Monks Hall

Who goes to the Trafford Centre on a Saturday? Who goes on a rainy Saturday? Who goes on a Saturday when the Ideal Home Exhibition is on at Event City? I'll tell you who goes...the whole flippin' world!!

I was meeting up with Debbie and Catherine for lunch, but getting out of Worsley was my first challenge. The motorway was a car park and the back roads were pretty snarled up too, but once I reached the Traff it was a nightmare finding a parking space. I did a sneaky park on a kerb but there were men in neon jackets telling everyone to move and find a proper space so cursing through my teeth I went in search of one. Actually they did me a favour as I ended up right outside the door of M&S...on another sneaky kerb, this time with added double yellows...so, Hah! neon jacket men!

We had a good old catch up on all the gossip and then it was the massive task of trying to get out of the car park. I can't believe how many people were still trying to get in, it was gridlock. I ended up getting on the M60 going towards Stockport and turning round at Carrington...it was absolutely ridiculous, in fact it was worse than Christmas. But....it was worth the hassle to meet up with good friends.

I hadn't taken a pic all day and I can't let myself miss a day, so I went out for a little drive around looking for inspiration this evening. I have to say I struggled. I'd seen a huddle of cranes recently in Irlam...but they'd disappeared when I got there. I passed Monks Hall on the way home...it is crumbling away which is such a shame. I remember going in there with my grandparents looking around the toy museum. It had a brief stint as a restaurant but for the last few years it has been left to rot away sadly.