DUNHAM MASSEY AND SHOPPING CENTRE

We had a day out with Yvonne and Graham taking in the National Trust property at Dunham Massey near home in Cheshire. The trust now adopts a more visitor friendly approach with more photography allowed at properties and the chance to get nearer the contents in a lot of rooms. There is also a trend towards events and story tell and this seemed to go down very well. Discussing things with room guides it seems that the increasing age of retirement may take it's toll on the number of trust volunteers who are in youthful retirement. I had an interesting chat but I was told by Mandy that it had been about 30 mins gone by. The restaurant was the weakest link, rather dry cakes and chaotic servery layout.  Lots of work on new shop cum cafe complex and on the gardens where most of the acres of rhododendrons have been hacked away. There is a herd of around 150 deer all looking suitably scenic. We bought next years calendar, a shopping bag, a few beers etc plus peanut brittle which everyone except Mandy likes.

Then we headed to the shopping centre at Trafford near the football ground, not really my usual cup of tea but we had a pleasant time and bought some useful things amongst us, personally I came away with some disposable razors for my travel bag, last of the big spenders. It's not been as bad for DVD and film orders today, I've got those to post off tomorrow ready and am busy loading clips on our Youtube channel.  I've got the Irish bus films done, the first order is already in, I'll add them to the shop i a minute. I've got all the monthly magazine adverts done. Mandy is at the church PCC meeting tonight and Yvonne and Graham have gone to see a friend in Manchester so a couple of hours to try and catch up. Tomorrow we may go down to the Potteries factory shops and maybe Shugborough house while we are in a NT frame of mind. Weather still very mild and little rain, the garden though looks as if autumn is fully upon us. Winter / spring planting will start soon. Some recent Youtube clips