IN BRIEF

Monday 19th May

Had email on Friday which kept me busy all day. Knitting needed for Hampton Court Flower Show. Could have been great for publicity, but unlikely to 'come off'.

Wednesday 21st May

Lucy at work today, - must get used to this new routine. Sent off cheque for holiday, can't believe that in six weeks time, we'll be in Italy again...

In the evening went for a long walk around Little Eaton. I have been contacted by someone in Australia, who saw my photos of Little Eaton on Flickr. She was at a children's home there during 1958 and would like some photos. Searched Eaton Bank for clues, but didn't find anything conclusive.

Thursday 22nd May

Lucy at work. Taught jewellery class this afternoon, we made handbag charms and they loved it! Picked up Lucy on the way home.

Went for another long walk around Little Eaton. Graham had already found a much more likey place having used Google and Google maps. Turns out the house is on Alfreton Road and is now called Eaton Hill Therapeutic Community. We followed a footpath close by that took us up Eaton Hill. It was quite magical walking through fields full of daisies and celandines, a quick burst of 'The Hill Are Alive'... would not have been out of place! It must have been a well trodden footpath in it's 'hay-day' as it crosses with another one at the top which follows the highest point to Coxbench and beyond. We made our way back via Rigga Lane, past old quarries which now secrete a house or two. There's even a bridge to take you across a point where the footpath would have lay before the quarry was there.

Friday 23rd May

Just managed to get Lucy up in time to come and be a Learning Partner today for my class. "Is that allowed" I hear you ask? Theoretically she should have been trained and have a CRB check, but without her I would have struggled to cope. As it was she was a real star (she had been well briefed) - I couldn't have managed without her.

Disappointment! I was just about to write back to Sarah in Australia when I found a link to Eaton Hill Therapeutic Community on the internet saying it was closed in 2004. However... I also found someone who used to work there, so dropped him a line not quite knowing what to expect...
Excitement! He didn't really know anything, but gave me the telephone number of a lady who used to work with him and who still lives in the village...