Thursday Not in Saltaire

For Thursday (23 July), our original plan had been a day out with our landlady and neighbour, J. We had meant to drive to Saltaire, look at the Hockney works of art in particular and the place in general, and meeting for a coffee or so with Saltaire-based blogger Jennyfreckles, who had sent me a great list of suggestions for places for lunch or coffee.

However, just before we arrived in Ripon our landlord informed us that his wife had broken her wrist and was unable to drive. We were very sorry for her and postponed our trip to Saltaire until next year.

This meant an unexpected ‚free‘ day, and we started it off by visiting friends in Ripon for refreshing drinks in their garden which backs on to the canal. It was lovely to see them and sit there on a fine summer morning catching up until it was time for S. to go to her sister‘s and daughter‘s shop in the middle of town where she helps out some days.

We walked with her, had a bit of a wander round and then went to Oliver‘s Pantry for a delicious lunch. A stroll across the market was next; we noticed a further decline in the number of stalls and visitors compared to last year and previous years. Large parts of the market square were empty. 

Three of Ripon‘s bookshops - among them our firm favourite, The Little Ripon Bookshop - were our next stops as well as a few other shops before we went back to the cottage for a rest, followed by coffee/tea and biscuits on the sunny bench in front of the house.

I then went to visit Mary for an hour. These pictures are from my way there and back:

Afterwards my sister and I walked to the Leper Chapel which to our surprise was still open.

For our tea we heated two small quiches we had bought fresh from the baker that morning, and my sister prepared a nice summerly salad to go with it.

Later, I facetimed my husband.