Monday 6th April 2026

Woke at 0400, but managed to get back to sleep relatively quickly...next time I awoke it was 0900! Pretty good! Brought tea and porridge back to bed, and listened to the Today programme, and then some BBCR6. Nice sunny day beckoned...but a bit cold out. Drove down to Barlaston and parked up on the village green to take a long circular walk around Downs Bank...centred on a stream and verdant woodland. Bonus of a coffee stop half way round. 

Enjoyed their sausage bap, which I ate at a picnic table while FaceTiming Aki in Osaka. She'd had a fun day out with chums in ancient Nara. Walked back to the car and changed my footwear before walking on into the village. Had a sandwich lunch at The Plume of Feathers, and sat on a bench overlooking the adjacent Trent & Mersey Canal with my half of Guinness. The pub was owned by the actor Neil Morrissey, and still stocks his ales...he recently sold up, and now owns a pub in Newton Solney. Drove up through the Wedgewood Estate and parked up to take a look around...had a hot chocolate and a brownie in the gift shop, then wandered around the Wedgewood gift shop...some gorgeous stuff in there...very expensive! Drove back toward Stoke, stopping at Trentham Gardens...found myself in the outlet shopping centre...rather tawdry...but happened upon the Blue Diamond store, which I knew had Cooknet.com frozen foods for sale...bought three meals, and drove back to Bakewell Street to bung them in the freezer. Cooked up an oven ready moussaka for dinner, with greens. Watched a bit of telly in my room, then listened to some R6Music before catching The Ten...