Plan B - Temple Newsam

 Friday was an adventure day, I had to take my youngest to school for 8:45, so I couldn't really start getting ready until 9ish, which I did at a leisurely pace. Then I spent ages trying to decide where to go, so I didn't get on the road until 11ish.

I had decided to go to York, but stopped at the Castleford Asda near lunch time to pick up a car charger for my phone as mine had broken. I got a sandwich and drink in there and had it in the car park, then headed up the A1 with the aim of getting on the A64 east to York. Had one guy seem to pay me a bit too much attention in there which kind of put me a bit on edge.

However the traffic gods were not with me, and the signs were indicating it had been closed eastbound. So I diverted.  There is a large charity shop in Seacroft which I had often thought of popping into as it looked so big - bound to be some nice clothes there I thought. 

Anyway, it was big, but because it also sold furniture, furnishing and appliances. So there wasn't a lot of clothes at all. I did however snag a fairly modern and I believe expensive camera tripod for £5 !!

I also got a lined dress, I imagine it will be more suitable for Autumn / Winter though.

After doing the charity shop, I headed to Temple Newsam. I hate the access road, it's narrow with parked cars and very busy, but it was that or go into central Leeds.

Got parked up and managed to get RingGo to work, then headed down the side of the house to some formal gardens, which turned out to have some lovely tunnels of yellow blossom. It was sunny too, and despite a bit of wind I ended up with some OK photo's for Insta.

Wig really needed a brush, I have done so after the event :)

After this, I went to the stable block and bought a ticket from the shop so I could go inside the house. 

It's really quite large with over 50 rooms I think.  You can wander around most of them.

There was a school group which I had to dodge through while they were being taught about things. 

There was a great deal to see, but some of the rooms were in semi darkness to protect them - they lent you a torch, which I proceeded to accidentally steal (i did return it before I left the site)

Used the loo's in the house while I was there, then headed back to the stable block to get a coffee to drink while walking around the grounds. We had done the farm as a family not long ago, so that didn't really interest me, but we didn't do any of the gardens that time.

I was feeling a bit more on edge than usual partly due to the Asda man, and probably as had too many coffee's that day. There were a lot of older people around - they, as well as teenagers worry me the most - in terms of a negative interaction. But I don't really think I got any obvious looks of disapproval. I think one fellow near the lake seemed to clock me, but didn't say anything.

I made my way to the walled garden, got some nice shots in there, it was still looking a bit bare in the beds, but there was plenty of greenery in the glasshouse at the back.

Sat on a bench outside afterwards and took some more shots. It was then that I spotted the torch I had been allocated when entering the house. 

So I had to pop back in to return that on the way back.

It was getting towards 3pm, and it was fairly overcast at that point, so figured I would head home.

Got home, did some Insta posting of the days events so far, and we ordered a delivery from the takeaway pretty early.

After eating I realised that my makeup still wasn't that bad, and as I had overdone my eye makeup in the morning was actually quite suited to going out.  So I did a quick foundation touch up, as it was looking quite shinny, and redid my lipstick. Then changed into the blue lined dress , shinny rose gold tights , and my black block heels, and headed for the LGBT pub in Wakefield.

On arrival it was evident that the whole trans-group was there - as it was the organisers birthday party. I don't think had been invited as was perhaps not known well enough. But anyway, was welcomed.

I am still a bit awkward around them all, as I don't know them that well at all, and we didn't have the usual distractions of the pub games night to fill the silences. But they kept checking if I was OK, and I did have some successful conversation fragments with a few people.

I left just after midnight, had some of the pizza left over from tea when I got in - can't beat a bit of cold pizza.

All in all , a very nice day !