Good morning Mick and all GN's on a very dark and still morning here in North Yorkshire. Physically am really struggling this morning but mentally very happy. For a start the wonderful Bach double violin concerto was on this morning, so an early extra Bach to cheer my day. Well it helped me struggle up. There is a saying "take what you want - and pay for it!" Well that is definitely me today, but I dont care. It was definitely worth it.
Yesterday turned out to be a lovely day for me, as despite my promising to myself to get things sorted and jobs done, I did none of them, for good reasons. At last a bit of sun came out and it wasnt actually raining, so I ditched all plans , for the much more cheering going up swaledale. I have felt like a caged lion, between being ill and the weather etc. So it was a case of throwing all sorts of clothes and things into the car to cover rain, cold or whatever and including my sunglasses and with a sandwich and fruit and my binoculars I set off.
It certainly was a journey of variety of scenery, weather, and views. To begin with I had to stay on the main roads, as my preferred side roads were likely to be flooded. There was standing water in many fields and the rivers and becks were full and overflowing, to the point of having ponds and lakes in fields, which the geese and ducks were making the most of.
The roads were very quiet and then the main road towards Leyburn was shut so a bit of a diversion , but then got onto the road I like to travel on anyway, and it was exhilerating to be swooping up and down through the flooded fields , with the weather ever changing, now some rain, then mist, then turning a corner a lovely clear view. The trees were traced out against the sky, and there were branches and the odd tree uprooted but not blocking the way. When I got to a favourite place to stop, beside a beck with a little bridge over it, no possibility as the whole area was flooded out.
I journeyed on enjoying the freedom, and noticing all the little changes as I went. Saw the home of my friend who died had a sold sign up, so there will be someone new to meet there eventually. Had a lovely trip over the Buttertubs with no one about apart from one keen cyclist making his way over the tops. Then I went on right up to Keld, feeling so much calmer and better for being there. Turned and came back to my favourite place, where I sat for a long time.
Looking over the dale, with the occasional rainbow and the sheep and the birds was wonderful and both calming and cheering. I ate my sandwich, and looked through my binoculars at all the beauty around me, so glad to be there and knowing that the trip there was like a medicine to me, reminding me of all that is worth living for, and thinking of my husband and many friends.
Eventually I started back down Swaledale , still taking my time and noticing all the different changes. I had planned to call in somewhere for a coffee, but then as I came out of the dale I put radio 3 on and low and behold the wonderful J S Bach, B minor Mass was on, so my lovely day complete as I listened to it all the way home.
Of course I was very weary, and instead of making the meal I had intended to, got some curry out of the freezer and heated that up with some rice, too tired to do anything more. Then I spent most of the evening looking at the local paper, marking up anything worth looking at and went to bed early.
So this morning I am definitely creaking around, and need to try and do a bit of exercising to get the muscles moving and my back to allow me to do anything, but who cares? To have such a lovely day as yesterday to cheer me up and look back on , when stuck in with the rubbish weather , is worth its weight in gold. I wish that everyone of you can have such a day that pleases you and gives you something to hold onto when days are bleak.
Mick , hope you get your earlier bus and see friends today. GrandMattie, I should hope someone WILL collect you and the onions, when you have done all the work. I would have thought your vicar or committee people would have the courtesy and thought to arrange for someone to help you , whether it is with transport or washing tea towels. They are very lucky to have you and it does rather look as if they are taking you for granted. I think you need to become a bit of a commander rather than the worker, and issue instructions to your vicar, so that you say something like " I will be coming in to caramalise the onions, so can you make sure that there are twenty onions peeled and sliced up ready for me to do" or "Can you make sure that clean tea towels are put in the left hand draw when they have been washed" In that way you tell them that they cannot expect you to do everything and to stop taking you for granted. The alternative - which I am sure they would not like - is to say that if you have to do all the onions or tea towels there will be no time or energy to make a single cake for a week!! Ashcombe I remember many many years ago being on that train from Dawlish and a rogue wave hitting up at the window as we passed the beach and all the red cliffs etc. My goodness I am talking about 60 or more years ago! Karmalady you too are a very busy lady, getting so much done day to day. I think all of us who love our gardens are chafing at the bit to get out and do something. But at least we are looking forward to more daylight and hopefully surely some better weather must arrive soon!
I hope everyone has a happy and successful day today, whether it is meeting friends of getting jobs done. It has been lovely to talk about a great day yesterday instead of moaning about whatever, and so if nothing else I shall get the Yorkshire Post and sit with coffee and read that and then come back later to see what new posts there are on here. I hope that all those in pain, physical or mental have a better day today too.
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