Recently In My World…

My six year old grandson, Nicholas, now plays for his local football team.  This is his first season and I think this was the third match they had played when Nicholas was awarded Man of the Match.  He’s holding his reward, a voucher for a Happy Meal.  MacDonald’s sponsor the team you see.  Well done, Nicholas!!

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Wednesday afternoon I met up with my friend Sandra at the lake for coffee and a chat.  The weather was coolish but not too cool that we didn’t go for a walk along the lakeside.  Sandra spotted all the ripe blackberries as we sauntered along.  I think she must’ve been a girl guide once upon a time as she came prepared with bags in her handbag and collected a ton of the …

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…juicy fruits.  Naturally I helped her, you wouldn’t believe how exciting it can be, blackberrying.  We had a wonderful time!

I’ve been busy on the sewing machine again and made a few cushion covers for Caroline.

Victoria and I have had a trip to Costco together recently and one of the things I bought was this magazine.  It’s a good read and the photography is excellent.  I think I like the pictures as much if not more than the articles.

Saturday afternoon Victoria rang, did I want to walk round the res with her and the dogs.  The weather forecast had been for a return to summer.  This is what the weather was like early afternoon, miserable to say the least.   Definitely not summery!

Fortunately it did get better as the day wore on and turned into quite a balmy evening.  Which was good as that evening we were all invited to my niece Bethany’s 18th birthday celebration.  It was a fun night and we all had a great time.  I didn’t take any pictures but I do have this family photo taken in June this year.  Bethany is on the left.  Happy 18th Beth!

Sunday the promised summery weather arrived.  Caroline, Charlie and I spent a couple of hours wandering through Ealees.  Stepping stones are always good fun.

So is trekking through the woods.

And after all that trekking through the forest an ice cream was definitely needed.

Onto yesterday now and almost up to date but first a little moan.  The local council is replacing all our old street lamps.  I like our old street lamps.  They give off a nice warm orange glow on a dark  night.  The new ones are a brittle bright white!  It’s like walking about in daylight!  To my mind that’s not the way it should be.  If it’s night-time then let it be dark with just a warm glow from the street lights to stop us stumbling around but not bright enough to read a book by!  I hope there was a very good reason to make this change.  I dread to think of the cost.  Ok, moan over with.  Normal service will now be resumed.

I took these pictures as I continued my walk around the neighbourhood with Muffin, our little dog.  The air was very still, very calm and peaceful.  Birdsong the only sound.  A lovely day to be outdoors.

The peace and tranquillity was affecting these fellas too.  Seemed like they were having a lie in.

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Caroline rang me at lunchtime to ask if I would like to join her and Trev at the little Greek restaurant in our little town where they were sipping a latte.  I joined them in less than fifteen minutes!  

And what a difference a day makes. Today it was blue skies and sunshine.  Yesterday’s calm was lovely but so was today’s sunshine!  William was with me this morning.  He’s a bit under the weather just now with one or two health issues but thankfully a walk in the sunshine helped lift his spirits.

The horses were all wide awake this morning.  This beauty was even smiling for the camera!

I Think It’s Over.

Summer that is.  Garden flowers are drooping, the sun’s not shining quite as much and the nights are drawing in.  It was bound to happen sooner or later I suppose.  On the bright side autumn isn’t far way and I love autumn!

I was a bit under the weather yesterday and I didn’t feel like doing much so late afternoon I thought I’d go and sit in the garden for a bit to help clear my head of cobwebs.  I made a cup of tea, which I put in an insulated cup to keep it hot now that the temperatures have dropped, got my Kindle and made for the garden swing.  After a little while Lesley (good friend and next door neighbour) came round to join me.  Fresh air and a friendly face - I felt so much better by the time I went back in the house!

‘Twas my birthday on Friday.  Both of my girls came round to see me in the morning and wish me Happy Birthday.  It was then business as usual.  I had the grocery shopping to do but…

... before that I fitted in a light lunch in my favourite cafe.  Haven’t done that for a while  so it was a little treat.

When I returned home laden down with shopping bags a cheery sight greeted me on my doorstep.  Charlie and his daddy had been round after school with a miniature potted rose for me. So sweet!  Later Charlie came back with Caroline along with Victoria, and her crew plus my niece, Melissa and nephew, Jordan.  At George’s request they’d brought me a birthday cake.  Again, so sweet!  Sorry to say, no photos of this happy little birthday do.  It’s hard to take the photos when I’m the one being sung to.

On Sunday William and I did something we don’t do very often.  We went shopping together.  Like most men, shopping isn’t top of William’s Fun To Do List but for some reason when I said I wanted to go the Trafford Centre shopping mall he said he’d come with me. 

Starbucks was the first stop. 

Then my favourite shop. , John Lewis.  We’re beginning to need new living room furniture at our house.  We both liked this set up in the shop but realised when we got home it just wouldn’t suit our living room. 

Never mind, it was fun looking.  Looking at his face I’m not sure Billy agreed!  He cheered up soon after this.  It was lunchtime.

My Denby was on display.  I don’t have a teapot and would quite like one.  At £55 I didn’t buy one!  Perhaps they’ll have a sale on them and I’ll think about it then.

Elephants.  Colourful elephants.  Quite a lot of them dotted throughout the mall.  You can read about them here.

Until next time,

Hobbies, Crafts and Cards

As of Wednesday this week all three of my little treasures are back in school and more than anything else that seems to signal the end of summer.  As I type it’s only 8.10 p.m. and already it’s getting dark out.  Even so it’s been a lovely day today and all the more precious because I know these dry and mild days are numbered.  There again, who knows, perhaps we’ll get an Indian Summer – now wouldn’t that be nice!

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Last Thursday all three boys were here for a couple of hours together.  George had brought a little tub of glitter with him and that prompted him to get the craft stuff out.  I found some more tubs of glitter in the cupboard and for an hour or so their world was full of paper, glue and glitter.  So was the floor by the time they’d finished!

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George slept over on Friday night.  Looking on Google for a new card game for two people to play he found a game called James Bond.  We both quickly got the hang of it and were hooked.  We played it a lot!

When granddad came home from work on Saturday we made haste for Hebden Bridge where we had a tapas lunch.  By complete coincidence George and I were both dressed in orange and navy blue.  I thought that was good enough reason for a photo so William obliged.  Look how tall that boy is.  He’s growing like a weed!

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Saturday night it was Nicholas’s turn to sleepover which involved more card playing.  A lot of card playing.  This time it was Go Fish, which granddad played with us and Strip Jack Naked.  Nicholas was in his element.  Look at that happy little face!

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The crochet blanket I had been working on over the last few months is now finished and has found its way to Caroline’s house where it’s looking good draped over her cream leather couch.  Actually in this photo it’s not quite finished and had yet to have the edging completed.  Actually I think I’ll come back and replace this photo with one of the finished product.  Anyway, moving on…

I have now started another blanket.  This one is for Victoria.  I am thoroughly enjoying this crochet hobby.  This “granny squares” pattern doesn’t need a lot of brain power and although it’s repetitive it’s not boring.  Using happy colours like these how could it ever be boring?  Therapeutic more like.

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I’ve also been busy with the sewing machine lately.

I’ve made this Union Jack cushion and very pleased with it I am too!

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And just because I like it, I want to include this photo of Caroline’s dog, Harley.  He spent a couple of afternoons with us last week instead of being in the house on his own while Caroline and Trev were working and Charlie was here with me.  He’s a sweet dog.

September Already!

Can you  believe September is upon us already?  Which means that summer is on its last legs!  Perish the thought.  I’m sticking with summer - for a little while longer at least!

So.  Having returned from our summer break up at Bay View a week ago Friday I thought I’d better get my finger out and put a blog post together.

Our little holiday home on wheels has got to be in one of the prettiest corners of England

A corner crammed full of quaint villages and olden timey towns like Grange over Sands.  I love these old shop fronts.  William checked out the hardware and I checked out the ladies ware store.

 

Many, many meandering rivers like this one, River Bela at Milnthorpe, where we walked one sunny afternoon.

Picturesque countryside under puffy white clouds.

A corner of England crammed with places to bring a picnic and take a walk.  That’s what we’ll do here on a future visit.  This is the Cove at Silverdale - we happened upon this little beauty spot by accident one day when William and I were out looking for somewhere else.

Fields dotted with cows, sheep, horses and even deer too.  I like cows.  I don’t know if it’s always the case but the black and white markings either side of this little Daisy were mirror images of each other. 

 And trees.  Let’s not forget the trees.  This corner of England has got so many trees of all colours, shapes and sizes.  A feast for my eyes for sure.

Canals to walk along.  Towpath on one side, a few houses…

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... and plenty of open fields on the other.  We combined this walk along the Lancaster Canal with…

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… the walk along the coastal path a couple of times.   We like to walk as much as we can when we’re away.

Churches around every corner.  There’s a beautiful old church in the centuries old village of Bolton le Sands. We took a walk around the lush green graveyard and garden. 

And of course this is a corner of England renowned for its lakes.  One day we took a trip to Windermere.  A beautiful place but very, very  busy.  Tourists from all over the world abound in droves. 

Yet just off the main thoroughfare little narrow windy side streets are quiet and quaint little pubs like this one can be found.  Built in 1612 the sign to the left of the main door proclaims Charles Dickens no less was once one of its regulars.  However the parking ticket was running out on the car so we had to wait until we got home…

…to enjoy a cold drink.  This one outside the cafe bar on the camp site.

Caroline, Trev and Charlie came up to Bay View on the second Thursday.  We had intended to go home that same day and let them have the van to themselves for the long Bank Holiday weekend break.  However, Charlie said he had missed us so much and he didn’t want us to go home.  With an invitation like that how could we not stay an extra night!  In the morning we all walked down to Archer’s Cafe for breakfast.  The pic above was taken on the way back, the caravan site can be seen in the distance.  It is such a pleasant walk, long enough to build up an appetite on the way there and burn off (who am I kidding?) the calories on the way back.

I think I can safely say that things are turning out well with our move from Devon in the southwest up to Bolton le Sands in the northwest.  Both are Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty so what’s not to love and being on the wide open west coast Bay View gets panoramic views of the sun setting in all its glory.   That’s a big plus in my book.  I love a sunset!