Strike a pose

Big lie in this morning followed by a late breakfast, even later lunch and a rushed bit of shopping 'up Hanley' where I bought some much needed new black boots. Then another journey along a wet and wild M6 and M62 back to my Merseyside roots for New Year.

Spent the evening with family, enjoying lots of winter warming cottage pie, followed by homemade trifle and lemon drizzle cake. Wine was flowing all the while. The evening was topped off with a new year themed treasure hunt for all the children and an enthusiastic rendition of River Dance, by my 6 year old neice. Oh to be 6 again!

The 35 foot high 'Man of Fire', outside the Potteries Shopping Centre, caught my eye today (not literally thankfully as those spikes look lethal!!). I've since read that the artist was inspired by Stoke's history of pottery making and blazing kilns.