Janice and David Swindlehurst

of "The Towers at Lea"

Swindlehurst

The Photographic Record

The re-structuring of our bathroom began on Friday 13th! The first task was to remove the combi boiler from the cupboard at the top of the stair and re-install it in the kitchen. The cupboard was then removed, along with the contents of the bathroom.

On Friday 16th December 2011 we flew to Tenerife for a fortnight's holiday. Also on the flight (and staying in the same hotel) were my daughter Kate, with Andy, and our friends Edna and Tony Bannister. The hotel (the Adeje Gran) was close to excellent, although the food could have been a little better and the bar prices were robbery. The hotel is a big place, and the breakfast/dining room has a distinct resemblance to a works canteen.
We enjoyed a superb holiday, marred only by returning to a flat battery on the car at Blackpool airport.

On Monday afternoon 5th December 2011, Janice was invited by great-niece Kayleigh to attend the 2011 Graduation ceremony for UCLAN students, held at the Guild Hall, Preston. Kayleigh's father Lance died from cancer 4 years ago aged 43, and Janice was his nurse and carer during his illness.

On Friday 7th October we hosted a small gathering of friends for a curry and hotpot evening, with a small amount of tonsil varnish included. We enjoyed the evening very much.

On Sunday 2nd October, the Wilson family, together with other involved folk, gathered at St Christopher's Church for the christening of Layla, the latest arrival in the family. After the ceremony, which was conducted with grace, humour and a smile by the lady celebrant, we crossed the road to Lea club, to wet the baby's head.

The 29th September 2011 - my 75th birthday (as they say). I was presented with this magnificent cake by its maker our friend Margaret Seed. Needless to say, it was pretty quickly damaged, starting with the fudge. We also had a small family gathering, held at the EastzEast indian restaurant in Preston - pix to follow.

On 9th September 2011 we flew to Tenerife for a fortnight's holiday. We stayed at the Pearly Grey timeshare resort at Callao Salvaje, close to Playa de las Americas. This is an excellent resort, spoiled (for me) by having a very slow wireless internet connection available only in the Reception area. Our apartment was newly refurbished, with first-class facilities (although awaiting some new furniture). The restaurant and bar food was more than acceptable, the staff (most of whom were British) were wonderful and the prices unusually low. No complaints. In our first week we spent some time socialising with Rod and Andy, and their wives Marion and Margaret, all charming folk from Hampshire.

In our second week we were joined by Christopher (Janice's eldest grandson) and his lady Joanne, who were having a week in Los Cristianos. On Tuesday evening Christopher "popped the question" and was gracefully accepted, so they are now affianced. On Wednesday we visited the happy couple in L C to congratulate them and take a pic or 2.

We were also joined for our second week at Pearly Grey by Margaret and Les Seed, who had the next apartment to ours. We all enjoyed the Resort, as well as a couple of excursions - photos of Teide etc attached.

On Wednesday 24th August 2011, Preston's Harris Museum staff organised a "Bleasdale Circle" day, comprising an exhibition of artifacts, photographs and other documentation in the Bleasdale Parish Hall, and a guided tour of the Circle site. The day was organised, and the tour led, by Emma Heslewood, the Museum's "Top Cat" in matters pertaining. A splendid effort, much enjoyed by the participants, who were unexpectedly treated to some late summer weather, and a dry-foot crossing of the swamp.

The first Monday of the summer hols for Evie - and the weather came up trumps (and about time too). A day at Brock, where, by chance, Evie met Luke who had been in the same "room" at Tinkerbells Nursery for 3 years. After 10 minutes of shyness, they spent hours together. Having arrived early the children had the river to themselves, but as time passed more people arrived and it became almost crowded. We left mid-afternoon, which was a good decision. A wonderful day.

The Fishwick girls' annual trip to Cartmell Races took place on 14th July 2011. Numbers sadly depleted, for a variety of reasons, but a successful and fun day out, with gorgeous weather, lucky bets and a superfluity of alcoholic beverages.

I invited "my (extended) family" to join Janice and me at Longridge Golf Club on 23rd June 2011 for a family party, to help us celebrate a momentous week in my life. 4 folk couldn't make it because of pre-booked holidays, 1 because of an unavoidable night shift, 1 because of short-term illness. 29 folk did make it, it was a wonderful evening for me, and topped off with a Sarah buffet. How close can you get to Paradise without dying? Thanks to everyone.

Layla, great-granny Janice's 5th great-grandchild, and 4th great-granddaughter, born to Nicola and Lyndon, 16th June 2011. (This picture is of granddad Glen, with his 4th girl).

On our return from Crete, Donna (widow of Janice's nephew Lance Rawlinson) brought her twin grandsons Riley and Charlie to see us. This put Janice in "brood mother" mode, as usual.

14th May 2011 - Longridge Golf Club annual Curry Night. Curries (and alternatives, for the weak amongst us) by Sarah, and entertainment by "Chimes Two", comic and musical duo from Liverpool. An excellent evening and worth more than the price charged.

11th May 2011 - Janice and the Fishwick girls, minus Mavis (unavoidably detained) and (sadly) Valerie, who died last year, plus Olive and Joyce2, now honorary fishes.

4th May 2011 - Janice enjoying the first visit to the Towers by Oscar Davis (accompanied by both parents) her new great-grandson!

On 28th April we paid our annual visit to the Brock area, to see the bluebells. The valley which we visit is away from the Brock valley proper, on a small tributary which is always deserted and unspoilt. The silence was broken only by the sounds of nature - birdsong and whispering trees.

Monday the 28th March was young Glen's umptyumpth birthday. As a treat Janice made a batch of his (and my) favourite goodies - Cream Crisps! This could not be achieved without the diligent and skillful assistance of a couple of cheffettes. Evie and Ruby resplendent in their new work uniform, specially imported from Ireland.

On Thursday 24th March 2011, the weather still being wonderful, we made our regular visit to the Brock valley, where the ashes of my parents and Janice's mother had been scattered in earlier years. The valley is a wonderful place at any and every time of year, full of flowers, trees, birdsong, the river's noises, and curiously is often deserted - it's as close to wilderness as there is in the UK.
It is also full of historical interest, particularly of its industrial past. There were 3 watermills in a very short stretch, named (with inspired poetic resonance) Lower Brock Mill (LBM), Brock Mill and Higher Brock Mill. LBM was a silk mill and these photographs show its sad remains, together with clear evidence of the natural environment re-asserting itself.

On Wednesday 23rd March 2011, having been inspired by my sister Margaret, we took a walk through the Norber Erratics, a large and random scattering of lumps of sandstone, carried here by glacial action and dumped when the ice melted.
They are comparitively old rock, lying on top of much younger limestone , and thus are a geological curiousity.
Norber is a small area on the uplands between Austwick and the Ribble valley. It is a few miles from Settle, where we subsequently had the estimable pleasure of lunch at the Singing Kettle, a small but fine establishment serving high quality, low cost meals. We recommend it unreservedly.

On Tuesday 1st March 2011, we sneaked off for the day to the Lake District, and what a fantastic day it was! Warm, wind-less, sunny and the best snowdrop display for years. These pictures were taken at Beckhead, Witherslack, in a garden alongside the road.

On Monday 6th September we went on a 5-day National Holidays coach trip to the Isle of Wight. Neither of us had previously visited the Isle and we were impelled to do this trip by the splendid experience we had enjoyed last year with the Company on our trip to London. What a contrast! We were hugely disappointed by the hotel, which was awful, also by the Isle (if you want to be totally under-whelmed by a tourist "hot-spot", try the Needles viewpoint) and the holiday was saved only by the excellent driver/guide Magnus and particularly by 4 charming folk from the Blackburn area - Maureen and Alan Ross and Brenda and Brian Worden. By a peculiar coincidence, Maureen was born a Swindlehurst! Nuff sed.

21st August 2010 - the marriage of Chelsee Wilson (Janice's granddaughter) and Andy Davis at Garstang Country Club. A lovely young couple, and a splendid day all round. As an experiment I used my Nintendo DSi camera function rather than the usual Samsung 500. The pix are not as good but the Nintendo fits the pocket better!

7th August 2010, Longridge Golf Club, Captain's Night bash. Another superb evening of excellent entertainment, delicious food (as usual, courtesy of Sarah) and fun atmosphere. A great time was had by all. Some photographs of some of the revellers are here.

Saturday 26th June was a wonderful sunny and warm summer's day, just perfect for the 2010 Lytham Club Day. Our grand-daughter Amber was an attendant to the Rose Queen and is pictured here in the landau waiting for the procession to start. Clicking the photograph produces pix of some of the other participants in the procession.
For those not in the know, "club day" used to be a nation-wide institution, when each town and village would parade its individual church (and other organisations') banners through its streets, with their members in support. This has fallen out of use in most of the bigger urban developments, but the Fylde villages still maintain their traditions. (In this respect Lytham is still a village).

Retrospective