Welcome to the official opening of Granddads' shed

Glad to see pompa that you've not lost your SOH!

Hello Guys & Gals, I've been a bit quiet lately, life has been a bit stressful, have withdrawn into my shell hoping stuff would pass me by.

The news on my friend was not good, he starts Chemotherapy next week, I jus hope it will halt the progress of the tumour.

Our daughter is buying a house and it is not progressing smoothly, which is worrying me. However our DIL's pregnancy is going OK, she had had a lot of pain with SPD ?? which we had never heard of before, been on crutches for several weeks. She finishes work on Monday so hopefully will be able to rest more.

I did see the thread on purpose of life, ours is still to review tea shops. Found Truly Scrumptious in Maldon, best coffee I have ever had in England, very close to those in Italy. Food was pretty good too, if you are down our way, try it.

So glad the hose pipe ban is over, was getting worried about the garden drying out ROFL.

Well Guys & Gals, N. Yorks was disappointing for teashops and cafes, none ticked every box.
Did however find 2 particularly good restaurants in Whitby, one fish and one Italian, I'm sure there were many more, but we would need 3 months to try them all. We are planning to resume the survey in the autumn.

To date our top rated tea shop/cafe is the Blue Egg in Great Bardfield, Essex.

Where do we target over the summer, any suggestions. ?

Our test criteria are :-

Good coffee - americano preferably, only a few can produce a good coffee, none to date have produced an outstanding coffee to rival those in Italy, why can't we make good coffee ???

Good light lunches/snacks

Home made cakes, especially scones. (these must be plump, and moist, we do hate dry scones.

Pleasant view or interesting surroundings. Our favourite has no view, but is in the middle of a busy bakery, lots going on.

Good service - happily, we were rarely disappointed with the service.

pompa keep on rooting!

We know you're a self-sacrificing kind of guy, pompa.

Two cafes today, neither outstanding. Great breakfast in a bikers cafe but awful coffee. WillWill force ourselves to root out some tea shops in Whitby tomorrow. I hope you apreciate the effort going into providing these critiques for you.

Fair's fair, Bags Even poor Rory can't escape the pests...he's taken to yonder hills.

Have several old bites to be going on with anyhow!

I think I spoke too soon, soop. A is here today and was working on his boat, which is parked under a tree at the moment. He says it was very midgy under there. Oh well, back to my indoor quilting, and archery on a blowy hill later. Should be fine.

Bags the midges are out in force. I'm unable to hang the washing out, even tough it's the perfect drying day.

Its a hard job pompa enjoy your cake.

Yes I can recommend it, food & coffee were excellent, will be frequenting that cafe again. If you happen to be in N. Lincs I can also recommend Aroma Cafe in Burton on Stather excellent home made cakes and very good coffee. The Pink Pig in Holme is also very good for lunches (they raise their own pigs/pork), coffee just average though.

We are off to hunt out the cafes & teashops of the N. York moors and Whitby today until Friday, it's a tough job, but it has to be done.

Don't worry,, Bags! The shed in pompa's photo is in fact a Grandad's one!

Yes well?
Oh what tangled lives we live
When we try to be correct!

It should be grandeds'..... no! no! not ded ones! live grandads' because it's not only pompa's shed (though I think it was his idea).

OH NO!!! Wrong apostrophe hides head in SHAME!

(nothing to do with damsel flies)

There are hundreds here! Also several broad tailed chasers and some I haven't identified yet!

Did the grandad's shed live up to expectation, pomps? Hope that panini was good.

Think yourself lucky, jeni! I've only seen one so far.

Kind of them to allow grandmas as well!

Here is the picture of the real life Grandads Shed. It's in Brigg, N.Lincs.

That's Mrs. P waiting for her coffee and panini.

http://www.gransnet.com/profile-photos/pompa

I've been plagued by damsel flies. I've evicted about fourty today, mostly in pairs, doing what insects do very efficiently,

Are you bothered by midges even in the afternoon, soop? Poor you, if so! They aren't a problem here except in the early mornings and late evenings. We just come indoors when they get bothersome. We have a lovely breeze here now but it's still sunny and warm.

Cover up and don't burn yourself, pomps...the sun is blistering hot in Kintyre. The air is breathless and the sea is without a ripple. The swallows are swooping, mouths agape, as they feast on the dratted midges.