Almost half way through April already - Where's it going?

I can't believe that we are almost half way through April already. At least the weather is improving and at last I'm able to wear less clothes and am even thinking of getting out the t shirts that have been packed away in a box under the bed since last year! I've heard people say it's going to be a warm few months, but 'feeling' will be believing.
Life@number 6 has been busy as usual and is revolving round Charlotte and Angus's move to their own house - hence the constant change of plans, which is why we went away at Easter and why I am not working my normal shifts at the clinic and sitting writing this.
They first thought they would be moving at Easter so our plan was to go down with the caravan to help them. It became apparent that that was not going to happen so we decided to take the caravan and join our friends at Broadway in the Cotswolds. We had a lovely time down there, overcoming the problems of no electrics working on the little site we were on and frozen gas due to cold nights.

 This was our view taken on various days - never quite clear but still spectacular.

 We were on a 5 van site behind a really lovely, well stocked  farm shop and cafe which provided us with fresh coffee for breakfast, as with no electrics we couldn't use our coffee machine.
Broadway was about 4 miles down the road. I didn't recognise anything about it, although am sure I must have been there caravanning with my Mum and Dad. It's a wide main street with gorgeous honey colour buildings which positively glow in the sun

The flowers were everywhere and really vibrant (my photos don't do them justice) 

David and I decided that we would walk to Broadway Tower on a round walk, about 6 miles and climbing 800 feet to second highest point in the Cotswolds. The tower was the brainchild of Capability Brown who realised his vision with the help of James Wyat, the architect. It's said you can see the Welsh mountains in one direction and Buckinghamshire in the other, unfortunately for us due to the mist we couldn't see that far. Even so the views were amazing. 

This was our route

and here are some things that caught our eye as we were on our way up

The sign was on the gate of the house below

Wild flowers at the side of the path

  We always like a good wood shed!

Modern shepherd's barns as holiday lets - I wasn't sure about those as they look too new and not in the kind of setting I would want to be, very close together

At long last the cafe at the top and a well earned coffee!

You have to walk a little further to the tower

and this was the view we had

just too misty but you get the idea.

Going down was on the Cotswold Way which was much quicker than our climb up through the woods. Suitably place benches provided the perfect picnic place

An ice cream was the reward for reaching Broadway again

plus a wander past the Easter decorated shops

Our final day down there saw us going to Chipping Campden - another real traditional Cotswold village full of more lovely buildings

We came upon the place below. Staying in'Crafty Cottage' certainly appeals to me

 

I could just imagine sitting in this tiny garden with a glass of wine

Can you see the mincer on the fence?

and the mangle?

On our return it was to be busy, busy, busy as Charlotte's move was scheduled for this Friday and I had still curtains to make. I swopped shifts at work, booked a couple of nights at Waves as there wouldn't be room this time at Charlotte's due to the packing up. Unfortunately for them, when trying to finalise the moving details, they found that the valuer hadn't been to value the house for the morgage so there would be no chance of them moving on Friday after all. A real disappointment which also threw up all kinds of difficulties for them and has also meant that we (due to commitments we can't get out of ) now can't get down to help them when they do expect to move. However they are very lucky to have a real good group of friends who will rally round and help them sort out the difficulties. As for us, well we are now going down at May Day weekend which does mean I can do something that I have always wanted to do and that is go to the Obby Oss celebrations in Padstow which take place on the 1st of May - can't wait!!!

Well despite having time I didn't expect there are still the curtains to be made and my sewing machine is calling.