Some deer and diversions on the way to Mountsorrel Thursday 26 June

I woke up with a blocked ear, not what you want 7 days out from a long haul flight, and I managed to get an appointment at a clinic in Mountsorrel, up the road from our B&B.  So I was getting a chance to see what the medical system was like here.

Quite unbelievable, up close and person with the deer

But first we went to the Green Mill, well we thought it must have been rather special, but it is not, and we had a quick look at the video and on the way out there were school kids coming in.  Now I don't know where they came from, but there was one English looking girl in the whole lot, and she seemed a bit on the outside of the group.  And the clothes, I think my school teachers saw me in the type of tops they were wearing, it would be detention forever.  More like they were dressed for a disco!

We managed some photos from a hill, overlooking Nottingham,

and then we went to the Woollaton Hall and Deer Park.

Now I am not sure what I thought about this, probably it was not loved comes to mind, but the council have owned it since 1925 and I guess that speaks volumes.  We were surprised at the Nature Museum inside, in fact at one time you would have thought you were in Africa.  The owner certainly had an extensive collection, and was lucky enough to have some donated from other parties.

This is a hornet

How about this for a crab claw

Hippopotamus skeleton

Chilean flamingo

But for me, the thrill was being so close to the deer.

The antlers were magnificent, and I was surprised because the deer could simply walk out of the enclosure they were in.  I guess they have learnt the rules over the years.  The grounds 500 acres are certainly extensive, and well used by the residents.  On the weekend they are having a carnival to coincide with Armed Forces Day on Saturday.

The ceiling frieze

Ceilings in the great hall, the school kids were doing a dancing lesson in there.

If you watched Batman the movie you would have seen this room

We then decided to go to the Southwell Workhouse after saying goodbye to the family of deer

You have to wonder, these are the rules but most could not read

Children's weekly meal

The workhouse was built in 1825 and served as a model for the Union.  I guess that is was the same modelthat we saw in Ireland, children aged 2 to 3 were removed from their parent's care.  But while this one purported to hold school classes, none of the records remain.  They were all burnt in the 1970's funny that should be the case.  The audio tour was quite good.   Again the people had to surrender their clothes and possessions.  But how did they ever get to leave?

Mountsorrel is a small village, and we arrived a bit early, and are fortunate to have a ground floor room with car parking directly outside.  So we have taken all the suitcases out, and I h ave repacked.  I didn't relish the thought of having to drag all our luggage up stairs when we are in Cambridge, so this has solved the problem.

Into the doctor's rooms.  40 pounds for an  overseas visitor, but the system here is if you need a repeat prescription, you don't need to always visit the doctor.  Many things are done either at reception or with the nurse, looks like a good system to me.

I had the senior doctor, and he asked if we had family in the town, ancestors I told him.  Oh who was that, so I told him about De La Zouche, and Richard III.  Really? he said have you got scoliosis?  I sat back down, a bit flustered, then he told me and I remembered Richard had it badly!  Wonder if that is the genetic reason?  Who knows, but I have to get onto my family tree to work out which number cousin he is!

When I left I came to pay, don't worry said the receptionist, no charge!  Are you sure?  Yep.

Into the chemist, 5 pounds for my antibiotic, I am sure I pay a lot more than $10 for my script.

The B&B is attached to a hotel, and the menu looks quite nice.