Friday 16 May 2014

Selby

I'm going back a while here, a week last Monday actually when it was May bank holiday. Eleanor had gone off to her friend's house, five of them were meeting up to rehearse the scripted play which they were performing as part of their Drama GCSE later on that week.

Mick and I decided we'd have a couple of hours out of the house so I suggested that we go to Selby. It's about fifteen miles away from where we live, but I know that Monday is market day, and on bank holidays, the market attracts more stalls than usual and spreads along the streets. I enjoy wandering around a good market and seeing what each stall has to offer. If you don't already know, it's Love Your Local Market fortnight May 14th to 28th 2014, a celebration of our market culture here in the UK, with lots of events scheduled. There's a link on the site to find your nearest event.


Selby has a beautiful abbey which is open to the public every day. It has a lovely coffee shop which is open most days, and on the day we went, there was a craft fair in the abbey too. We browsed the various craft stalls as well as taking a look at the inside of the abbey.


Back outside, we carried on strolling around the market and came to a book stall where I couldn't resist purchasing books two and three of The Midwife Trilogy, Shadows of the Workhouse and Farewell to the East End. I know I haven't read Call the Midwife yet but it's good to have these other books ready to follow on when I do. Another two books to add to my reading pile then.


Archie had been left at home, I didn't think he'd appreciate being dragged around a market whilst we kept stopping at every stall, so we decided to buy him a treat of a pig's ear. I should imagine that pig's ears are quite a delicacy to dogs, Archie takes his time when given one, sniffing it for quite a while before licking it and eventually giving it a good chew. I have to tie his ears up in a scrunchy to avoid them becoming a slimy, matted mess when eating anything like this.


After a while, he took his lovely pig's ear outside to eat in the sunshine whilst he watched Mick cut the grass.


You'll be pleased to hear that all the rehearsals for Eleanor's performance paid off. We were allowed to go in to school to watch the exam performance and it was very good. Afterwards, her teachers presented each of the students with a dvd of the performance as a keepsake, a lovely touch.


Only another week to go and we get another bank holiday.

28 comments:

  1. Love the photo of Archie with his ears in a scrunchy. You must be very proud of your daughter.

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    1. Poor Archie having to have his ears in a scrunchy, but I suppose it's better than getting them in a mess. We're very proud of Eleanor, she's worked so hard at school.

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  2. I have fond memories of a really lovely day spent looking round Selby many years ago. It wasn't market day and we did look inside the abbey. The pictures of Archie made me smile, and well done Eleanor. Flighty xx

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    1. I enjoy looking round the shops in Selby as well as the market. The abbey is beautiful, I'm definitely going to go back to have another look around.

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  3. What a great gift from Eleanor's teachers, that is so lovely! Archie looks as though he is loving his pigs ear! My parents two dogs have different approaches to pigs ears, one takes it off as far away as possible and just gnaws and gnaws and crunches until it is all gone. The other feels that a dance (yes, literally, dancing) round the pigs ear is needed first, followed by eating it very slowly, there might also be a bit more walking around it during the process! I am glad to see that Archie takes a much more sensible approach and that he keeps his ears out of his dinner! xx

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    1. I thought it was lovely of Eleanor's teachers to give them a recording of their performance, that's something for them to keep and treasure. You've made me chuckle, I can just imagine the dance that your parent's dog does around the pig's ear, they're obviously something that dogs worship in one way or another.

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  4. Cute! Archie is just so cute! And Selby looks good. If I'm passing through one day I'll stop off.... after a cup of tea with you first!

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    1. You'd be most welcome. I do enjoy Selby market, it has a real mish mash of stalls, something there for everyone.

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  5. Oh well done Eleanor & such a sweet thing for the teachers to do. I did giggle at Archie's photo. Glad you had a good day when you visited Selby, I had to ask Mike where it was as I visit York several times a year through work.

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    1. It was great that we were allowed in to school to watch the actual performance which was being assessed, and lovely that she has the dvd of it to keep. Selby isn't that far from York, nor am I.

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  6. Archie's hairdo is so cute. I remember when our dog had those pig's ears and they really were messy. Good idea. I haven't read those other books by Jennifer Worth but I would like to if I can find them here. I hope you have a good weekend, Jo. :)

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    1. Archie's really good, he doesn't mind the scrunchy holding his ears up whilst he's eating but wants it out just as soon as he's finished, it saves all the mess. I'm looking forward to reading the books.

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  7. Archie looks so funny with his ears in the scrunchie. Good for him for leaving it there! :oD

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    1. We've used the scrunchy ever since Archie was a puppy so he's used to it now, though he shakes it out as soon as he's finished eating. It's only loose so it doesn't hurt him and he can get it out himself so he's really good leaving it in, I think he's glad of his ears being out of the way when he's eating as otherwise they get in his mouth.

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  8. We never actually go to Selby but if we have been to York we will sometimes call there on the way home especially if there is a market on. I love Archies scrunchie, it made me smile. We have just been to the pub for tea and there were 2dogs just like Archie sat under the table outside enjoying the coolness of the paving slabs while the owners were having a chilled beer. Well done to Eleanor, what a lovely memento, definitely something to treasure. Xx

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    1. There isn't really enough in Selby for a day out, but as you say, good to call on the way home from somewhere. I can pass a couple of hours walking round the market and it was lovely to see inside the abbey, I'd like to go back and have another mooch around inside. Archie likes to use the paving slabs to cool down too, or the tiled kitchen floor.

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  9. I know I've passed through Selby, but not sure we stopped there, so lovely to see some pics. The markets over there are much better than here. Your books sound lovely and have you ever read The Leaving of Liverpool, but can't remember the author's name? So glad to hear that Eleanor's drama exam went well and what a lovely gift for all of them. Cute Archie!!! Take care.

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    1. I love a good market, I don't suppose I buy very much from them but I enjoy browsing the stalls. I haven't read The Leaving of Liverpool, I shall watch out for that. Eleanor's finished her Drama course now. Each time an exam is taken, that's another GCSE course finished.

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  10. I havent been to Selby for about 30 years! I had forgotten about the Abbey.
    Well done to Eleanor.XX

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    1. The abbey is beautiful, definitely worth a trip to see if you get chance.

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  11. Nice Post - I don't think I've ever been to Selby and yet that is odd, coming from Yorkshire as I do! What is it about markets - I love them. Must be the colour and the variety and just being outdoors I think. Yes, roll on the next three day weekend! Could get used to them! xCathy

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    1. Yorkshire's such a large county, there's lots of places I haven't been to and I've lived here for forty five years. I love markets too, I think it's the variety of goods on offer all nestled next to one another.

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  12. I enjoyed reading the entire post ...
    but little Archie steals the show !
    What an absolute cutie pie.

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    1. Archie does tend to steal the show, as you say, he's so cute.

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  13. The picture of Archie with his ears tied up did make me laugh. We had to do this to our cocker spaniel when I was a child as his ears use to get in his food bowl all the time. Nowadays they have deep but smaller circumferenced bowls to help with this!

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    1. Spaniel's ears do get in the way sometimes. Archie's got a spaniel bowl, the kind you mention, but it's too big really for a Cavalier so his ears still manage to droop in it. I haven't seen one small enough to stop them doing it.

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  14. Hi Jo,

    Selby looks such a nice place to visit! I don't know much about the town, but we usually pass signs for it on the way up the A1. I love the houses at the side of the Abbey - very pretty.

    Isn't Archie a sweetie? I know that my Mum's dog LOVES anything like that - and frequently eats all manner of things that she shouldn't, too!

    Best wishes,
    Tash from vintagepretty.org

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    1. There's some lovely houses in Selby, as you say, the ones at the side of the Abbey are particularly pretty. Archie's a greedy boy. I know it isn't good to overfeed him but I can't resist those pleading eyes sometimes.

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