General Chat

I shouldn't jest, but hope there will be no car accidents, and write offs or anything else to stop o.h. and me having a week away in Essex in February. We had so much bad luck last year so holidays had to be cancelled.

I have booked a cottage in Maldon over the week of o.h.'s 60th birthday (5th Feb) which is what he wanted. We are going to Essex on Friday 31st Jan to Saturday 8th Feb so we can visit his son and the grandchildren as they moved to Chelmsford from near Ipswich on Thursday last. We will be able to see the new house as well, and they can help celebrate o.h.'s special birthday. It's not often we are together at that time so I thought it would be good to kill several birds with one stone, i.e. see the new house, see the family and have a change of scene in a place where o.h. can go for a stomp near the coast and take lots of photos (his hobby) while I can maybe get a bit of rest.

It's not an area we have visited before so there will be lots to see, weather permitting, altho it's a difficult time for me with my late daughter's would be 40th birthday on the day we travel and the anniversary of her death three days later, and the anniversary of her funeral on the day we return home. We are having to stay in a Premier Inn on the Friday after his bday as the cottage is only rentable Friday to Friday, means he has to take an extra day off work too which is a nuisance but some owners rent like that, not sure why. The P. Inn is nearer Chelmsford and closer to the new house so we can make a second visit before we go home again and then we will probably go for a meal out on Sunday, somewhere local, with o.h.s father, stepmum and sisters and their partners.

By then o.h. should be a grandfather again too, as his son and his gf in N.Y. are expecting their baby girl to arrive some time next week or soon.

I am hoping to meet with Tina-Marie while I am in Maldon so if there is anyone else close by who wants to meet up, let me know please and I will try and sort something out.

Looking forward to a change of scene, just hope the weather is drier and no snow so travelling is not a problem, as I will probably have to do most of the driving. Just got two new tyres for the car to be extra safe.

Lizx

every thing crossed for hope all goes well for you. :-D :-D :-D

Thanks Michael, what are my problems compared to yours?

Are you having trouble sleeping?

Lizxx

hi yes I do I cant stop thing that I am missing things I must do, sleeping tablets don't seem to work.xx

Sorry, was off making cheese on toast lol

Try to jot things down during the day and tick them off as done and dusted, or keep a pad near the bed so you can jot things down if they come to you at night. I am sure you are keeping on top of all the things you need to do, and stressing won't help altho it's easy for me to say. i have had times when sleep won't come and if I stay in bed, my mind goes into overdrive.

Maybe get up and wrap up warm, sit in another room and talk into your recorder, even if you ramble a bit, thinking back to your childhood etc might calm you down, you might even doze off but it won't matter as long as you are nice and warm.

Eating a banana can sometimes help you feel sleepy. It's hard to sleep when your mind is working overtime I know. Laying in bed worrying is not good for you tho so better to get up and do something if you can, occupy your mind and stop things in their tracks.

Or you could try listening to music in headphones if you find music soothing.

Take care, hope you nod off soon

Lizxx

I do hope you get your holiday this time.

I have ancestors who came from Maldon and the surrounding area like Heybridge Basin. A few years ago .when hubby was still driving. He took me to Chelmsford record office for a day of parish record look ups and we finished early so went to see both places. The Basin was lovely and I did talk to the lock keeper and was asking about the size of ship that could come,to there . One grt x umpteen grandfather was a mariner who lived in the area .

We really enjoyed the Essex countryside.

I hope you have a lovely holiday catching up with your family and seeing new places. Most of all I hope nothing prevents you from being able to go and that the weather is kind to you.

Fingers crossed this time for a lovely winter break and OHs birthday....something to look forward to.xx :-)

We know the area well having lived in Gt Baddow from 1968 to 1973 although it has changed since then. However we have a good friend in S Woodham Ferrers who we visit so still get over to Maldon, love it there and have taken lots of photos, especially if there are any barges around. Burnham on Crouch is nice too. And somewhere is a very tiny chapel on the coast, mat be Bradwell, Tina Marie may know. Hope you enjoy it Liz. Shopping is (or was not been for about 10 years) good in Chelmsford.

recommended:

The Blue Boar, Maldon
http://www.blueboarhotel.com/about-hotels-in-maldon/
(As well as good meals excellent hotel but costs a tad more than Premier)

The Ferry Boat. Fambridge
http://www.ferryboatinn.net/

The Chequers, Roxwell nr Chelmsford

There is plenty of scope for photographers at this time of year 'cos of all the overwintering birds - Dengie Hundred, Foulness. Try and see England's oldest church at Bradwell. The disused atomic power station at Bradwell is photogenic if you are into industrial archeaeology.

Romford Market (wed fri Sat ) is good fun but keep yr wits about you. Lakeside ( just off the M25 ) is a super mega shopping mall.

The Rettendon Turnpike is also good for catching overwintering chavs in their mock tudor nests. Watch out for the Essex boys.

Drive carefully - one of my rellies is with the Interceptors grrr !

Everthing is crossed for you Liz.

You certainly deserve to have a lovely break away with your o.h. family. Have fun and enjoy the special 60th with him.

Gentle hugs for your week which will naturally be tinged with sadness but hopefully special memories of your little one. She is only ever a thought away. Take care. xx

Thanks Rollo I thought it was at Bradwell, very tiny church isn't it and quite isolated. for fishermen I think?

Here is the web site for St Peters Chapel
http://www.bradwellchapel.org/

I used to go there as a young lad with a bicycle and fishing rod to dry out ... as the web site says the best time to visit is in winter. The moods change - cold blue wide open Essex skies and snow, wild winds off the North Sea.

Since then I have been all over our not very lonely planet and believe the chapel to be one of the most evocative places anywhere.

I don't know why Essex gets such a bad press, imho it is a great place. Outsiders need to make an effort that's all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTYZTCYXKd4

Oh thanks folks, what a lovely lot of information, will keep a note of all those places and look at the other things later on. I don't plan to do much cooking so will be trying out nice places to eat.

O.h. loves his photography so I thought there would be lots for him to see if I am having a lie in and it looks as tho there are nice independent little shops in Maldon which we both like.

This is the place we are staying at, it looks cosy if the weather is bad but I am hoping we get weather like today's in Norwich, dry, bright and sunny. It's chilly but that doesn't matter as I have lots of thermal undies lol

http://www.travelrepublic.co.uk/hotels/united-kingdom/essex/maldon/conifers.html

We do enjoy seeing other parts of the country altho we love Sheringham, but with son moving away it's an ideal opportunity to see more places and catch up with them in their new house.


I have to admit that it was always the Romford boys holidaying in Norfolk, that caught my eye. Could have been an Essex housewife myself if I had played my cards right lol I have been to Romford market on a day trip years ago and my son's rellies live in Brentwood and Dagenham/Barking, a friend lives in Chingford and my cousin has moved from Chigwell to Hornchurch so might have a chance to catch up with some of them too.

If we like the Premier Inn we can use it on other occasions to spend a weekend with the grandchildren, more peaceful than staying in their guestroom with two under 4s lol We used to go by train to see them in Stowmarket, so will probably still do that as it's less tiring than driving, but the fare will be doubled so will be a costly exercise to stay over too. O.h.'s not up to driving that far and back in a day and I wouldn't want to try it either after time spent with the children, the little girl is very boisterous and demanding and it's lovely to sit back on the train home and go Phew lol


Lizxx

HAVE A GOOD TIME LIZ,XXX

Hi Liz, while you are in the area this is well worth a visit.

http.//www.cmsm.co.uk

F.

there is also a private brewery in Maldon,

Bob

Holiday home looks very nice Liz

I think so Ann, I am usually a pretty good judge when booking places, o.h. is always pleased with what I find us. He is really looking forward to the break away and seeing a new place. He will like the brewery Bob lol

Thanks Frederick for the link to the museum. I have added that to the list of things to do and see

We are borrowing o.h's Dad's sat nav so that will make life easier for us as we have to go to and fro the son's house and the Premier Inn as well. I usually just print out a route and manage quite well as I am good at finding my way around but o.h. panics if we take a wrong turn or whatever. He doesn't even remember routes we drive often, so I can never just sit back and enjoy the scenery and as he can't see to drive at night I have to do a lot of driving myself, not what I thought would happen when I found myself a toy boy lol

I am a bit annoyed that the agency with the cottage charges so much, it's an extra £35. Most of the places I have found before have their own websites too so I can book direct with the owners but no luck this time so he had to cough up. it's a lot of money tho, would pay for a nice meal out and change as well.

Just hoping the weather will be kind, don't want to be snowed in or snowed out!

Lizx

all is crossed Liz :-D