: Buses Only.

It was such a lovely afternoon at home, I went out to the small patch of lawn in the middle of our communal car park and bathed in the sun for a few minutes. Highly recommended!

The drive from home to Manchester Airport isn’t that long. The drive around the airport to find the car park at Terminal 2 is ridiculously long. Probably sponsored by the fossil fuel industry.

After waiting less than half an hour, it was wonderful to see Liesel coming through the door, with three huge cases and a mother in tow. After 24 hours travel including a 5-hour layover at Heathrow, they’ll be staying here in Northenden for the next six months.

I’d like to say we all had a good night’s sleep but none of us did, it’ll take a while for all of us to adapt to the new living arrangements.

In the morning, Liesel declined my invitation to join the group for a walk around Wythenshawe Park. It was one of the biggest groups this week too, ten on this occasion. A very pleasant walk, followed by a nice cup of coffee. Then at home, Liesel unpacked while I continued prepping another radio show