Long ago, before the advent of the internet, electronic toys and other expensive games we had to make our own entertainment, which often meant walking for miles.  I was allowed out from dawn until dusk or six p.m., whichever came first, at quite a young age. I can remember trolling around when I was about eight or nine years old.  As long as there was a group of you, or at least two, you could pretty much do what you like. And off course we  had no phone until I was twelve and went up to the big school at the other end of the town.  But everybody talked, if I went up the park or the castle, my mother would know where I was before I got home, seriously, people would knock the front door and say “I’ve seen your Mandy up so and so”.  (this is the bit I like about London, the anonymity, laughs to oneself) But I think I mainly got away with my wayward walkabouts because both Mum and Dad have both liked to ramble around, not in a big, lets go and do the peak district sort of way, more a ramble around town and the lanes and the neighbouring villages sort of way. And one of my favourite places was and still is The Abbey Fields.  So last time I was home, I dragged Mum and Dad down to the Top Park to see what we could see.  A beautiful morning, absolutely glorious.  And when the tree’s aren’t in leaf, you can see straight through to the Castle from here. My favourite bench, near the top of the hill which gave welcome respite to tired legs that had been on the go swimming in the then outdoor pool or climbing along tree roots on the banks of the brook, or other made up pursuits of the day.  There are other benches on this hill now, but this one is still the original and best and is certainly showing its age. They have made an area boggy, which I am not a hundred percent sure that one should be changing things like that,

but the bull rushes did look gorgeous and I got incredibly soggy feet getting that shot.

A quick shot of Dad.

And Dad took a quick shot of me and we tried to take one of Mum but she was pulling funny faces and it didn’t work.

There was feeding of ducks, which I still love to do, just so pretty.

It’s so nice to sit and admire the view.

And this is an image of my young childhood.  I’d always fall behind, having found something of interest and then I’d be yelling “Wait for me” and Mum would shout back that they were, but they weren’t really, they were still walking on, slightly slower. I suppose they had to get me out of the park somehow.

And this next series of photo’s are the best photo’s I’ve ever taken.  They show my Dad’s comedic side and their love for each other.

I have no idea what he was bantering on about, I could hear him joking away, I was just trying to get the shots.  Whatever he said, it obviously tickled Mother. It was a lovely, lovely morning at the park.