Sarah’s work is very time dependent. Even though it’s about the end of people’s lives, when time stops for them, the saying goodbye is very timetabled. Seeing the grieving families, preparing the funeral words and eulogy with them, and then doing the service itself. Taking the time to do exactly what’s wanted and doing it all in the time she has. She finds this all deeply satisfying.
Then on the days she’s not working, she likes time to disappear. So we go out, roaming free, no appointments, no timetable, making up our days as we go along. Like today.
Before we set off, though, an introduction, to something you’ll be seeing out with us as we roam around.
My new hat.
This is one of my birthday presents from Sarah, a brown felt fedora. It’s something I’ve long fancied having. And yes you’re right. That’s not Liverpool in the background there. We had to go to Manchester, to Whipple & Co in Princes Street for the hat. Sadly, despite of all of our energetic thriving, you can’t buy a decent hat anywhere I know of in Liverpool. Unless you know different?
Anyway, back to today. First stop Anfield. We arrive at my favourite community bakery, Homebaked, just as the heavens open outside the window.
Homebaked – made with love for Anfield, by Anfield. The hat arrives.
We have lunch. This is Sarah’s first visit.
She thinks the place is beautiful.
And when we’ve eaten she has a look around.
Mia’s in the kitchen today.
And shows Sarah the oven so many of us helped them to get through their Kickstarter Appeal.
Sue’s also working today.
And shows us the new bread display shelves they’ve just made this week.
We pick out this sourdough loaf.
Regular readers might remember visiting Sue at home, during the Anfield Home Tour. Sue lives in Alroy Road and has since found that her house will not now be demolished to make way for the expansion of the football ground. Though the other side of the road will.
Before we leave Sarah buys some raffle tickets.
For this. Signed by all of the Liverpool first team, for Homebaked.
Next stop is on West Derby Road, a look at somewhere we’ve noticed from driving past and wondered about.
Aladdin’s Cave?
The owners have clearly not seen ’12 years a slave’ yet.
We realise cities contain shadows as well as light. But more than uncomfortable, we walk on.
To Musical Box.
I’d heard of this place when I started buying LPs again, but never quite pictured where it might be. I know now.
It’s very, very good.
A seriously brilliant Liverpool independent, do go and read about them and their opinions.
Well stocked, friendly and knowledgeable. (While we’re in there someone rings up just to find out what musical a particular song is in!) We leave with a bag-full of vinyl and will definitely be back.
Next stop is, of course, a stately home.
Ancestral home of the Molyneux family, later the Earls of Sefton.
These were one of the earliest families to be prominent in the history of Liverpool. And like most of Liverpool’s prominent families some were later slave traders. The line of inheritance finally giving out in 1972, when the ownership of Croxteth Hall passed to Liverpool City Council.
These days the house is busy as a popular film set. And the gardens are well maintained. But, on this weekend day, we can’t get into the place’s jewel.
The Walled Garden, closed until April.
Is it Tory imposed ‘austerity’ or a lack of municipal entrepreneurialism? We ask one of the few staff who are around and are told there’s nothing going on in the garden now. But Sarah, a gardener knows that’s never true. And between now and April, Spring will happen, unobserved, within those walls.
We walk on.
And Sarah finds the first of several Monkey Puzzle trees she’ll photograph today.
She has a special blog of her own, all about them.
We move on again.
Through Croxteth.
Past where the Storrington Heys high rise blocks used to be.
To somewhere surprising where I last came a couple of years back.
A great Liverpool success story that everyone here calls by the wrong name.
Yes, you can see what they’re called.
But even when I arrived at reception, with the group of social enterprise people I was bringing to learn from a very hard-headed and, some will say, controversial Liverpool business, the receptionist picked up the phone and said ‘Home and Bargain, can I help you?’
‘We don’t care what you call us!’ one of the 3 Scotland Road Morris brothers who run the entire national operation from here, said. ‘As long as you keep buying our stuff.’
We do. On site here at Gilmoss there’s a shop that’s also their National Staff Training Centre.
We go in. To Home and Bargain.
And Sarah fills the trolley.
Tooth brushes, firewood for the allotment, even a bottle of Pinot Grigio for this evening. Though she, just, passes on the glitter ball.
This is a surprise though. Fresh food.
They must just be trying it out. Because when I last brought that group here we were firmly told fresh food wasn’t good for profits.
We’re off again.
To Knowsley Village.
Close to Knowsley Hall, still the ancestral home of another prominent ancient Liverpool family, the Stanleys, Earls of Derby, in between motorways and an industrial estate, is quiet little Knowsley Village.
And in the church yard, a Molyneux from nearby Croxteth Hall?
Probably not. There are loads of Molyneuxs in Liverpool.
We go to see if we can get a look at Knowsley Hall, knowing much of the grounds are a Safari Park anyway. But there are locked gates keeping the curious away.
Still, just along the road, in Tithebarn Lane, delightedly we find this
The first Galanthus of the year.
The snowdrops are arriving.
Spring will come, Winter will end.
We go home.
For a piece of Homebaked.
A beautiful quiet day. Outside of time. In Liverpool.
Remember, Homebaked are open all week now, Monday to Saturday. Special on match days, special every day.
What’s with the monstrosity outside the ‘Aladdin’s cave’. 12 years a slave aside, Africans and Caribbean people don’t actually resemble that ‘thing’ . Highly offensive.
No indeed. Thought I’d bring it to everyone’s attention.
I enjoyed your walk very much indeed…and envy you that bread!
And what about the chorus girl…..do women resemble that ‘thing’…?
No they don’t Helen. It’s a strange shop.
What an eclectic view of your home city! I’m getting to know Liverpool more and more as I visit your blog. The images are startling: glaring stereotypes along with photos lovely enough to turn into watercolours.
Thank you for ‘watercolours’ Jan. Even on a grey day this is, mostly, a lovely place.
Nice walk.