General Chat

I'm back.Thanks Mel.
See I said Ann would do a better job at describing our day lol
Thanks Ann!!

I will be back .

Jane has asked me to put this up for you all to read.


Hi Mel
I have not been able to get on GR at all today !!!!!,and poor Ann has got
one of her eyes so puffed that she can't see to type properly.
Just in case I have trouble all day,maybe you could just pop up a message
from us please

Luton Hoo is an amazing house.It was just the Country Residence for Fitz'`
Gt Gt Aunt Alice and her Husband Julius Wernher .It is huge full of
beautiful furniture ,paintings,statues etc.A lot are copies now ,as some
things are in special collections and museums.Fitz was so excited about
being there,and the Lady Historian was so pleased to have met Fitz as she
has never met anyone from the Mankeiewicz side of the family.So she was told
the story of Fitz's Grandmother.Fitz is going to send her copies of letters
and photos whuch she said she would be thrilled to have.
The grounds were amazing,some designed by Capabilty BrownWe had a lovely
lunch in the "Wernher Restaurant" with the huge original Chandelliers (sp)
And Marble walls.It was something special.Silver Service too !!!
I think we were there for 6 hours,much longer than I expected,but there was
so much to see and the Historian spent much longer than the planned hour
with us.
All in all a fantastic day.

Thanks Mel

Jane xx

Hi Everyone,

I had a few attacks of the runny eyes yesterday and again today.......not overcome with 'emotion' at seeing the great house.....it was hayfever!!!

Well, what a super lovely relaxed day we had at Luton Hoo. It was great to see the big house that Alice, who was Fitz's grandmother's Aunt, lived at with Julius Wernher, the famous and immensely rich diamond magnate.

The entrance into the house has immense stone pillars which we were told later would cost £80,000 each to restore!!! The beautiful winding staircase and state dining room (where we ate!!) were designed based on the Ritz hotel in London which was nearly opposite their 'town house'. Julius and Alice had the state dining room done out in italian marble which at the time cost £300,000 which was more than they had paid for the house and estate when they moved in.

We had drinkies before we ate and had a table with a lovely view of the Capability Brown designed landscape. I am now a convert to their Ipanema cocktails, made with lime juice ginger ale, brown sugar lots of ice and other things!! Jane and Fitz had bottles of red and white (I didn't count them Frank.......but I would have been under the table after a couple of glasses anyway!! lol) The food and service were splendid, everyone so friendly, quietly spoken but not intrusive. They let us take photos of anything and took some of us together. A lot of the staff had foreign accents.

Fitz invited the historian, Zena, to join us for coffee before she took us around the house. What an interesting lady! She is employed by the Julius Wernher Foundation now and worked for the family for about 26 years. (now age 66 but doesn't look it!) She has extensive knowledge of the family and told us some interesting things!!! lol She was most interested to meet Fitz as she had never met anyone with a connection to Alice's family before and he is going to send her some copies of documents he has which she was very pleased about. She then took us on our tour of the house and even let us see some rooms that were to be occupied that night. Elite Hotels, who now own the mansion, have taken great trouble to get it looking as it did when Sir Julius and Alice owned it. They have even got the tapestries that hung on the walls copied in China, the paintings that hung there copied, as well as some of the beautiful statues. Some things are original like the chandeliers in the state dining room and the ballroom. Zena took us into the suite that the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh stayed in for part of their honeymoon, the suite that was Zia's, from the Russian Royal family who was Sir Julius's DIL. We saw the rooms that were filmed in Mrs Brown (Billy Connelly) and Four weddings and a Funeral.

After the tour we went outside to look at the formal gardens and fountain which were also lovely and kept by only 7 gardeners, compared to 52 when Julius lived there!! Orignally the back of the house was the front, but I can't remember why they changed it. We then had more drinkiepoos and Zena joined us for another chat when she had finished showing the wedding party planners for today around. Then Jane and I and a reluctant Fitz (I'm sure he would have loved to stay the night!!! ) said our farewells to go home.

All in all a very interesting and memorable day.

I'm sure Jane will add bits and bobs as there was so much to take in, but I am sending all my pics to her to decide which to send so we don't duplicate.

So sorry to hear about Rod, Kim, his poor wife must be devastated.

Well, that was a waste of time, I thought this photo would be clearer as it's bigger than the last one. Do I still look like you Pat .....lol

Someone was asking how to get a photo on here, this is the way I do it, it would have to be simple or I'd never manage it. When you submit a post it says Update Profile in the box where the photo is, just click on that and follow the instructions.

Really did have problems trying to get on here earlier, ok now though.

Sandals Mandy, if the weather we've got is coming your way you're going to need wellington boots ........ it's hammering it down.

Thanks for the photos Jane, what a beautiful place, and fantastic garden.

Fingers crossed Liz all goes well this time.

Just a very quck message to say thanks to jane for the super photos. Can't stop as I am taking my neighbour to the fracture clinic. Will come back later and look forward to hearing about yesterday.

Still doing the windows!! Slowly...................................

Hi Mandy
Just finished dusting and hoovering after OH has sorted out his fish tank in the dining, room back to normal now.

New skirt, new sandels What about a new bag to go with the new Sandels, I think I'm way behind the times but only noticed while i was shopping in Mar*s the other day and came across tights (bare colour for summer of course) and they had non slip soles for wearing with sandles, Brilliant idea, :-) thought I would buy a couple of packets only £4per packet , I prefer to wear tights in the evening when I go out dressed as my legs especially knees arn't so nice looking anymore,

Morning Mel
You have the same problem as my OH when he's been in the garden , midges love him too, his bites are usually on his arms and hands but he has been often bitten on his back, the minute the sun comes out, my OH strips off , on with the shorts and its like the sun clings to him, he tans lovely and brown, even though I am naturally mousey brown hair I am fair skined and burn first before tanning , so I have to put sun cream on especially my nose otherwise I end up looking like Rudolf lol :-D

Great News Liz , I will keep my fingers crossed for you.

Morning Frank, no shorts for you today !! ;-)
Take care & don't over do the planting, or you will be shattered tonight.
Its bright here at the moment , no rain or wind, decided not to look at the weather today, just depresses me when I see that were in for more rain :-(

Frank the nail is ok today and sos'nt hurt at all!!! It does keep catching on things though where I have'nt been able to cut it down to where it broke at the sides.

OH is cleaning the outside of the windows which means I have to do the insides so BBL

Morning everyone,

Not a bad morning here little bit of sun ,little bit of cloud too and some of them are really black !!!

Just sat out and had my coffee , heard all this flapping above me ,looked up and there's a Pigeon sat in the guttering !! will have to get hubby to go up the ladder and see if their nesting in there ,if they are, when we do get rain the gutter will be blocked and the rain will pour over just above the back door , i suppose because its been so dry they thought it an ideal place to nest !!

Been to town and bought the skirt i had my eye on ,just need some new sandals now .

Oh ,that's good news Liz, fingers crossed for you ,hope it goes well for you this time .

Frank, you've got a job potting all those up, all those tens and twenty p's soon add up to a pound and every little helps !!

Time for another coffee i think , then i must get my floors washed
BBL

Mel, We're all fine, thanks. Millie had to go to the vet for her yearly checkup! booster jabs, and her 'glands' attended to!!! poor old Millie,she didn't like that at all and squealed pitiously!!! but at least she has stopped biting at herself and rubbing along the ground! Merlin is splendid and looking great. I think he is a bit bored, but there you go, I tell him that he could be a horse in the Middle East and to be grateful for small mercys! Ian is doing brilliantly and seems better than he has for ages. Hope your nail feels better, you won't do that again!!! Are you feeling better too Frank? Anno Domini doesn't have too much going for us sometimes!!! Hope everyone is OK. Bye for now.

Oh Liz good news. How is Ian and Merlin and Millie?

Morning all, from a drab Blisworth. Very overcast and the forcast isn't good. with rain promised. On the local news this morning Northants has been declared a drought area.

Jane and Ann, must still be sleeping after their hectic day out. I hope they behaved.

I got a job this morning, potting up hundreds of marrigold plants into small pots, to sell at the scout fun day tomorrow. (NOT ME) I thought I would put 3/4 per pot and they can charge 10/20 pence a pot. This year I have got through over 25 bags of potting compost. I hope i'll have enouth for todays excerise.

Hope your nail is O.K. mel, do you think you will loose it ????

Hi Guys, Just to let you know that we've had an offer on our house!! AND a place we were interested in has come back onto the market, SO,fingers crossed, maybe this time we'll make it!!!

Morning All,

Well girls give us all the low down about yesterday please.
I am expecting lots of pics.

I keep meaning to tell Anne that we have had one of those red and black moths around us last week during the day and at night at the bathroom window. Can't remember what it is called now but it is really beautiful. I could'nt beleive it was at the window 5 nights running with two lovely big fat white ones.

OH has gone off to get something for his pond. He is having a rest from the new build at the moment. Has just realised he can't do quite as much as he used to be able to do and he is 4 years younger than me!!

Pants!!!!! I now have another midge bite on the back of my neck. It has just started itching so think I may take an antihystamin (sp).

What are these toddlers like, poor Katie I bet she was really upset.

At last OH has got me back onto Genesreunited so I can acsess it through my home Page like before, GR had changed there system , lucky I have the right system on this computer , don't think I had it on my old one ,

David I have taken a pic of the old fish tank and when the new one is up and running I will send you them.

Off to bed now.
Looking forward to reading all Jane and Annx news tomorrow
night night All :-D :-D

Evening All
What a great day we have had.A long one but worth every minute.
I am hoping Ann will tell you all about it as she has a great way with words and doesn't waffle like me lol
We have taken a fair few pics between us!!.
As we left, a group of Wedding planners were being shown around.They are there to organise a wedding on saturday.The wedding party, rooms etc are costing £100 ,000,and I think there are 149 guests !!
I hope Ann has got home safely.I bet she will be exhausted now.I know I am and I didn't have to drive.

Kim I am so sorry that Rod has passed away today.A terrible shock for you all and a very sad day.

I really must go to bed now.You will all hear more of our wonderful day at Luton Hoo tomorrow.
Night Night zzzzzzzz

Well that's me done for today Night Night xx

Forgot to say little Katie went down a wallop this afternoon , now has a huge bump on the front of her head !!!

Night Mel, glad the thumbs ok .

Little Alfie finds some interesting places to sleep Maureen lol it would have made me jump too feeling something furry !!!