Down the Vale, 2026.

 I went down the vale yesterday for the first time this year, cold but I was well wrapped up.

I'd hear there was a Golden Eye Duck there at the moment, which are a rare find there, I was lucky that a friend David was there and pointed it out to me, it was hard to see amongst the little gulls and tufted ducks, so I was lucky David was there.

I was then able to show another friend Emily where the goldies were!.

Has you can see here the tufted ducks are very much alike.

Emily thought this black and white one was the goldie but they are Male and female Goosanders, male the black and white one, the one with the rusty head is the female.

Quite a few Gadwalls about too.

Plenty of Squirrels too 

This chap is getting mobbed feeding the birds.

A splash of colour on a cool grey day. 

The swan family has still got one of the youngsters with them, surprised that one still there, usually see them off to start breeding again.

Heron there too

Back home there are loads of Sparrows on my feeders!.

Finished this jigsaw last week and it was so nice decided to frame it!.

Bought a pack of two photo frames from Amazon and they fit a 70x50cm jigsaw perfectly!.

Finished and framed this one too, birthday present from friend Jean.

The Bridge view Café was full on Thursday with a large group from St Georges church in Stalybridge.

Lady vicar on the right with the red hat.

A chap borrowed the mike and said it was nice to welcome the group and mentioned that it was their Christmas and New Years dinner 

They didn't show much appreciation by clapping for my mate singing but they said they enjoyed it.

This chap had his two English bulldogs there too, very well behaved.

They had a tub of ice cream each.

Bought these seat belt extensions from Amazon and it makes it much easier to clunk clink now! 

So its the end of January already!.

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Tuesday 20.1 2026

 Not done much photography of late with the weather being too cold for me.

Me and the gang went to the Bridge View café on Thursday for their reopening after the Christmas break, went again on Saturday.

Luckily Morrisons have been open for me and my mate Chris the singer, so no problems there.

Just spent nearly an hour with the online chat with Amazon, after I'd ordered a pair of  70x50cm photo frames, which came ok but it looked like someone had opened the corner of the package and slipped in a package for someone to pick up at a Morrisons miles away.

It was very hard to get across to them that My order was ok but for the addition of the extra package, after a long while it sank in and they offered me a refund!!, "but I never ordered it so why a refund" eventually they sent me a code to return the other item.

When I got the email with the code to return it, It was for my ordered photo frames and not the other thing!!.

I feel sorry for the person waiting for their items!.

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The other way to identify is the female has Orange under her beak!.

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Happy New Year 2026.

Happy New year to all my readers.

Been a quiet Christmas and New Year for me, not a problem that's how I like it.

Went to my son's for Christmas dinner with all the family.

My beautiful Youngest Granddaughter and hubby, "What do you think of this name"? 

Yes she was very near to giving birth again, but it wasn't until the 30th before she arrived. 

Looks like she was a bit browned off about missing Christmas.

Slaving over a hot stove.

I got some nice Christmas pressies this year, this is a wooden jigsaw, no instructions, but checking on the internet is seems you just fit the pieces that are in the box, into the lid.

Another pressie was this jigsaw from my Scottish grand children,

They live there and can see the bridge from their house.

This view is from the North Queensferry side though. 

Finished that, it was certainly a challenge with all the bridge colours and sky.

It was my birthday on the 2nd January and got this from them too, will enjoy reading all about how the bridge was built!.

Written by a woman as you can see, but why not my grand-daughter mentioned above is a Civil engineer!.  

Me and my friends went to The Windmill for my birthday and very nice it was too.

Roast potato's were a bit hard but every thing was great apart from that.

Then we retired to the vault for our usual game of cards 

So very nice ,but quiet!.

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Christmas Eve 2025.

Well, before I forget!.

From our gang .

Not been down the Vale much this week, but last week our gang had our Christmas dinner at the Bridge View Café again this year, as last year was so good and we weren't disappointed this year, it was Fab-u-lous. Not only did we stuff ourselves but on the way out we each received a doggie bag, full of sandwiches, savouries and cakes!, that was tea time sorted!.

Looks like trying to open a present.

This was one of my presents off friend Jean.

 My late whippet, Molly!

This week at Morrison's for Lunch with mate Chris saw that Santa had arrived!.

The local  Rotary Club collecting!.

Been to Morrison's today for lunch, the Café was full, but the store wasn't too bad, I'd thought it would be fuller, cause don't forget they are closed for a day and the Café for two days!.

Managed to get a table and was joined by a chap I'd seen before so we had a chat about our army days, Ahh happy times!.

Finished this weeks jigsaw!.

Once again.

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