Back in London Again

Macclesfield, what can I say? A compact town with branches of most useful shops, a good little covered market and plenty of small boutiquey shops. Property very cheap compared with London prices: small cottages for under £100,000, larger two bedroom Victorian houses with original features for £160k and four or five bedroom properties around £250 - £300k. Climate a few degrees colder than London. Surrounded by what looks like very attractive countryside hills (didn't get to investigate) and seemingly a couple of country houses nearby worth a visit. Close to Manchester and the Wirral. Easy from London, less than a couple of hours from Euston and cheap by Virgin trains.

Apparently there is a large influx of London people in the area since the BBC is moving oop North, and quite a few artists and creative types. A large number of young families. Treacle Market once a month. Saffron, Nib's daughter, is part of this younger creative tide with a stall at the Treacle Market and a maker of interesting stuff for young families to buy. She makes purses and bags and refurbishes old furniture to very creative effect. Her label is 'Freddy & Violet'. I also met Steve's very nice parents, Peter and Val, who have moved to a nearby village in their their retirement.

Both Nibby and Saffron have very good, solid houses with lots of original features and plenty of space. They also both have a pair each of some rather rat-like dogs called Italian greyhounds, whose saving grace is their small size and rarity. I was relieved to see that Saffron has also had the sense to own a black cat, which is somewhat smaller than my evil beast, Kook.

Nibby waited on me hand and foot which was fun for me, home made toast and wonderful marmalade and jam, also home made for breakfast. We visited Arighi Bianchi (Google it) and had an excellent lunch there, and very good coffee and cakes in a local gallery. Nibby cooked Sunday lunch at Saffron and Steve's house, and a friend Rich was there with his two rather cute children. I met Freddy and Violet, Saffron and Steve's children, and my great niece and nephew, for the first time, Freddy as cute as a button, and Violet, Nibby's mini-soulmate, full of character and fun. We had tea at Amelia's on Monday. Amelia and Rich have just bought really quite a large house in the town. I was very impressed by the kitchen diner downstairs. It is 18th century, with several storeys, and very impressive.

It was bloody cold up there though. I suspect if I lived there I would want the heating on full blast, day and night. Of course the weather changed yesterday for my return to London and is now much warmer.