What's in a place name?

 

We have just been on our annual trip down Cambridgeshire way to three lots of friends who emigrated there from Manchester years ago. It's a three hour trip to our first port of call just below Cambridge but I know we are getting closer as the place names seem to become much posher. We pass Hemingford Abbots and Cherry Hinton. And every year I say "Oh it's such an age since we saw the Hintons - Cherry is so lovely." And of course I can't resist intending to pop in to see the Hemingford Abbots on the way back. Then we are brought back down to earth as we pass through Trumpington and have a good giggle and I request politely that we have no sound effects PLEASE. 

Back up north near 88 I've always wanted to have a good laugh in Giggleswick and then calm down in neighbouring Settle (Yorks). But David and I have always had a yen to live in Ramsbottom (Lancs), in the upper part of town of course.

Nifty tiffin

We had another day out today and took a picnic...well... more a packed lunch as a picnic suggests balmy weather and eating your sandwiches under a shining sun. It was a bit chilly today. Actually there is a history of packing up and eating outdoors whatever the weather in our family. My mum (88) used to pack a picnic WTWGP-style. My young nephew (now in his late 20s) christened them 'Whatever The Weather Grandma's Picnics' back in the eighties.

We had a new toy today. We bought a tiffin tin last week in the spirit of adventure and trying to spice up our whatever the weather picnic food. Well actually it's more a tiffin plastic than tin but lovely colours. I hate making sandwiches so I was a little more adventurous today. True I didn't go Indian curry and rice and accompaniments as I think the true tiffin tins in India are used but we had coleslaw and ribs and spring rolls and salad. It was all very delicious even if we weren't by a babbling brook with wild flower meadow but in a more down-to-earth museum indoor picnic area. Still we got some envious looks or were they just curious? Or perhaps as a good friend of mine would say "No, Virginia, they were thinking who do those smug b******s think they are? Eating ribs and rolls out of some pastel-coloured tubs!" Can't promise to keep the effort of pomposity up for the next outing but those spring rolls were lovely.