Good morning Mick and all GN's on a so far still grey morning in North Yorkshire. Not sure how the weather will go as we have been promised both sunshine and hefty showers. Actually will be quite happy if it stays a bit greyer and cooler right now as am preparing for quite a journey right now to meet the family.
So excited about seeing them, as for various reasons we did not get together for quite a while before I went on holiday , so much to catch up on. I have taken a lot of photos on my trip, but as I had to get a new phone only a couple of weeks before I went - the old one got broken - I have had to guess and do my best with the new one. I dislike changing to something new, when I have been quite competent and organised with the old one and know what I am doing, so until this one becomes familiar I keep getting annoyed with it, especially as it seems to have a mind of its own and cuts off much quicker than the old one.
Anyway the photos are a mix. Some are simply catching the moment for myself, others are to be able to show people when I am giving a talk about things, such as the picture of the Mennonite people, where a simple photo will make things very obvious, much quicker than trying to describe them. Then I have taken quite a lot of both photos and videos of the many things like the freight trains, the enormous lorries with gleaming chimneys etc etc and the great big bus thing with enormous wheels - taller than I am, which took us down a 30% incline onto the glacier. Of course there are a couple of the Rocky Mountain express. These are all taken for my grandson Joshua. Because this phone is new, I am taking it with me, so that my son can safely transfer the pictures for Joshua etc., and I wont risk losing precious pictures that I cant get back.
So am preparing my "cordon bleu" breakfast of weetabix and coffee - whilst starting to get the car sorted into my summer mode. I still do the same as when I used to take people on the hospital car service. I have two boxes in the boot. One of all the sensible bits and pieces, first aid stuff etc., and a light blanket, spare towel etc, bottles of water and swimming things. Then the other box will have my picnic things. Plates, dishes etc ., I use one of those childrens lunch box things to have my selection of cutlery, bottle openers , cork screws, sharp knives etc etc. Then the important things, cafetiere, china mugs, thermos coffee etc etc, so that on my trip across I shall stop where it pleases me and be able to make myself a much needed coffee and enjoy the peace and quiet with my binoculars. So back into the pattern of "be prepared" or as we say round here "short of nowt I've got!! "(I was a guide and then a brownie guider in Portugal!
As they live over in Lancashire ,today we are going to meet at Killington Lake mway service station on the M6. It works out very well for us. I have my blue badge and can park near the coffee shop. They can arrive whenever and they have 2 hours free parking. So we then meet and have a seat looking over the lake, and usually a quiet area, with few other people about. We just get a drink and then have a good time to sit and catch up with all the news etc, a very useful place to meet the week before christmas - when every where is heaving in towns but safe place for us to meet. So it will depend on whatever they have to do today. We may just sit and chat and then go off our separate ways. I go across to Sedberg and then down the mway to the service place. Then continue down to the next exit which is to Kendal or to Kirby Lonsdale and carry on wherever from there. If they are free to stay a bit longer we go down to that exit and then can go on into the Lake district or whatever.
So I am looking forward to seeing them, but hope that my leg is not going to be a problem. Yesterday after what seemed for ever, I did get to see a doctor. Because I had had a long flight she thought it was cellulitis but did have to check for DVT so had to have a blood test and wait for quite a while for that to be checked out. No problem, as I thought, but definitely have flipping cellulitis again. So now have antibiotics etc, and need to keep an eye on it. If it gets worse, or doesnt actually begin to get better in 48 hours have to go back. Drat and double drat!! Cough is not so bad today so fingers crossed that I can go for my cataract operation on tuesday. If it aint one thing its another!! Still waking up a lot and at 4am my stomach seems to want breakfast!! Trying to get back into at least a pattern of 6am to get up.
Yesterday Jessie came and made a good inroad into the mess in the flat. So there is still plenty to sort out, but the kitchen and bathroom are clean enough to allow a visitor to use, the lovely clean sheets are on the bed and the mattress turned over and have quite a bit of ironing done , so actually have a choice of T shirt now. It is good to see some things getting sorted, but whilst I do want to get back to normal, trips out to local agricultural shows or to Saltburn come well above jobs. I try to pretend that it is everlasting summer, but cannot ignore the fact that it is already getting darker earlier in the evening. So another reason to enjoy the countryside and coast while I can.
So that is my plan for today and hopefully tomorrow I will have the chance to go and visit a garden from the yellow book , buy some plants , as now am home to plant them and look after them. I shall get out the Yellow Peril and enjoy the wind in my face as I go around.
Hope that you all have successful days today and enjoy yourselves whether that is finally getting some job sorted or putting on the sun hat and sitting out in the garden all day. With a bit of luck, the promised showers will water the garden here, whilst I have sunny vistas on my journey.
Enjoy whatever you do folks
