Northampton

We enjoyed the day's coach trip to M
Northampton. David & daughter Clare were waiting at the bus stop for us! So good to see them. Took our cases & gave us a tour around our hotel area to show us where things were. Came up to the room & saw us settled!
I had met David's  brother Peter on  a Russia tour a girlfriend & I went on in 1975! He sadly died from a stroke in 1980s. David's wife Gwen not at all well after she fell down their stairs 2 years ago.
Monday 24th June - my BIG 0 birthday. Jen rang!!!  & All the family in touch in the morning.
David & Gwen picked us up the next day 'for a day out'. We went to Bletchley Park!!!! Clare met us there & pushed Gwen in a wheelchair. Gwen had been at Teachers College there in 1960s - no one knowing what BP had been during the war!!!!
A great day - beautiful Estate House, gardens, lake & All the other huts & buildings that went with a massive up to 9,000 strong 'workforce' working on breaking the German Enigma Code & subsequent daily coded instructions for the German fighting forces.  Computers invented & amazing mathematically minded geniuses worked on it all.
JUST INCREDIBLE & no one knew a thing about it until 'recently'!!!!
I told them at morning tea it was my special birthday - great surprise - & I wanted to have a special dinner with them. They said they had it all in hand!

We all had a quiet few hours in the afternoon. I went for walk around the town, which was at the end of our street!
Our Clare rang from USA & asked if I'd received anything from reception. Warren went down & came back with beautiful flowers from them all!

David & Gwen picked us up at 7pm & we met all the rest of the family at the Cromwell Inn on the outskirts of the town. Clare, sister Rachel (52) & fiance Robin & youngest sister Louise (50). Wonderful night - they all exclaimed when waitress came back & told us there was no Tiramisu dessert left!! 'Cone all this way, special birthday.......  She brought me a champagne & candle on my chocolate bomb one!!!!
Great day!
The next day was wet & cool. David came in & we went for walk around the historic old town - beautiful churches, Town Hall etc dating back to 1100s!!
We ended up at 78 Derngate Street - home of the Bassett - Lowkes. He was a model maker - world renown (trains, planes etc used in war mock-ups). Their house designed by Mackintosh, world famous Scottish Art Deco designer!!!! Never heard of him but 3 level house quite incredible!!!!!!
At night we went to Haynes for 'talk n tea. Just lovely!
They are very special people & we just loved being there with them. They amazed I was happy to spend my birthday with them.







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