A couple of outings

Back in the autumn, we visited Canons Ashby, but said that we would have to return in the summer to see the gardens in full bloom. The weather yesterday was not too bad, so we took the opportunity to drive out there again. I checked the National Trust website, to make sure it was open on a Thursday - some of the smaller NT properties are not open every day of the week - but found on arrival that is was closed "for essential maintenance". Annoying! So, we returned home to the boat, and spent the rest of the day watching a DVD of Naomi's - "Buried" - and doing odd jobs.

Today is Grace's birthday, and we drove into Gloucestershire, to Bourton-on-the-Water where the wonderful Cotswold Perfumery is to be found. There, we bought perfume and earrings for her birthday present, and visited the fabulous model village, a one-ninth scale model of the old town, including within it a model of the model village itself - which had a model of the model within that! It really is a clever and beautiful creation.

Additionally, there was a Model Makers' Exhibition there, which housed twenty or so modelled scenes of incredible detail and complexity.

We finished the day with a celebratory meal at the local "Wheatsheaf" pub restaurant in Crick - not our best eating experience in the area, but pleasant enough.