Wet tulip

Another grey damp day - perfect growing weather but not so good for holiday picnics. This time last year we celebrated Pete's birthday by going out for a picnic at Ring Haw - and basked in hot sunshine, surrounded by flowers and bees. No chance of that today!

Despite the weather we had an excellent day. After a quiet morning, we decided to go into Peterborough, to have a look at the newly refurbished museum. I was surprised, and very pleased, to find that it was packed with people, who were all looking for something to do on a dreary Bank Holiday.

The highlight of the visit was the newly opened Victorian operating theatre, one of only three in the UK. The Museum was formerly a hospital, but up till now there's been no access to this part of the building. The atmosphere was somewhat creepy - the white cracked tiles and operating table covered with (fake) bloody bandages recalled various unspecified horror films - and the interpretation pulled no punches. But I couldn't help admiring the design - windows and roof lights made the whole room wonderfully bright - necessary for surgery - though I also thought it would have made a wonderful artist's studio!!

After the museum we headed off to Waterstones so that Pete could choose a birthday book. Somehow Alex ended up buying one too and We also bought a Carribean cookery book - so lots of new and exciting summer recipes to try. We got waylaid by a contrinental sweetmeat stall, and spent more than we intended on Turkish delight and patisserie treats - but Pete has a very sweet tooth which has to be indulged now and them :)

We had a wonderful take-away Chinese meal and then watched a DVD that the boys had bought for Pete. They insisted on switching off all the lights, so that it was like the cinema. This was fatal for Lizzy and me! After a long day, lots of food and a little wine, neither of us could stay awake, and we only saw the beginning and end of the film!!