That's really pretty countryside.

From the woods, Dad drove to a local pub.
It's close to one of the places they house-sit, and they'd dog-walked there before.

I was delighted - the 'rents don't eat out very often, so this was a real treat. Also, taking me to a pub showed a lot of trust and love. I've never got steaming drunk in a pub with my parents, never shown them up or caused a scene. But I know Mum doesn't really understand the reasons I drank, or the specific circumstances, so this required faith on her part, which I do appreciate.

For the record - Diet Coke :)
I won't worry about the caffeine content, it was the Smallest Diet Coke in the World (tm)
Three sandwiches, one chips, two Diet Cokes and half a Stella. How much? £18. HOW MUCH?! Blimey. Good job there was a lovely view from the garden.

Then onto the village of Cholesbury.
There was an Iron Age fort there. We walked round the earthen ramparts. I took some pics, but in the end they do just look like a ditch. When you're walking it, you are very aware it is man-made though.

And onto the church of St Lawrence. 12th century I think.
It was gorgeous anyway - a little oasis of calm surrounded by trees.
I could easily imagine a shuffling group of parishioners from years gone by.

It has a place in history, actually. Following the Poor Laws (where individual parishes became responsible for supporting their own poor) it was declared bankrupt. There just wasn't a good enough living to be made from the flinty soil of the Chilterns, and too many starving because of it. It lead to the laws being reviewed by Parliament from 1833 onwards.

Details from the church.

And these I took the other day, but forgot were in my camera.
I've taken photos of these locations in the town centre before, but thought you might as well see them in summer too - they don't look quite so grim.

Kingsbury - with fountains and the English at drink.
Market Square.

Yes, much more cheery in the summer sun.

Splendid pictures all 'round!

BTW: in 20 minutes time there is Flog It! on BBC TWO from Aylesbury.

Damn, I went away to have my tea and missed it!
Shame - bet there were some right drones on there...

Interesting factet! Thanks for that.

Yesterday we decided to go on a Family Walk as the last one went pretty well.
We were forecast heavy rain and storms, but Dad decided at 10.30 that the weathermen were lying and we headed off anyway. It was the right decision - we didn't get our storns until gone 18.00.

First pic shows where we are headed.
View across the fields en route.

Ivinghoe Beacon is a chalky outcrop, standing on a ridge of similar makeup in the flat clay hills of Bucks. It was formed by glacial deposit or something like that. I didn't listen on my Geography field trip, I was too busy being glad to be out of the classroom. Don't get me wrong, I liked school. I just hated Geography.

And there did used to be a beacon there. One of a line of warning beacons which stretch across the country to warn of invasion.

A couple of pensioners out for a stroll (they let me go ahead at my own punishing pace - the leg shaping hasn't all been for show you know!)
And A view up the final hill.

Here we are!
Beacon!

They still light one occasionally, but it's a temporary thing.
I think the last one was for the millennium? Or maybe the Queen's Jubilee? I'm sure one will be lit for the Olympics anyway.

We're in the wrong place to see it, tucked away in our little Vale. But it can (obviously) be seen for miles, and must have engendered fear when it was used as a warning.

And if you look carefully in the second picture you might just see a rabbit.
Excuse my enthusiasm - I did grow up surrounded by countryside but feel I've lost all contact with it now. So feeding the squirrels, seeing a heron or rabbit (or fox!) is something very special.

Then, as last time, on to a pub!
And as last time, I was very good and asked for a Diet Coke. Even before Mum did, although she showed solidarity by ordering one too.

We ordered a cured meat platter and a cheese platter between the three of us. They came with two bread rolls, butter, olives and a salad garnish. Why-oh-why-oh-why do "they" not listen to me! The cheapest part of the whole meal was the rolls. Not enough! There never is. Or biscuits (crakers) if you're having cheese.

Anyway, as you can see I forgot to take you a photo until it was almost too late :)
£8.75 per platter. See what I mean about they could have managed a few more bloody rolls? Very nice though, and I got to eat all the olives.

The Greyhound is in a pretty little village called Aldbury.
In the summer - especially at weekends - it is rammed with walkers, cyclists, families, tourists. It wasn't so bad yesterday, only village traffic.

More Aldbury

And finally.
Notice the 'rents scurrying back to the car to prevent my hair from damaging local property prices. People with serious money live in places like this. Old money, you know - they don't have to buy their own furniture :)

Mum said, "They probably think you're American" which was mystifying, but made me grin.