Good morning Mick and all GN's from a grey damp looking but still morning in North Yorkshire. I am divided into two parts today. Mentally I enjoyed some success yesterday and was glad I managed to go as planned to the tulip fields etc., but physically I am pretty much a wreck and in a lot of pain and struggling to even do the least thing, very frustrating. Depressing to think that whatever I accomplish , has to be paid for in a lot of pain.
Yesterday I started by finding the post code of the farm as there are three places called Sessay and I wasnt sure which of them the farm was near. So was able to use my sat nav to pinpoint the best way to go there. Dont use or want to use it much but this sort of thing it is good at. I got a few things put in the car and checked the buggy was all set up if they had places I could use it in. Then I was trying to rush about get jobs done and sent a text to the cleaners etc etc but then the time was going on and it was a timed entry to the tulip fields , so left rather a mess and shot off to pick my friend up.
All this railway work that has been going on, is still not finished and round here there are roads still closed, traffic lights set up etc etc , and so I had allowed plenty of time to travel, but in actual fact we had a clear run and got there early, with no bother. One of the first cars there. It was well thought out, with the nearest car park for disabled only and I was able to take my pick of spaces , and I always try to park to make it easy to get out later, so had just got myself sorted and in a decent space when a chap in yellow jacket arrived to ask if I had a disabled badge, which I was able to show him mine and then put it in the window. So they had notices up and this chap directing traffic, which was well organised . They had a cafe there and we were early and so were happy to go and get a drink and it also allowed me to look at the pathways up to the fields.
Sometimes I improve after an hour or so taking things gently , but ,of course ,not yesterday. I could see that there was no chance to use the buggy on very uneven ground, and we began to walk towards the fields, where there was a little booth to check you in and give information. I was really struggling to even walk there and could see that I was not going to manage even walking to the first bit of where I could see the tulips growing. So felt somewhat disappointed but told Heather that I wanted her to take her time and go off and enjoy them and that I would manage to do what I could and would go back to the car and would be fine sitting there and reading etc. However when we got to the front of the queue and I explained, the lady kindly said that she was sure that if I put my hazards on and drove very slowly I could leave the car park and come along the lane etc etc and drive to much nearer the tulips. That cheered me up and I duly went back to the man in the yellow jacket and explained and we followed instructions to the letter and so I was able to take it very close to one area. The weather was much cooler than the day before and so not so many people around but still a fair few, with quite a lot of I think grandparents bringing children out for a day. I think the small children found it was quite a lovely experience to walk along the rows of different coloured tulips and be surrounded by them.
We had a very slow walk across the tops of the rows and there were some seats as we went. What was quite good was to sit and bend down lowish and then you could look through one colour tulip to another colour. That allowed you to see which colours looked good together etc., You werent allowed to pick any, but could buy some in the shop if you wanted. I gather that this is the first year that the farm has tried this and so it was quite a gamble for them, putting fields aside for tulips, so of course not available for any other crop, and working out how to do it etc. So they have tulips in different areas of early, mid and late varieties to give them a time range to have a show, and there were plenty of well grown and lovely tulips on show, and the lack of rain did mean that you could walk easily on the hard ground, not wading through mud. So I made the best of it and enjoyed it but was ready to get back and sit in the car and rest. We had chosen the right time as the weather had said it would be chilly but dry and then go into rain, and it began to drizzle as we got in the car somewhat chilly and ready to be warmed up.
A careful return up the track with hazards got us back to the car park and I thanked the man on duty and we then left and had an easy run up the A19 to Thirsk where I was able to park close to Cafe Nero where we got a much needed coffee and warmed up. The wonderful Yarnbombers had done their work and there was a whole tower of knitted flowers to enjoy too. I rather seized up after sitting there and then we came home and I had missed the cleaners but they had done a good job. There was plenty I could have got on with but the trip had rather shattered me and I just sat about doing very little for the rest of the day.
I did send a quick email to our womens group and told them what it was like and both the good and difficult things, as the very uneven ground would be a problem for some of our members, but gave them the lowdown to make up their own minds.
So here I am today , pleased with the trip, but any idea of doing more than basic things and some paperwork is out of the window. If we get any sunshine I might manage to take my chair out into the garden and enjoy that, and at some point need to speak to the car people about changing the oil, but at least it is the local paper day and that will give me something to distract me. Have no plans set up for today or the weekend, as it will have to be a matter of seeing what I can manage.
Hope you have a good trip on the bus and see some friends Mick. GrandMattie I am intrigued to know where you lived as a youngster. I have been on GN for a while now but didnt know where you lived previously. Hope you have a restful day and that you get your sound boards sorted.
Well time to listen to Bach to cheer my morning and then I will cheer it even more with a decent coffee and see how the day goes. Wishing everyone a good day
