Somewhat out of the blue, towards the end of last year, Sue was contacted from a niece of one of Sue’s aunts. This stranger was researching her family history and was after any information about common ancestors especially a couple who had moved out to New Zealand and sort of disappeared.
After much to-ing and fro-ing, they agreed to meet up for a proper chat. With Kathryn living near Liverpool and us in Birmingham, a garden centre at about mid-point was selected and a date decided upon.
This Tuesday was rendezvous day and although the meeting was primarily for the two to get to know each other, I tagged along with the intention of doing a local Adventure Lab whilst they drank coffee.
The drive up was uneventful and without much traffic, especially once off the M6 / M54.
Just before half eleven, we pulled up into the garden centre’s car park and with us both of that certain age, rushed off to use the facilities.
Exiting and looking towards the cafe, a lady waved at Sue which was our cue to part ways.
Returning to the car, I had a short drive to the nearby Press Heath Common for a short AdLab entitled Beautiful Butterflies. The common is the last remaining colony of the Silver Studded Blue Butterfly in the midlands as well as many other species.
Being February, cold and wet, there would be no Lepidoptera in evidence today. Parking in the small car park, the first two questions were soon answered before a bit of a trek to parts three and four.
Over the years, the common has been used for group training , in the First World War and as a Second World War airfield. Nothing from this past remains apart from the remains of the control tower which was where I found the next part of my quest.
On the walls of the tower where various information boards about the common, including this one … about Bob Marley !
With only one part left, I continued along surprisingly good paths (considering the recent rain) to grab the final part before returning to the car, having clocked up a couple of miles.
Returning to the garden centre, I joined the girls who seemed to be getting on like a house on fire. I grabbed a drink and a slice of Bakewell Cake before joining them.
Some four hours or so after sitting down, Sue and Kathryn decided to meet again in the near future and left as friends.
After a loo break, we headed for home, picking a slightly different route along the A5 through Rugeley and Lichfield.