Open morning

Cricketts Estate Agents are proudly offering for sale this attractive two bedroom character property with a vast rear garden. Dating back to Victorian times, there are a number of striking features that help create that homely feel that we are all looking for.

The property has been tastefully modernised in places with lovely wooden flooring stretching throughout the ground floor, along with fully refitted kitchen. A beautiful exposed brick fire place will be found in the dining room with a closed chimney breast in the lounge which could potentially be opened up again. There is plenty of natural light flooding through the house, due to its well thought out design.

Its location close to Newbury town centre and the train station mean that is perfect for those who like the convenience of living within walking distance of the major local amenities. Not only that but the property is situated just a stone’s throw from Newbury Racecourse where a number of diverse events happen throughout the year.

Cricketts are having an open day event on Saturday 29th September between 10am and 2pm, by appointment only. Please call Cricketts on 01635 43333 to arrange a viewing slot and avoid disappointment.

18th Sep to 23rd Sep

18th I was in Norwich getting soaked so I ducked into this amazing place called Biddy's tearoom:

www.biddystearoom.com/


19th Friends over for dinner. They brought a traditional Slovak dessert made with poppyseeds called Makovnik

20th: Bishopswood Golf Club in Tadley

21st: The swimming pool at Elcot Park when I took the McBaby swimming. Then meeting Princess Anne!

22nd: Fairclose Day Centre.

23rd: Millionaire's tart from Waitrose, brought over by a couple of friends for lunch. They also showed us this youtube vid they'd uploaded much to my amusement:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-Jlaw13wEM

"A big year for a little fella…"

When I started this blog, this was the kind of thing I wanted to do. Not write about backing the car down one-way streets and visiting offices that I'd not been to before.

Hats off to this guy for doing it properly!

www.newburytoday.co.uk/2012/a-big-year-for-a-little-fella

BODYSLAMMED by a wrestling champion, abseiled the O2 arena in London, stood naked in a snow storm, learned to play the ukulele, Richard Roberts has packed more into one year than most people manage in a lifetime.

Following an almost fatal ectopic pregnancy suffered by his wife, Sian, the 31-year-old Newbury man challenged himself to try something different every day for a year in order to raise money and awareness for a charity supporting those affected by the condition.

He’s climbed walls, sailed waters, bouldered, cuddled a piglet and even cowered beneath the largest swarm of bats on the planet, all in aid of the Ectopic Pregnancy Trust – and all while holding down a full-time job as an engineer at National Instruments Corporation, Newbury Business Park.

Complications of ectopic pregnancies can end chances of conceiving or even kill expectant mothers.

“I would give anything to have avoided that fateful day. Sadly, that is not possible,” he said.

“But I am willing to do just about anything to raise awareness and funding for this fantastic charity.

“It all started while a little bit tipsy in London on New Year’s Eve, I kissed my wife and thought it was something I had never experienced before – kissing a wife at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve, so that was the catalyst for the next year.

“I have been reliant on help from friends and buddies for inspiration, it’s hard work coming up with new ideas.

“You can imagine every now and then I get home from work I just want to park myself down in front of the TV or grab a can of beer, but I’m not getting those options, I have to think of something and get it done and get it blogged. It’s been a lot of graft.”

He has even tackled his two biggest fears, heights and spiders, quite literally head on.

“When I went rock climbing and abseiling over the O2 I found that terrifying, but it was cathartic too.

“I have a friend who lives in Essex who keeps lots of really strange animals which she takes to schools, I have agreed to handle a tarantula and specifically have it walk over my face. I’ll tick it off, but I am dreading it.”

Another hair-raising experience was getting into a ring with a heavyweight wrester.

“I’m short and slight; this guy towered over me, that was scary. I was pretty badly bruised the next day, but in all honesty it’s been great to grab new opportunities,” he said.

“One of the positives beside the charity work is I have found in the week I don’t do a great deal, you can get stuck in a rut so it forces me to make more of an effort to do things. I have not said “no” to pretty much any offer that has come my way, and it’s probably the first time I have ever kept a New Year’s resolution!”

To follow Mr Roberts blog, which he is updating every day with pictures and stories, log on to www.tinylittlefella.tumblr.com, and to donate log on to www.justgiving.com/tinylittlefella.

10th Sep to 16th Sep

10th: Cath Kidston shop! I was fondling a very pretty nappy bag priced at £65 when I knocked over a toy that it was leaning on. A store assistant immediately pounced and tidied up, stopping me from buying it. Phew and yay for being tidy!

11th: The new memorial opposite McBaby's nursery.

12th: Donnington Valley Hotel! And the golf course too!

13th: My mum babysat so I took MrM for a date! I collected him and took him to the Swan where we had our first date. New thing was the lovely garden at the rear (not a euphemism)!

14: The Days Inn hotel in Wetherby.

15: Wolsingham.

16: What should have been a straightforward airport run became my new thing when I DESPERATELY needed petrol and made a pit stop at Texaco.

3rd Sep to 9th Sep

3: Driving around Seer Green on way home from work.

4. Back bar at Regency Park hotel for super exciting meeting!

5. New flavour of Gu! Nomnom.

6. Burghclere to the amazing, rambling home of someone who was giving me something on Freecycle. Love old houses full of stuff like this!

7: Elcot Park swimming pool for McBaby's first proper swimming lesson. Also Waterfront hotel in Polzeath!

8. WEDDING at St Wenn Church (and first time of being a bridesmaid). Also hairdressers in Bodmin.

9. After a fab wedding, stopping off at Cullompton services!!

Monday 27th August to Sunday, 2nd September

Monday: A shop at Heathrow while there to collect ma mere (although she didn't see me and nearly got onto a bus with the Australian Paralympic team).

Tuesday: The coffee shop at Cobbs Farm Shop.

Wednesday: Krazy Klub

Thursday: My friend's fabulous new house on the estate where ST Barts School used to be. Jealous!!

Friday: The RSPCA shop in Thatcham.

Sunday: a bar in Old Town Swindon and then onto Pizza Express.