Catholic Church, Painswick

GG and I went to Stroud, but couldn't park. So we took off off to the supermarket to check on something about my phone, then to Painswick, where we took a short cut near the famous church (of England) with its churchyard filled with elaborate tombs and 99 topiarised yew trees. There is a legend that if 100 yew trees are planted, 'the Devil always takes one'.

We explored the back streets and I headed straight for a building with a cupola. This turned out to be the Catholic church, plainer inside and with more daylight than some I have known. I liked it. See the cupola in Extras.

I'd been recommended a coffee shop inside an upmarket shop selling locally made goods. This did not disappoint, we had hot chocolate with all sorts of rubbish on top ( I prefer it plainer) and then returned to the main churchyard to picnic on crispy bacon sandwiches.

Back in Stroud, we found a parking place and completed the walking tour of Stroud that we had started last week. I've been living in Stroud for almost thirty years, but I've found plenty of local history and archtectural details on buildings that I'd never noticed before, since starting this tour.  All-round excellent, we both agreed.

We had also bought a cake for a mutual friend who is going through a hard time, and GG insisted I  go with her as navigator to drop it off at her house. Finally she took me home. I took the washing off the line (it had actually dried outside!) and went back to bed for a little sleep, and finished my library book, Summer, by Ali Smith, the last in her seasonal quartet. By coincidence, I heard an interview with the author on Radio 4 yesterday.

As I'm going on holiday with friend D tomorrow, I started packing. There is so much stuffed into my rucksack that I wonder if I shouldn't just pack a bigger case! However, that would mean repacking. I think I'll leave it for now. My big suitcase is far too big. How many suitcases does a person need, if they rarely travel?