*NEW* WELL STOCKED HYDROPONIC AND GARDENING SUPPLIES SHOP. OPENING 10.00am EAST HULL, SATURDAY 21ST NOVEMBER 2009.

Ladies That Lunch? Where I Can Recommend in Hull

I was pleasantly surprised the first time I walked into new Hull Truck Theatre. The impressive building designed with maximum glass, felt warm, light and airy, not too noisy and afforded views of busy Ferensway through the enormous windows.

Inside the inviting foyer, TV screens provided up to the minute information about the Theatre and its history. Many programmes and leaflets were displayed on every wall.

The Theatre Cafe Bar Staff on the 3 occasions I visited were most attentive and helpful, cheerful and well presented. A credit to the theatre.

Looking around, there were plenty of seating choices, comfy armchairs and settees or if you wanted something more formal, there were tables available with menus and condiments sat on each. Additional menu items were displayed on blackboards at the bar.

Lunch that day was with my daughter Sally and my Mother Gill, we choose a window seat, which was comfortable and private.

The Ladies That Lunched and What They Ate!

Drinks ordered, time to look at the menu and try and choose from the many mouth watering dishes. Also time to chat and wait for our food. Incidentally ordering and paying was at the Bar, in return you were given a number for your table.

What arrived was SPECTACULAR!....................

Mediterranean Vegetable, Avocado and Buffalo Mozzarella on Ciabatta Bread.

Sirloin Steak served with Hand Cut Potato Wedges, Cherry Vine Tomatoes and Red Wine Sauce

Chicken Caesar Salad - Bursting with Chicken and Bacon

I could not resist taking a picture of all three dishes, too bad its making my mouth water right now.

A Cafe Bar to recommend the food was outstanding, the service excellent and the prices extremely reasonable.

Try it you will not be disappointed!

Written by Sue Raphael's Mum - October 2009 - Kingston Upon Hull

Race For Life - Cancer Research - Hull

My Photographic Blog,

The Race For Life 2009,
Kingston Upon Hull

for Cancer Research

http://www.raceforlife.org/choose-your-event.aspx

We parked our car conveniently at Walton Street Park and Ride and caught the bus to Costello Playing Fields.

Raffi could not believe how many pink ladies there were on the bus!

The main entrance was a pretty sea of pink teeshirts..all ladies, all ages.

Raffi soon made a bolt for it across the playing fields drawn to the boys playing ball like a magnet.

A good opportunity to check out the facilities. I was very impressed, masses of toilets...and tables full of water for the runners.

Raffi's task was to collect pink fluffy bits! He found plenty.

Everywhere we looked, amazing costumes surrounded us. Everyone was very excited, like a fever, all waiting to warm up. Nearly 6000 participants all there for Cancer Research, it made me feel very humble.

A real family affair from the youngest in pushchairs to the oldest taking part in wheelchairs....and lots in between, like these 2 colourfully dressed runners..

Look at these amazing ladies!

The Lord Mayor of Hull made her speeches in full gowns and blazing sunshine! She looked a little warm.

This lady was responsible for arranging Race for Life in Hull and all the hard work her team of helpers provided before, during and after the event. A minutes' silence to remember those lost to cancer preceded the warmup.

The Nivea Boys (Male Dance Troupe) whipped the audience into an excited frenzy of pink, dancing/gyrating with the music, almost like being at a pop concert. The atmosphere was great!

Finally, at just after 11.00 am, the race started to rapturous cheers as the staggered runners and walkers set off.

Snaking around the outskirts of the park and out onto the streets of Hull.

Final picture, and she made me look twice...! Wow could not walk 5 metres never mind 5 km in those heels! Scary!

Really well done to everyone who took part, enjoyed the day so much. Lots of good feeling and tons of credit to the people of Kingston Upon Hull and their incredible generosity to cancer research (estimated £266,600).

http://http//www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk/news/Hull-s-Race-Life-hailed-success/article-1036574-detail/article.html
Sunday 31st May 2009 - Costello Athletics's Ground.

Our Changeable Weather

All afternoon yesterday, heavy rain clouds rushed across the sky. I had to keep running for shelter in our greenhouse to avoid getting totally drenched whilst gardening.

Intermittently the sun would burst out of the clouds with some quite powerful rays. I removed my coat several times!

Finally, the moment I had been waiting for, sitting once again sheltering from the rain in the greenhouse, the sun suddenly flashed out with the rain pouring down, and YES .. a rainbow appeared and what a fabulous sight, I do love rainbows! I could see the whole arc with all its colours quite vividly.

By the time the camera was ready, the sun was beginning to dull and the rainbow starting to fade. I stood on a wobbly chair to take these pictures looking over several other peoples backgardens in the Newland part of Kingston Upon Hull.

This was the very first snap I took, and I think the best.

Rainbows are quite common here because of our unpredictable weather systems.. no two days are the same. The weather forecasters have a terrible time predicting anything.

Perhaps April showers have been delayed to May this year, we seem to be having a hell of alot of rain, and on a daily basis.

I am just hoping for dry weather Sunday, Eric, Raphael and I have been invited to a barbecue, but, as usual, I will pack for wet weather just in case! You get used to it after a while!

Do YOU remember the Paddle Steamers across the River Humber?

...I do, many moons ago. My stepfather, then courting my mother used to take us across the river to New Holland for a day trip. The car and the dog would come too. We always had a fun time but I never did travel very well, queasy tummy over that short stretch of water. Often the ferry would lurch to a stand still hitting a sand dune on the way. Sometimes stuck for ages. We always returned home in the dark on the last ferry, it seemed so late to us as children.

The ferry was a coal-fired paddle steamer and was the last paddle steamer to cross the Humber and the last operational paddle steamer in the UK before it was withdrawn in 1978. Her resting place is Grimsby and apparently a floating restaurant.

Now, of course the Humber Bridge crosses the divide, but has become a 'White Elephant', costing huge amounts of money to the local tax payers. Perhaps its time to bring back the paddle steamers as an alternative mode of crossing the River Humber?

PS Lincoln Castle

This photograph courtesy of Ted Gator

Victoria Pier still remains in Hull, decked and flowered for visitors, a nice spot to look up and down the River Humber. Look left and you can see North Sea Ferries, look right and you see the Bridge. This picture was taken from the top deck of "The Deep".

Now the ferries have stopped the pier looks rather empty, the water distinctly dirty and hardly a soul insight. The cafe seems to stay dormantly closed all too quiet.

Bleak now but I have fond memories of this place, the smells and the noises. The men shouting to guide the cars onto the ferry. Rushing upstairs to get the best seats... packed like sardines! Fighting the howling wind that beat your face when going on deck!!

The seats look wet and lonely.


The once vibrant busy brewery and the world famous toilets stand empty and silent. Brewing commenced here in 1985 and ceased 1989, then restarted in 1994 and ceased again in 1998. The brewery has since been removed and is now part of the pub.

Just a few of my nostalgic experiences, I have no photographs of my trips across the River Humber all those years ago but there are a few to be found on the web.

Have you been on any of the 3 ferries that crossed the Humber?

Do you use that expensive bridge 7 miles upstream, or do you drive the entire way round across Goole bridge?

I miss the ferries do you?

T.K. Maxx - Thumbs Down!

Have you TIME to shop here??

I am fairly easy going when it comes to shopping, I am quite happy wandering round stores hunting for bargains, checking rails for anything 'buyable'. It does tend to be like a rather large 'jumble sale experience', shopping in T.K. Maxx with clothes dotted all over the already crammed store. Access with wheelchairs and buggies is impossible down the narrow aisles full of trolleys spewing clothes. If you are an unusual size.....very small or very big T.K. Maxx is like an Aladdin's Cave, although you have to hunt for standard sizes. I have found that if you are patient and are prepared to rake....you WILL get yourself a super bargain...

Most parents like myself, tend to drop children at school and then make a quick dash to the town to shop, childless and stress free. Time is ALWAYS limited and always precious. I shall NEVER shop first thing in the morning at T.K. Maxx in St Stephen's Shopping Centre, Hull again.

Can you believe how ridiculous this is..... the changing rooms do not open until 10.30 am in the morning!!!! Have I missed something here, isn't this a clothes shop, selling to the public, and opening at 9.00 am? What an absolutely ludicrous situation. When I asked an assistant, the curt reply was Head Office were not prepared to put extra staff on for this purpose???? The assistant also very professionally told me that "I need to go to the toilet" !!!!! (did I really need to now that!)

So me and my trolley load of bargains never made it to the changing rooms, or the unmanned tills, my money was better spent in Dorothy Perkins.

Thumbs DOWN T.K. Maxx.

Not a pleasant shopping experience.

Love Local *NEWLAND AVENUE*, Hull

The Love Local Scheme

2nd May 2009

Newland Avenue Fun Day

Kingston Upon Hull

Seventy traders signed up for a new *Love Local* campaign kicking off with a colourful fun day, in beautiful sunshine on Newland Avenue, Hull. Here are just a few photos of the fab street entertainment.

The event run by the Community Church on Newland Avenue has its own website.. http://www.lovelocal.org.uk/ for more information. If you shop on Newland Avenue you MUST take a look.

Strolling up and down the Avenue people dressed in wacky costumes...like this!

Raphael, Sally and I had come specifically to watch a group of Cheerleaders, named THE HONEYS. They danced their energetic routine outside Piper Club, the weather was just perfect.

The music was loud, the crowd were happy and the girls had fun. Nice one HONEYS!

Rounding off the afternoon, 70 golden balloons were released with people given the chance of winning £200 of shopping vouchers. The wind was strong and gusty and the balloons snaked up the side of The Piper Club and away into the distance very quickly.

The aim of this event was to promote the businesses lining Newland Avenue, by providing a loyalty scheme and discounts to compete with the local supermarkets. I wholeheartedly support this attempt to preserve the "English Local" and I too *Love my Local* and shall continue to shop on NEWLAND AVENUE, HULL.