After a stormy weekend, the hot weather has returned. Back into the garden watering routine… Battleaxe is not feeling at her best right now – had to go and have a dodgy patch of skin cut off by my temple at the Conquest – a bit more later. So, here’s a short bit about the new-look Lamb House in Rye.
Looking at the photographs, I see it was a rare cloudy day – just over a week ago. No real rain apart from a bit of drizzle, though.
Battleaxe readers may remember that Philsopher used to volunteer for the National Trust at Lamb House, but gave it up because it was insufficiently challenging/interesting. Here is the most recent post about it.
One reason it did not hold his interest was that there were actually only three rooms of the house open. The rest was inhabited by a tenant, who did – occasionally – provide teas for visitors.
Now, it is totally different. The tenant has gone, the upstairs is open as well, and there is much more material about Henry James on display. The alterations are still in progress – one of the exisitng volunteers told us that they plan to open an E F Benson room. Looking out of the upstairs windows also provides new views of Rye…
There are now plenty of loos – the one I went in on the first floor was obviously once the tenants’ bathroom – with an amazing retro green suite – and, a proper tearoom out in the garden. As it is quite small it only un-freezes National Trust cakes and scones and not does the yummy real things, but it is quiet and attractive, with a good outdoor seating area in a little walled yard.
The Lamb House garden was looking lovely, despite the dry weather. A peaceful spot in the middle of tourist-choked Rye. The roof-scape views are interesting – look at the crooked chimney.
So, Battleaxe recommends a visit!
So, what was I doing at the Conquest?
Not staying in this time, just a visit to Minor Surgery to have a patch of basal cell carcinoma excised from my face. Of course, it is non-spreading and not regarded as dangerous, but it still has to be removed. I need to take more care in the sun….
However, the patch is right on the side of my temple, where the skin is thin. The surgeon horrified me by saying that he might have to pull my eye slightly askew to get the wound to close properly. I threw a fit and said I didn’t want it done. Eventually they had to fetch the consultatn dermatologist from somewhere – all credit to them for doing that – who reassured me and said it would have to be done bla de bla and if I left it longer it would only get bigger and more difficult. So, it got done. Of course, the procedure was totally painless, and my eye looks fine – it feels a bit stretched though. As ever, the staff were so nice…. but I now have a dressing on the side of my head covering 4 stitches which have to stay in – wait for it – ten days…. urgh, how am I supposed to wash my hair? It doesn’t look big on ths photo but like all things on one’s face, it feels enormous. It feels sore, too.
Yesterday I didn’t quite realise what I was in for and went on my own, with the car – Philosopher was in London. Perhaps driving home was not quite the best idea – but I managed, and then spent the rest of the day slunmped on the sofa watching this truly terrible yet compulsive low-rent telly thing called ‘Say Yes to the dress’. No, don’t even ask me….
We are currently in the middle of summer relatives visits…. step-son Tom last week, grandaughter next week….. of which, more later.
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