Friday 22nd December 2018

The Bell Inn in Stilton near Peterborough was our home for a couple of nights. I had stayed here many years ago when I was promoted whilst working for Nurdin and Peacock.  My then boss John Cover arranged for me to stay here whilst I looked for a house, and I have very fond memories of my time here. John and his wife Carol, along with their family, welcomed me with open arms and I immediately felt at home. John is sadly no longer with us but I have still stayed in touch with Carol, and I was delighted to receive an invitation to her 70th birthday party.

We drove up on the Friday so that we could have a bit of time exploring and visiting some of the places from my past. Along with traveling down memory lane we took time to visit a National Trust property .

Lyveden New Bield is an unfinished Elizabethan summer house in the east of Northamptonshire, England, and looked great on a cold crisp December day.

We had to wrap up warm to fully enjoy this house and grounds, and I think next time we come it should be in the summer!

Mind you at least we had blue skies which helped with the taking of photographs!

The party was in the Bell so all we had to do was walk downstairs at the beginning of the evening, and then stagger up to bed at the end!  As well as it being Carol’s birthday it was her daughter Heidi’s 40th birthday and her granddaughter Charlotte’s 18th. Charlotte looks the splitting image of her mum Lucy and when I first saw her I thought I was in a time warp and that it was in fact Lucy I was seeing!  It was great seeing all the family and catching up with friends that I hadn’t seen for 25 years or more!

We will have to visit again…………but next time in the summer when its warmer………did I mention it was cold?