An unusual metal bath, Stroud's Museum in the Park

I knew last night that I was beginning to feel the onset of a heavy cold, but I felt able to go to town to meet Jane and Jimmy to give them a poster for their new film which will be premiered in the Film Festival next week. Then I took a large bundle of festival programmes to give away to promote the festival at the Farmer's Market. It was fun to interact with people and there was considerable interest, though many people admitted to being tourists, as the market attracts visitors from far and wide.

Then I headed in the car to the Museum in the Park (Stratford Park, that is) and managed to bump into Woodpeckers who was on her way there as well. We wanted to see a one day Fair featuring the work of illustration artists. There is a small exhibition being shown there for a short while as well, but the Fair was rather disappointing. So Helena suggested going round the main museum which is sited in the rather wonderful original house of Stratford Park, a stone built manor house.

I do visit fairly regularly but it was good to be taken round by Helena who really loves it and she showed me unusual exhibits which I hadn't seen before. One that attracted me was this small room with examples of old bathroom features. I loved the idea of this metal bath, which Helena tells me is called a 'Niagara', which rocks, so that the limited hot water could be swirled around your whole body. I've only just noticed that a small modern yellow duck is lying in the bottom of the bath, probably put there by a child, but maybe the curators have a sense of humour.

I will return to the Museum next week as they are hosting a month long exhibition about the history of animation in Stroud, which particularly interests me. The film festival is also hosting a talk by the daughter of the owner of the main company 'Halas and Bachelor' and then will show their film, 'Animal Farm', filmed in Stroud! I may well be blipping more about that in due course.