Project 365 (25th - 31st May 2025)

 It has been a busy week as it is half term and Craig has also been off work so this week has been a bit easier with regards to subjects for the project.

Sunday 25th May

Salmon burgers- although they do not look the most appetising on this photo as they are not cooked these salmon burgers were delicious and very easy to make.

Monday 26th May

The animated Lilo and Stitch is one of my all time favourite films so I had to go and see the live action version. I did enjoy it overall but I do wish they had done a scene by scene remake of the original rather than changing elements of the story, including Jumba being the villain and no Gantu.

Tuesday 27th May

A trip to Ikea for some light bulbs for Matthew's bedroom light and to stock up on meatballs and Daim cake.

Wednesday 28th May

Matthew was doing a big sort out and deep clean of his room which I was helping him with (otherwise nothing would have been disposed of). During a break when I walked Penny I sat down at a table and this little robin came so close to me I could have touched it. I didn't want to scare it so I took a picture instead.

Thursday 29th May

Craig and I have been members of the National Trust for many years and have visited a lot of properties and gardens over time. We wanted to go somewhere new as we have done all the sites that are closer to home, so we chose Erdigg Hall, again in Shropshire, this time near Wrexham. This house was interesting as it focused on the servants rather than the owners. 

Friday 30th May

I met up with my cousin and her husband for a day in Manchester. Although I have lived in the area for most of my life I have never really viewed it from a tourists perspective, so today was all about that. We went into the John Rylands library which was spectacular and was definitely giving off Hogwarts library vibes.

Saturday 31st May

On another walk with Penny, this time around the local Water Park I saw these cute goslings bobbing along being protected by their parents. It was so adorable.

British Ironworks Centre

 We had an early start for a Saturday morning to drive to just outside Oswestry in Shropshire to visit the British Ironworks Centre. I had found out about it from Tiktok and knew it would be somewhere the whole family would be interested in visiting.

Craig booked the tickets online which was the reason for the early start, as if you got there before 9.30am it was only £4 per person instead of £14 which is obviously a substantial saving, especially when there is 5 of you.

The centre is split into two sections, the sculpture trail and the actual centre. Dogs are allowed on site but you cannot take a picnic with you. There is a cafe serving food and drinks on the site as well as an ice cream parlour. There are a number of signs saying that the centre relies on sales in the cafe hence the reason for no picnics. We were not aware of this and had brought food with us. We ate that later after we had left the centre. There is also a charge for parking.

As we drove in we were greeted by some very impressive sculptures so you can get a taste of what to expect.

There are various sections of the sculpture trail and we decided to head to the front and do the Extinction trail first. All the animal sculptures had boards underneath describing the animal similar to ones you would find in a zoo. 

Near the entrance to the centre itself there were some familiar characters who were easily identifiable

There were also lots of original designs that artists had created and the messages were displayed underneath the sculpture. Some were purely for joy but some also had a more serious message to put out.

The Manchester Bee created from guns and knives to promote anti-violence in the city.

The Knife Angel is obviously made from knives and was created to highlight the effects of knife crimes on communities.

This sculpture was created in 2015 due to the large number of British males leaving the country to fight in foreign wars without truly being aware of the implications of their actions on themselves, their futures, their families and their communities.

After we had completed the trail we went into the Ironworks centre itself. Dogs are not allowed inside the building but there was plenty of outside space and seating for us all. It was at this point we all needed refreshments so drinks and crisps were purchased from the cafe and we relaxed for a short time before heading off to the section Matthew and Emma's partner Sam, were the most interested in- The Heroes and Villains section.

All in all, we spent about 3 hours doing the trail and in the centre itself and we did not rush round despite the dogs dragging us around and not wanting to stop and admire the sculptures. 

I would say it is good value even at £14 but even better if you can get there early for £4. I cannot say what the food is like as we didn't eat anything there but there is certainly plenty to see and Oswestry is only a couple of miles away if you want to make a day of it.

We all enjoyed the day, I just wish the weather had been better for the photos.

Project 365 (trying again)

I thought I would attempt to do Project 365 again as I had been thinking that my life was boring but looking back at earlier posts made me realise that my life is just ordinary and that there is always something worth remembering 

I am looking to post on a Sunday covering the Monday to Saturday. So here goes

Saturday 17th May

I took Penny for a walk and this was the view from the wood across the fields. The woods were shaded as it was a bit warm for her to be out in the full sun.

Sunday 18th May

Craig and I went for breakfast as a treat and I had the Hash Brown Bennie. I got half way through it before I remembered to take a picture. It was absolutely delicious.

Monday 19th May

This is not somebody's garden, it is a space that a group of neighbours have taken over and maintained. It looks so pretty at this time of year I couldn't resist taking this picture whilst Penny ran on ahead.

Tuesday 20th May

As I can no longer.play CD's in the house I sorted them out to give to charity. There was a real mix of music genres. I got Craig to copy some of the ones I would still want to listen to and he put them on a USB stick so I can listen to them in the car.

Wednesday 21st May

Me looking rather red after my first Zumba class. I absolutely loved it and after taking this picture I booked onto the class for next week.

Thursday 22nd May

It was Craig's birthday and we had family and a couple of friends round for pizza and cake.

Friday 23rd May

Matthew and I watched all the new episodes in one go. Great way to spend a Friday evening after a busy week in work.

Saturday 25th May

An early start so we could go to The British Ironworks Centre in Oswestry. Craig had booked an early timeslot to avoid the crowds as we had Penny and the two dogs that Emma was looking after with us. The Hulk greets you at the entrance. There will be a separate post and more pictures in a couple of days.