That's It, I'm Off.........

Following the spectacularly unsuccessful attempt to get to Venice last month, being grounded by ash, I'm going off on what I'd call a little 'holiday-ette' to Radgale Hall for a few days.   I'm leaving this to be auto-published by Blogger, because as you read this I'll probably be up to my ears in carrot juice and water aerobics (AKA 'Carrot Aerobics', a new craze sweeping stableyards up and down the country).   No, actually to be fair, I've never known carrot juice to be served at Radgale.  

I've been having a bit of a time of things with high blood pressure due to my Rheumatoid Arthritis meds and some stuff going on at my stableyard so I thought a couple of days having breakfast in bed and pampering treatments would be just the thing (its always important to have a good excuse). 

I'm taking Mum, my best friend, who as I write this knows nothing of where we are headed - I've thrown her a couple of red herrings like telling her to pack her passport and walking shoes -- which now makes me think that probably she's thinking we're back off to New York, in which case the Leicestershire countryside is going to be a grave disappointment.

I've visited Ragdale several times but not last year as I had a week's horse training at a British Horse Society place up in Lancashire with Merlin instead, and then shortly afterwards he had his bad accident and I had to nurse him through that.  
If you ever need a real break away from it all, this is the place to go.   If you're wondering about the bottle of Bailey's in the second picture, er - umm...yes, that was when I last visited, but honestly, I didn't drink any, I just took it back home, honestly.

The place gets an extra star from me because they have a resident cat (well, OK, we have two of those at home, but I do approve of that touch); everyone hangs around in bathrobes (yes, even in the dining hall), and there is a Quiet Retreat room where any more noise than the turn of a page of a book is frowned upon - the primary activity is sleeping, and Ragdale's food is - well, amazing.

Mum has had a rough time health-wise in the past several months, and of course, I'd hate to be without my best friend.

I may be back on Saturday, if I can prise Mum off the front door, and I will be mailing out any orders on Monday, promise.