Wales was not wet, but very windy

Oh dear lagging behind again, on the Sunday of our week away, we went to the little chapel in Rhuddlan in the morning. there were a few extra visitors there, they are always pleased to see us and make us very welcome; then back to the bungalow for a steak lunch. I hadn't found the bed very comfortable, the base was just a piece of wood in a frame, but the mattress was memory foam, so perhaps that helped. or maybe I was just too tired. I felt stiff every morning

strange taps in bathroom

We usually go up to see my sister in May, but we have found that has been too close to our Summer holiday, which is usually in June or early July. However the family were all going to Word Alive, so we though it would be easier rather than swapping dates for child care, if we were all away together. They had been unable to get on site accommodation, so had booked a cottage just outside a village called Llanefydd, on a farm in the middle of nowhere. On Sunday afternoon, I loaded the car with goodies I had bought, we collected my sister, and set off to visit the family. My sister hadn't seen Lydia at all, she had seen Nathaniel at 7 weeks, and Ethan at 8 weeks. When we arrived Nat was playing in the lane on his scooter, it was very sunny but the wind came across the fields,and was quite bitter. There was a small play area with swings, and we spent some time out of doors, but it was hard to get out of the wind, and the cosy lounge had  a woodburner. Unfortunately Nat tripped and tried to steady himself on it, and burned his hand so they let the fire die down. The cottage was lovey and spacious, a downstairs bathroom, upstairs shower room, utlity, huge kitchen diner, and  3 bedrooms. The farmer/owner called in to see if everything was ok, a very pleasant chap with a lovely Welsh name.

play area

Ethan

My Sister stands in front of the field with the horses in it

the view

Lydia

Log burner made it cozy

Lenticular cloud

Nathaniel

We had a buffet style tea, table groaning, and chatted, and sister and I reminisced, I watched Ethan's bath time, then we took my sister home and went back to the bungalow. The family had been to Kinmel Bay evangelical church, but they had not been overly impressed with the sermon, although the church had been quite full.
On the Monday we drove down into Rhyl, and parked on the promenade near the cinema. Husband headed straight off to the barber's and sent a text to say he was getting his hair cut there and then. It was still  very cold although quite sunny. I headed off down a side street,and was thinking about lunch. I was so cold that even fish and chips sounded a good idea. However, the fish and chip shop/cafe I remember appears to have closed. I headed off for the shopping centre, which I thought a least would be warm, and went into one of the cheap shops there and bought  a pair of gloves, only £2. I met up with a newly shorn husband, and we went off to Liffy's in Russell Road for lunch. I can't quite remember what I had, probably a jacket potato, but it was a hot meal. Husband had cottage pie. It is all home made stuff. Last time they had run out of mash, so husband had the cottage pie mixture with chips! We were also temped by hot puds with custard, and afterwards felt fortified enough to go for wander around the shops. The departure of M&S has affected Rhyl, their shop unit has been taken by Poundland. Next has also moved to a new unit in Prestatyn, so it's not as good looking round as it used to be.
Tuesday,we headed for Llandudno, parked in our usual place, then I went into David Roberts and tried on at least 10 pairs of shoes, but none were right. My problem is narrow feet and even narrower heels; everything slipped at the heels,and I tried one pair which were a wide fitting with a bar strap, but they slipped at the heels too.
 I was going to try somewhere different for lunch but we ended up at the Cottage Loaf. I had a wrap with chicken and chilli, husband had a sausage bap, which was stuffed with sausage. There was also salad and a small portion of chips. Again we were temped by desserts, I had a creme brulee, and husband had something with custard, which came in a sweet little milk churn. I later discovered these little churns in the lovely kitchen shop, but didn't buy as I lack storage space.
I did my usual tour of the shops, not buying, but I did get something for Nat in M&S. as I'd spotted a lovely dress for Lydia in the Rhyl Sainsbury's, when I popped in for some odds and ends. It was very reasonable, so I had bought it.
My back was feeling uneasy, so I rang husband and said I'd had enough, so we met up at the car and drove back via Deganwy. We spent the evening, as we had previously with my sister.
Wednesday morning, we decided to have a look around the shops in Abergele, one was an antique/junk shop. I also stocked up on milk, and fund a large pack of heat pads in the local pharmacy. They were keeping my back going. Then we thought we would have trip over to Prestatyn, as we haven't been there for ages. We contacted the family,and were told that our Daughter and Daughter in law were going to try and get haircuts. We rang again from Costa, and they said they had all decided to walk into Prestatyn we had just finished lunch, my panini was actually hot for once, when our Son in law appeared in the doorway. They had buggies so we joined them sitting outside, Nat had brought his scooter. They weren't going to an afternoon session, so we sat and chatted whilst they had drinks, then later, I looked after Ethan whilst Son and a friend popped into Tesco for some supplies.

Ethan went through his separation anxiety screaming act, I cuddled him, then put him in the buggy as it was warmer, rocked him a bit then tickled him, he settled nicely, but when Dad reappeared took one look at him and started to cry. He is so like his Dad was.
I popped int M&s for a quick look and use of their ladies' room, then we moved over the railway bridge, to an open space. The ramp up and over the railway was a long uphill walk, and pushing the buggy all that way made me realise I'm fitter than I thought. In the open space, we sat or stood rocking the buggy, I nipped along to a card making shop nearby. The Girls both eventually returned, shiny haired and relaxed from a couple of child free hours. Nathaniel had hared around the paths on his scooter, but then everyone decided it was time to be off to prepare their evening meal, so we hiked up the High Street past closing shops to the free car park we had found.
Thursday we went to Chester. As we drove along the A55, the blue skies gave way to clouds, and then rain. Oh dear, not a day for eating by the river. We used the Wrexham Road park and ride for a change. When we got int town, Husband and I went to a camera shop to buy me a spare battery for my E450. One of my spares had died altogether. They were not as helpful as they might have been, till husband decided to spend his birthday money, and a bit more on a small Canon, to replace his small HP; sale agreed the chap suddenly decided he could check the compatibility of the battery online!
We split up and husband went off in search of a pasty. There are 2 pasty shops in Chester. I was tempted by the smell from a shop which sold roast meats in sandwiches, they also did roast meats and roast potatoes. However I decided I would go to M&S. They have closed one of their stores, the old Littlewoods  store, and have shoehorned everything into the other. The cafe is now at the front, overlooking Foregate St. I had a wrap, and an iced bun. Unfortunately they overfilled my coffee cup, so that by the time I reached my table the saucer was awash. I had a browse afterwards and found a little shorts set for  Ethan for the summer. None of their ladies' clothes appealed to me.
Afterwards I went into BHS for a look, and bumped into a MANWEB ex colleague, Doreen. She is the only person I ever seem to meet from the old days. We had a good natter. Apparently, as I suspected, she didn't get our Christmas letter. I got a bit muddled with my pages of my list,and wasn't sure I'd sent to a few people. I didn't like to redo cards for those people as I thought they might end up with 2 and think I had finally flipped.

Afterwards I toured round the Grosvenor precinct, Debenhams, not a patch on the old Brown's with its squeaky floorboards. There are still quite a few empty shops. I wandered down Watergate Street, then to Lakeland,  the market, there are not as many material stalls as there used to be, so I couldn't even buy material. I met husband outside, he fancied some chips from the shop in the, market square, he offered to share them, but I could only manage one. I headed back to the M&S food dept, then met him at the bus stop.

Street entertainers

Old Custom house

 I've never got the energy to visit friends after an afternoon in Chester.
That evening husband felt under the weather, so didn't come to  my Sister's. Friday morning was very warm and sunny. I headed off to the cemetery to take flowers, husband decided to walk down to Pensarn beach and try out his new camera. There was only one key to the bungalow, so I had to go and collect him. After lunch, we decided on a trip to Colwyn Bay, but this was not too successful, as half of the promenade was inaccessible, due to the sea defences being improved. Back at the bungalow we commenced our packing, and I did some cleaning and mopping. At bedtime I set my alarm on my phone to make sure we woke early.

bank of primroses Colwyn Bay

Pier, sad and derelict

Promenade

New building on promenade, Old Colwyn end

Next morning, we finished the packing, loaded the car, tidied the bungalow, and left at about 9.40 am.
We use the A55, A41, and A5, so that we could use the toll road if necessary. I needed a comfort stop, so husband suggested a Dobbie's garden centre. They had a cafe, and it looked so much nicer than motorway services, so we had lunch there. After a browse in the garden centre, we headed off home, not using the M6 toll, stopping at almost the last services before our junction on the M1.

We were home before 4, and unloaded the car before I headed off to the supermarket to stock up for the weekend.