The rambler returns ..

The Rambler has returned from rambling around Bulgaria for five days so hopefully there will now be a summer season of photographs from Sofia and surrounds - not too much of a bore I hope ...

easyJet now takes you direct from Manchester to Sofia in just over three hours - it is a totally different world out there - so different from the UK .. and we had a really great time !!

So as soon as the pics are loaded to the iMac we'll be away and cooking on gas...

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Allotment 14 - Potatoes

Hopefully one of the more successful "plantings" this year will be the potatoes - here we have Duke of York and Arran Pilot - both now coming into flower.

We are expecting great things ..

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Manchester Parade

OK this is the last of my Manchester Parade photographs ... hope you liked them.

Here's to the next parade .

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Manchester Parade

Yes - more photographs from Manchester Parade ...

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iTunes - Single of the week ..

For those with iTunes did you know that you can download a free music track each week?

Click on Music and then select Single of the Week.

I've collected tracks that normally I would never listen to and found some quite good - so go ahead and you may come across something different ..

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The Budget - part 2

Well we've had the speech in parliament.

Watched it on BBC 2 and started to fall asleep.

We are to get a VAT increase in January and income tax reduction from April.

What are they keeping up their sleeves though and not telling us about - usually there is something !!

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Manchester Parade

More photographs of the parade ....

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Budget Day

Well today is the BIG DAY - no not football but the government's emergency budget..

What will go and what will stay ?? - we should all know this afternoon ..

Will there be crying and wailing ? I guess so ..

Watch this space.

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My World Tuesday - Manchester Parade

Welcome to My World Tuesday and the Manchester Parade that was held in the city on Sunday to celebrate what the city is ..

The parade " paraded " around the city centre in the afternoon and had all the usual floats and bands and seemed to be well received by the general public on what was a warm and sunny afternoon..

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Manchester Parade

The Busy Bee or is it a Bumble Bee - not sure ?

However it is the symbol of Manchester and represents a hardworking and vibrant city.

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Manchester Parade

Today the Manchester Parade was held - and for the first time.

It is a celebration of the city and it's people .

So sorry but a week of photos - took nearly fifty but will not be showing them all .. thank goodness you say .

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Allotment 13 - Greenhouse

A new buy for the allotment ..

Well not a great expense - the greenhouse came from ALDI and was around £20.

I was not prepared to spend the money for a permanent glass greenhouse - so we'll have to see if it's a waste of money. At the moment we have tomatoes and chili peppers - which all seem to be growing. Time will tell !!!

World Cup - England Algeria ...

What a bore !!!

England 0 Algeria 0

England will certainly have to do better than this - they were very poor and lacked any commitment in tonight's game.

After the USA game the goalkeeper was blamed but tonight that blame has shifted to the manager Capello. How long will he remain manager if they fail, which is quite likely given their lacklustre performance.

We await with some trepidation England's game with Slovenia next week.

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Rose

Certainly a sign of summer - this is one of the first roses to flower in our garden and the smell of the scent is so heavy and sweet - wonderful ....

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World Cup - South Africa - England waits !!

Well this has now come a common sight - England flags fluttering from houses, shops and bars throughout the land.

Let's hope we have some success in the World Cup - a 1-1 draw against the USA was not the best of starts.

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World Cup - South Africa

Well at last after all the waiting the World Cup has commenced in South Africa - the hosts drew with Mexico 1-1 and in today's other game France drew with Uruguay in a game that produced no goals.

The excitement in England is growing daily - flags and bunting are appearing on houses and cars - the supermarkets are doing roaring trade with memorabilia and cans of beer.

The football pundits seem to think England will not advance beyond the quarter final stage and seem to think Spain will be the favourites to win !!

No doubt we'll find out soon enough ...

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Flixton -The Church Inn

Once you've visited St. Michael's Church at Flixton you can then nip next door to the Church Inn for some quick or not so quick refreshment ..

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Flixton Church - St. Michael's

For those contemplating a longer stay the graveyard at St. Michael's is a well tended and quiet place ..

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Flixton Church - St. Michael's

Another photo of St. Michael's this time showing off the very fine tower..

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Flixton Church - St. Michael's

The original church on this site was first recorded in 1150 when the Lord of Manchester gave it away as part of his daughter's dowry.

All very pretty ....

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Flixton Church - St. Michael's

A visit to my grandparents grave last week saw us visiting St. Michael's church in Flixton.

Unfortunately it was the only gravestone in the graveyard to have fallen down - no doubt due to a health and safety push test.

The graveyard is very neat and not as I remember it some years ago when it was a rather tangled mess.

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Rochdale - Springfield Park

Some of the local residents out for a Sunday morning stroll.

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Rochdale - Springfield Park

Quite an attractive park but small - you'll find it on the border of Rochdale and Heywood opposite the Success to the Plough pub.

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Manchester - Canal Basin

This is the last photo from the canal basin for a while.

Here a tram passes along the viaduct heading away from the city centre.

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Manchester - Canal Basin

A barge makes it's way towards Stretford ..

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ABC Wednesday - T is for Trophy

Manchester United FC have quite a lot of trophies - and here are just a few of them ...

Enjoy !!!

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