The fires of barter...

Playlist

Various Composers – The Italian Connection

Benda – Symphonies 7-12

Boccherini – Complete Cello Sonatas

Various – The Milano Jukebox 1998-2011

Various – Trojan Foundation Dub

Various – The Very Best of Euphoric Dance

Graham Bond – Solid Bond

Chicago – V

David Guetta – Nothing But the Beat

The Temptations – At Their Very Best

Various – The Cruisin’ Story 1959

Various – Sugar Sugar

Glenn Miller – The Very Best of

Elvis Presley – The Wonder of You (Single)

Various – Natural Progression

Up early and the weather was holding nicely...

Big breakfast...

...followed by some relaxation time before the day started...

Mary took some pics of the house with her new camera...

 

...while I captured some local wildlife...

Then, we split into three groups with Keith and family heading to Craster and the beach, Bobby and family heading to Seahouses and the beach and Anne, Mary and I driving over to Alnwick...

First stop, Barter Books...

We liked this place...

Two art books and a cheeky wee CD for your correspondent...

Detective mysteries and a cookbook for Mary...

...before coffee and cakes were pondered over...

...chosen...

... and enjoyed...

Anne's mum thought this poem from 1957 was particularly apt for the predicament we all face today... 

We bade farewell to the many fires of barter...

...and made our way to the town centre...

...taking a stroll around the market...

Then, to Alnwick Castle...

...the tour of which afforded no permissible photography...

Archery was offered but not partaken of...

...while the battlements afforded good views...

We learned about Harry Hotspur...

..and, all in all, had a splendid time..

Back at the cottage, the Gourlays had just arrived back...

..and were soon followed by the Fowlers...

Some relaxation time was enjoyed...

...before we drove to the nearby The Cottage for dinner...

Bobby, Anne and I waited and waited for the band to start but, in the end, left them to their inordinately long soundcheck...

Back home, a DVD was provided to show us how to light the various wood burning stoves around the house...

It got lost inside the TV...

More sitting around drinking and chatting...

Eventually, our last two party members arrived, Keith's son Craig and girlfriend Arianne - arriving a day late due to Craig writing the Raith Rovers match report for Scotland on Sunday...  

More drinking and chatting...

..and general mucking about...

...before hitting the sack...

A good day...

Highlight of the Day : Barter Books...