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Showing posts from May, 2014

Forgotten British Films...

The Man Who Never Was 1955 I’m lucky to have a copy of this striking colour film of 1955. It’s based on a true incident during the second world war when a body is washed up on a Spanish shore containing misleading documents of an impending Allied invasion through Greece. The Germans send a spy to London to check if the documents are genuine and find that they are because the British had laid a cunning plan to which no stone had been left unturned. A riveting story that won a British Oscar for its screenplay by Nigel Balchin. Filmed in Eastman Colour, it was directed by Ronald Neame, and based on an original book by Ewen Montagu who thought up the scheme.

Return to Stanborough Park and Lakes...

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Well, as we seem to be having a mini heat wave in the UK, we thought it would be nice to make a return visit at the weekend to Stanborough Park and Lakes near Welwyn Garden City. (See previous blog on Stanborough Park)

Stanborough Park...

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We spent a very enjoyable Sunday afternoon taking in the two large lakes of Stanborough Park near Welwyn Garden City UK . The Lakes and the River Lea at Stanborough are home to a great many types of Wildfowl including Mallard, Moorhen, Coot, Canada Goose and Tufted Duck and provides an ideal habitat for many kinds of birds to live and feed. Feeding the birds of Stanborough Park is a popular pastime for many visitors. The North Lake is the smaller of the two and its shallow water makes for ideal bird watching or even taking out a rowing boat during a warm summer. The South Lake offers the spectator the best view into the parks main water sports and gives the chance to relax in the lakes flourishing surroundings, and so, by 4.0′clock we were all ready for a wonderful cook-from- scratch meal at the nearby Crooked Chimney.

Family Outing...

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It was more Birthday Celebrations when we visited The Hungry Horse in Dunstable Bedfordshire UK… Large Steaks, Beers and wines were the order of the day. Having just finished our meals we were happily pictured by family member Steve Redding.

The Shriving of Miss Esme Stamp...

Serialized by Patrick George Callaghan                                                   Part Ten It was a subdued event. They sat facing each other across a table of mixed silverware. Their differing views reflected in its elbow- polished surface. The table lengthened to a darkening abyss at the far end of the room. Lost and empty. Barren of its worthiness. Washed over with dusted respectability. Her mother’s conversation was of the stilted kind. Made up of awkward sentences of kindness and firm intention. She risked outburst; weighed only by sensible words – a woman was tied to a man lest she starve or end in the workhouse – best she coupled to the richest on offer – aside from the most agreeable in looks and romance. Those who worked at money rarely had to prove much of their appearance and yet like to possess things of beauty…things that are costly. The more costly to them…the more desirable they become. A woman presented with the opportunity for such fort