In search of Lynne ......

I have so many things to write about,  the Summer is whizzing by and there are things to blog about but little time to put fingers to keyboard!

But today I thought I'd write a short post about our afternoon out to a craft fair where I'd hoped to meet up with fellow Norfolk blogger , Lynne. Lynne writes her blog at Textile Treasury, where she shows us her beautiful makes as well as other things,  Lynne sounds like a lovely person and someone I'd like to say Hello to . When she blogged about a craft fair,  not too distant from me,  on Saturday and Sunday,  I thought this would be my chance to have a day out and maybe introduce myself. I was also very much looking forward to seeing the items which Lynne would be exhibiting .

As usual in this house things rarely go according to plan, well my plan anyway! I thought that a craft fair, which included a farm shop and cafe, would be an ideal trip out on a weekend when the boys were all at cricket- if I stay home Little Miss gets bored and I get cross and the others are out playing games while I just do extra housework.

Saturday was already accounted for as we had a cricket tea to prepare (I supply the cakes and send them with hubby, I don't usually turn up to serve them!) It was the last match of the season and a sumptious feast was all ready for delivery. Little Miss and I were due a trip into Norwich to meet a friend and buy school shoes. But Sunday was a craft fair possibility.

As usual events conspired against us - the constant knocking noise on my car has now got so loud I can hear it over the turned-up radio so it needed attention! As it's MOT time I couldn't leave it any longer, but a friend agreed to check it over - he was only free on Sunday! That's ok, I can attempt the 40 minute drive in The Builder's truck, if I take it carefully down these little Norfolk roads; then I was informed that the cricket for Sunday was called off - apparently they're playing Monday now - oh joy! I thought it was unlikely that the boys would agree to a craft fair but the younger two made other plans and The Builder agreed, quite happily it seemed, to take me. It later transpired he had an ulterior motive but thus far I was oblivious.

After dropping the car off and picking up Number 1 son from where he'd ended up last night we rounded up Little Miss and set off, SatNav in hand. The Builder was very cheerful which was a surprise as it's safe to say, without meaning to cause offence, that arts and craft fairs are not really his "thing"!

Now the problem in these North Norfolk villages is the lack of mobile and internet connection, which at that point in time would have been useful. I had the village name, and the postcode but could only remember that the fair was at a venue with garden in the name. This didn't seem to be a problem as we entered the village and immediately saw signs for the Garden Fete, this was easy we thought and hastily pulled off the road and parked the truck. We realised that after all the shenanigans of the morning it was already nearly 2pm and the fair ended at 4pm! Anyhoo that's not a problem, we jumped out of the truck and followed other people through a field and into a magnificent tunnel under the road (apparently built around 1803)

It seemed a little odd as we came across the bric a brac stall, this wasn't really what I'd been expecting! And then the tombola, with a bottle of ketchup and some Pringles trying to draw us in! The raffle was even less exciting, Little Miss wanted to buy a few tickets at £1 each to try to win a packet of Loom Bands (worth 90p) but we swerved that. The "guess the name of the horse" was a bit random with a real live horse wandering about, as was the man dressed as one of the 118 chaps from the advert! Splat the rat was something I hadn't seen in a while too!

But where were the craft stalls, and more importantly where was Lynne? Time was running out and nothing crafty was to be seen....it eventually dawned on us that we were actually at a small village fete in the garden of a hall, not the actual event we'd been hoping to attend! I assumed that I'd got the wrong post code, the wrong village and quite possibly (given our usual travelling catastrophes) the wrong county!

We admitted defeat and retreated back into Holt for a coffee and scone in Byfords - our Christmas Eve venue. At that point we had internet connection and found out where we actually should have been. Sadly by then it was 3.35 and too late to try again.

The Builder seemed happy for us to make our way home via another little Norfolk village, at this point the ulterior motive became apparent. He wanted to catch a rival team's cricket match, not far out of Holt, and check their score. Apparently they are rivals for either the league top spot or both trying to avoid relegation - I pay so much attention I can't be sure! We sat at the village green for a while and watched as other members of our club arrived to watch, at that point Little Miss and I drove home in the truck leaving hubby standing on the boundary - I assume someone will give him a lift home!

I've also realised that with my birthday imminent and with nothing seemingly arranged, The Builder obviously thought he could probably buy me something suitable at a craft fair, that being the reason for him agreeing to the outing! In view of previous years my work colleagues have much enjoyed making suggestions for this year -  a trip to Lords, maybe tickets for a test match? Or what about a new flask for the away matches.....he wouldn't dare; would he??

So I'm sorry we didn't meet today Lynne, I did try, hopefully there'll be another time!