A weekend of walking, mainly in the sunshine, and celebrating another wedding anniversary, our garden wedding.  So firstly, why all the walking?  Well, in less than 2 weeks time, we are walking the South Downs Way in 7 days (hopefully) as, for the first time, we are part of the South Downs Annual Walk. http://www.southdownsway.com/  An excellent scheme...we turn up in Chichester each morning, then a coach takes us to that day's starting point, then returns to pick us up later, from that day's finishing point.  No carrying clothes, or staying overnight in B&Bs, all as civilised as walking 12 miles each day can be.

It was very handy for our fitness having our walking week in Malham.  Here we all are, fresh at the start of it, with Kevin next to me, and Werner next to Mr Cooper.  Werner is joining us, with his wife Susie, for the South Downs walk.

And here are Mr Cooper and Werner, towards the end of the week!

Many people, as they picked their way around Werner's recumbent form, on their way into the Lister Arms, said "I want a pint of what he's had".

Back in sunny West Sussex, our first walk of the Bank Holiday weekend did involve pints, or rather half-pints.
We set off  with a spring in our step, to the cider and sausage festival, at the Stag's Head in Westbourne.  http://www.stagsheadwestbourne.co.uk/  When we saw the list of ciders, we decided that a half pint of several was the way forward, and my absolute favourite was the perry.

Anyway, after 9 halves between us, and several sausages later, we walked home, without the spring in our step.  More like a floating sensation.  Another benefit from those 9 halves was that the already beautiful countryside became even more beautiful, and indeed  we found beauty everywhere!

Never have two concrete fence posts been artistically appreciated so much!

Back now  to another significant event of the weekend, our garden wedding anniversary.  
Here we are, 6 years ago, enjoying our wedding ceremony in our garden.

And here we are 6 years to the day, in the garden of the 'Hare and Hounds', Stoughton, http://www.hareandhoundspub.co.uk/enjoying a refreshing pint after our Sunday morning walk
(5 miles, with hills and everything).

A brilliant place to be on a sunny day, especially after a fairly rapid walk through the beautiful West Sussex countryside.

And the countryside in May is looking at its best.................

.............with all the verges looking positively bridal, very appropriate for our day of celebration.  

Mr Cooper had given me another 'Happy Anniversary' card in the morning, and I had given him a slightly modified one, which he had received 18 days previously.  Apparently that is not an acceptable thing to do!  I even added a bar of chocolate, but that didn't count, as it was one Mr Cooper had purchased.
Sadly it is a little more than the thought that counts, there has also to be appropriate actions.


Bank holiday weekends have to end, and work beckons once more.  That, or the increasing overdraft.
But how lovely it was to return to my little damp and slightly smelly corner of the kitchen  to find a bottle of Beaujolais nestling next to the plunger, plus tulips and a knitting magazine!  Thank you very much for my anniversary presents, Juliette, they really made my day. Mr Cooper is very interested in one of them.

I do think that a knitting magazine brings a different element to a busy kitchen.  Amidst the bustle and fury, Juliette and I were there discussing the merits of 2-ply versus 4-ply, and when chunky is positively a good idea.

And to crown it all...

......................here is the crown that with makes its sparkly debut at Southbourne's Women's Institute.  At least I can't complain that my life is monotonous, and my work is tedious.  Lots of fun can be had with a bottle of PVA and a selection of sparkly bits.

Lets hope we all have a good week ahead of us, with a good selection of 'sparkly bits'.  And may the 'worky bits' be ,at the worse, slightly tedious, heading towards 'positively uplifting.'  If you do feel you need to be uplifted, just wear a sparkly crown for a while.  One that you have made, of course.

See you all next week, eat lots of vegetables, drink lots of water and have plenty of fun too.