Saturday, 18.10.2025.

 Saturday, my two friends went off to Fleetwood, so it was up to me to show the Dog Walkers Gang were still in attendance. at the Bridge View café.

The Bridge the café is named after.

I nearly gave it a miss but when I got there was so glad I'd made the effort as the Steam Punk crowd we had seen there in the past were there again to celebrate Halloween!. 

There were plenty of photographers there with their big cameras, but I only had my Nikon A1000 which I always carry with me, but I think it does a very nice job!.

Inside the café, it was packed out!, but they had saved a place for me with a friend, being a regular customer!.

That a motley crowd you might think but they are very nice to speak to and were quite glad to have their photos taken.

They even had their own band and singers

When me and the gang were there this Thursday, we booked for our Christmas Dinner, you have to be early there!, we had it there last year and the food was fantastic and kept coming and coming and in the end we all bought home doggie bags (for us, none of us have dogs any more) plenty of drinks too.

Here is the menu's, looks dear but have you checked out pub menu's?.

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On the way to the Café I'd stopped at Clarkes Shoe shop and bought another pair of shoes that they had advertised at 50% off so got these at £42!, they were still at the full price on the shoes in the shop, but I showed her the advert on my phone and she checked on the price thing round her neck and confirmed it, you have to be as quick as them don't you. 

My friend said at the last count she had 60 pairs of shoes, I'm still only at 5 pairs at the moment.

The staff at the Clarkes shop at Crown Point North shopping mall are very nice too!.

Got a letter in the post when I got home to tell me my Winter Fuel Payment will be sent to my bank in November.

So, beware the Scammers getting in touch with you asking for your bank details to sent you your money!, if you are due it, it will be sent your bank automatically!.  

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Reddish Vale, Monday, 13.10.2025.

 Not been down the vale for a while, so on Monday decided it was time to go again. On my walk round took my secateurs to trim back the weeds that aways try to come out onto the path, which can be dangerous if at eye level.

Looks like the volunteers have been busy again with this nice planter.

Some nice Gadwalls on the lower mill pond.

The swan family are doing well and the four youngsters are nearly and big as their parents. 

When will I get a yellow beak like you Mum?.

When you are a bit older, then it will be time for you to fly the nest and find your own place!.

Only one cormorant on the day

Tufted Duck with an itch.

Nice floral arrangement again on the lower mill pond.

On the way home it was a mini fish and chips at my local Morrison's,

if that's a mini what's a full size one like!, a bit over facing for me. 

Back home the sparrows are eating me out of house and home.

My berries are looking good, the Blackbirds love them in the winter

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More Jabs, October 1.10.2025.

 Well, it was off to the chemist to get my Covid and flu jabs on Wednesday, I'd been getting text from the Doc's to book an appointment, but it was easier to go to the chemist where it was a walk in job. one in each arm, was ok, but I turned quite cold for 24 hours, then I felt a bit delicate for 48hours but everything back to normal now, that's if you can call it normal at my age!.

I ordered a cabinet for my living room, it looked a bit bare after moving the computer into the front room.

I was just arriving home when the carrier arrived at my door and I thought he's not going to get that large box into the porch, so wound my passenger window down and shouted "leave it in the garden Mate", then parked up and rushed to the house to get the box in as it looked like rain. of course I forgot my car window!, what a plonker!. My mate Chris doing his home watch, texted me to tell me my car alarm was going off!, that was from Türkiye!, ain't technology great these days.

This is the cabinet, it was so heavy I had to walk it into the house then the living room, it said on the instructions to build it close to where its going to be, and that was true.

 Its so solid and sturdy, with three shelves inside, good job I've built plenty of flat packs with my son in the past. Everything checked out and went together ok it was just the weight of everything!, how can they sell these at £55.99 beats me. That's why I love Amazon, I certainly get my money's worth.

Bought another of those colourful clocks for the bed room.

At the Bridge café this week there was this guy was passing though on a walk from Huddersfield to Macclesfield, then home to Marple!.

Said he was a lecturer at Huddersfield University!. 

My dinner this time was this soup and a roll, spoon stood up in it.

That's very filling!.

Wednesday at Morrison's, thought I'd have a change and ordered this, didn't realise it was two eggs, two ham and a load of chips.

I only ate the one egg and ham and a few chips, but they only say you paid for it, eat what you want and leave the rest!.    

Halloween stuff on sale for the hungry kids??. £35 each.

Can see a couple of my friends in the background there. This dog I found out today when you pull it's lead it's eyes light up red and it howls!.

My friends don't like to play cards in Morrison's on our Tuesday's but I saw these two guys today using their internet!, so what's the difference?.

Back home my yew tree has got hundreds of red berries on it this year, must be at least 20 years old by now, so it might be mature now.

It's the tree that the English long bow was made from!.

I decided to cut down my Red Acer in the garden as it was getting quite leggy in the middle, filled two green bins alright but having trouble getting the main root out, will have another go at it when it stops raining.

Got a three bundle of Hydrangeas from Amazon, which came direct from the a Garden centre, very well packed and healthy.

Should be White when it flowers?.

Red.

Think I've got that right will see in the Spring no doubt.

Pink.

  I decided on Hydrangeas as the one I put in the front garden this year has been in bloom for months now, though it's not turned Blue yet, perhaps in the Spring, I have added stuff to make the soil acidy which they like.

This should be a red one was from Amazon but a different garden centre, looks a bit sad but hopefully will perk up once I get the root from the Acer out and this in!.

Will have to check which garden centre they are from, if I order anything else in future.

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