And Jinny Makes 3!

Since our old tabby Pangur was put down earlier this year, we wanted another cat - but decided to wait until after our holiday before looking around.

There seem to be so many pairs of cats who wanted to be adopted together, but we could only have one. We wanted an affection cat - not a kitten, but a cat that had developed its personality. As we already have one timid cat, we didn't want another shy one.

So we have ended up with Jinny  - she is around 7/8 months old and came from Suffolk Animal Rescue. 

She is very lively and very nosy! She loves looking out of the window at the birds on the roof opposite.  Despite us buying a new cosy cat bed, she prefers to sleep in the washing basket.

We would like to change her name, but so far haven't come up with one that suits her.

43. Pigeon Burger

Oh boy, is it hot today! Just the day to sit in the shade in a garden deep in the Suffolk countryside, chatting with friends, sipping a cold drink and eating pigeon!

Today at Clare and Jonathan's BBQ, I tried their pigeon and bacon burgers - which were tastier than I expected! You may not be able to get pigeon at ASDA or Tesco's, but apparently you can get them at your local butchers, including the one in Needham Market!

27. Visit a Village in Suffolk for the First Time

This was suggested on a girls night out - although I am born and bred in Suffolk and have worked for Suffolk County, Suffolk Coastal, Mid Suffolk and Babergh Councils - there must be a part of Suffolk I have never been to!

Well, there was - Drinkstone, just the other side of Woolpit and this weekend they hosted their annual Sale Trail. 

50p buys you a map of all the houses participating in a table top sale and you can walk (or drive) around the village and pick up a few bargains.

Libby and I spent a lovely morning wandering around and ended up buying 2 books for 20p each, a pencil sharpener shaped like a dog, a jar of home made chutney, several packs of foam pads and double sided tape, a plate of delicious brownies and the blue chair for a fiver!

Everyone was so friendly and chatted to us as we walked around - I was very impressed with the community spirit in Drinkstone!

24. Discovering the grave and memorials of my WW1 Ancestors

Mum and I went to find the graves and memorials of my relatives who died in the First World War

This is the grave of Walter Samuel Hollingsworth, my great, great uncle. He was a Lance Serjeant 43144 (formerly 998) in the 7th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment.

He was killed in action in France & Flanders on 12 October 1916. He is buried in the Grevilliers British Cemetery, near Arras, France. He was one of 3 brothers who died in the Great War

Me with the memorial to Charles James Hollingsworth, Private 26822 11th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment.He was killed in action in France & Flanders on 19 April 1918. (The CWGC Register says between 9th and 19th April). He has no known grave, but is commemorated with honour on the Ploegsteert Memorial, Belgium ( near Ypres). Pte Hollingsworth was born in Claydon and enlisted in Bury St Edmunds.

His name is also on the headstone of his wife in Bredfield cemetry.

The third brother was Frederick John Hollingsworth Private 43879 (formerly 4578) 11th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. He was killed in action in France & Flanders on 19 April 1918, the same time as his brother Charles. He is buried in the Suffolk Cemetery, La Rolanderie Farm, Erquinghem-lys France (near border with Belgium).  Pte Hollingsworth was born in Claydon and enlisted in Woodbridge.

We have no photos of these brothers but we do have a set of wooden bricks which they owned and which have been played with by all of the family since!

On my fathers side of the family we found the name of Arthur W Whiting, 4^th Battalion Suffolk Regiment , who died 15^th July 1916 at The Somme, no body found, but commemorated at Thiepval (near Arras)

We also found the name of a distant relative James Jolly Norfolk Regiment Lance corporal (3^rd cousin 2 x removed) on the Menin Gate at Ypres