Stately Homes.

Wake at seven to a clear day and make a full English breakfast with my usual coffee, before showering and dressing and loading Dolly into the car to drive to Sewerby. My friend, Felicity, has asked me to visit her in a cottage that her daughter, Melissa, has rented for the weekend. En route I call in at in Bridlington for some diesel, as I have less than a quarter of a tank left, before arriving at High Barn cottages down Jewison Lane in Sewerby. The accomodation is beautifully appointed, a barn conversion, with open fields to the rear. Felicity, her daughter Melissa, granddaughter, Ruby and her friend Isabel are just finishing breakfast as we arrive, just before ten. After a quick coffee, Dolly and I walk round the freshly harvested cornfields whilst Felicity and family get ready to visit Sewerby Hall. The clouds are breaking and by the time we park in the grounds at Sewerby, the sun is shining brightly. Melissa has hired a wheelchair for Felicity and we take turns to wheel her round the grounds, a wedding is in preparation in the orangery adjacent to the hall, which looks across lawns to Bridlinton Bay and the sea sparkling in the sun less than a quarter of a mile to the East. On our way to the walled gardens we pass a putting green and spotting that the children are looking bored, I give them some money and ask if they would like to play golf as we continue? They take up my offer enthusiastically and we continue into the gardens. It is ten years since I have been here and the restoration by East Riding council has progressed enormously, the gardens are lovely. Felicity wants to stop and sit in the sun and we find a bench by an old sun dial, whose brass face has the date 1767 engraved into it. The girls call Melissa on her phone, but the reception is bad and so she walks back to the putting green to see what they need. I arrange to push Felicity back to the cafe by the hall and meet her daughter there in half an hour. When we arrive at the cafe, we order a pot of tea and a scone for Felicity and sit in the courtyard at the back, where some old stables have been converted into artisanal shops. There is also a bowl of water for Dolly. Melissa's boyfriend, Nick, arrives shortly followed by her and the girls, and after a few minutes,we make our way back to the putting green, where the girls had still to play their game. Felicity has forgotten her insulin and so Melissa has to drive back to the cottage to get it, and in her absence I get drawn into a four ball game of putting. Nick and I versus Ruby and her friend Isabel. Felicity watches from the shade and when Melissa returns, she takes her to the ladies toilet for her injection and then returns to the putting green. I cede my place in the team to Melissa and wheel Felicity back to the cafe, buy a pot of tea and order lunch, jacket potato with coronation chicken for her and tuna salad for me. I also request a slice of bread and butter for Felicity, because she is getting tired and grumpy, a sure sign of low blood sugar, not uncommon after insulin. The others join us and we all eat lunch in the courtyard in the lovely sunshine, Dolly feasting on the leftovers. After lunch the party heads for the small zoo and I take Dolly for a walk, as she is not allowed in. We walk towards the cliff top, and notice two signs, one is for a Roman battle reenactment tomorrow and another is advertising holiday cottages within the grounds of Sewerby Hall. On our way back I enquire, out of curiosity, how much a two bedroomed cottage would be out of peak season and am surprised to find that it is only £250 per week. It is unlikely I would rent one on my own, but great value nonetheless for someone wanting a nice holiday away from the usual kiss me quick bustle of the East Coast. Sewerby Hall is about a mile North of Bridlington, situated on the coastal path to Flamboro Head and about half a mile South of Danes Dyke. Whilst Dolly and I are waiting for the others to finish their tour of the zoo, we sit on a bench outside a shop selling honey and beeswax products, the owners take a shine to Dolly and feed her treats, which she graciously accepts. Clouds are rolling in from the North Sea and when Felicity and her family emerge from the zoo, ominous spots of rain are starting to fall. It is now three o'clock and Felicty is really tired, so they make their way back to the cottage and Dolly and I drive home, listening to Hull away at Charlton on the radio. We get back for half time and I construct the Parmagiana from the aubergine slices, Bolognese Sauce and cheese, with a liberal sprinkling of fresh Basil leaves after making some Bechamel sauce. Hull draw 0:0 away in a cloudburst, as the construction is completed and put in the fridge to allow the flavours and fresh Basil to mix. Dolly and I read the papers, outside it is raining again and I find I have fallen asleep to the sound of the raindrops. When I come round I put the oven on and cook the Parmagiana. We eat around eight and then listen to a serialisation of a Thomas Mann novel on radio four before bedtime. Tomorrow the sun is due to shine, but the wind will be from the Northeast and so it will be fresher and cooler than of late. To bed at eleven.