Red hats admiring Shakespeare’s first folio

I adhered to the GP’s advise about continuing with the meds and went off with the U3A minibus outing to Durham cathedral. Some of us had read Cuddy so were keen to go for that reason while others just wanted the day out.

Katy and I bought tickets for the cathedral tour and then had a coffee in the cafe till it started at 11. It’s an impressive Norman building that only took 40 years to erect. We got a history of the cathedral, which I knew, then we were shown various important parts of the cathedral including some paintings from Pre 16th century, the highest throne in the world (higher than the pope’s) and both Cuthbert’s shrine and that of Bede.

I had to rush outside I felt so nauseous. I waited there for Vivienne who had the same time slot as I had for the viewing of the Shakespeare First Folio in Cosin’s library. I think I might have loved the library more than the cathedral. The folio was stolen from there in 1998 and reappeared 10 years later, damaged, at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington D.C. It was returned to Durham University in 2010 after it was established that’s where it had come from. It was so exciting to see it.

Katy, Jane, Vivienne and I walked for about 15 minutes by the river to Crook House and gardens owned by NT. we saw the medieval hall and strolled /hobbled round the gardens which had beautiful blossom and lots of cottage garden flowers as well as lilac, wisteria and tree peonies in bloom. We waited in the cafe which was a pickup point for the bus.

I was so pleased Mr C drove down to pick me up off the bus. I’m now resting up and hoping this vile stuff will soon be out of my system.

I couldn’t resist taking this photo of the two red berets, Jane and Katy admiring the folio in the library.