A Demoiselle Damselfly by the river

It’s been a special weekend despite a nasty 5-day cold and bad chest etc. I was thrilled to see Lollykin when she and Lee and the divinely naughty George arrived on Friday night. Rosie bless her wasn’t too impressed with George though. We watched some of the Olympic opening bash and joined the boys at the pub for a while.

On Saturday I was sadly feeling too ill to meet up with Deb and her lovely boys as planned at PotFest in the Park. I was so disappointed, but speaking to Deb we realised that we really needed to get together and catch up properly.

Instead we four took George and Rosie for a walk around Ladies Walk at Edenhall. It didn’t rain and the dogs got on ok. It was a lovely hour or so. I was quite sad when they had to leave. In the evening we had a longstanding date for dinner with Frank and Kate at the pub. Almost 5 hours at table with lively soul-searching chat – some of it almost too ‘dangerous’…. it could have been uncomfortable, but it was about being honest with some soul searching questions. I found myself looking at some things about me or my past that made my heart lurch a bit. Still makes me a little tearful thinking about it now….
Sunday – quiet and just a few chores and I slept for a lot of the afternoon. I feel a lot better now. Hector is a bit snuffly so I hope his week doing Olympics in London etc isn’t spoilt… he’s off in the morning.

A work contact I used to have is now an artist and I was thrilled to be able to buy a couple of prints of his. They are wonderful.
He is John Hebborn.

Ignoring the appalling summer weather it has just about been possible to dodge torrential rain and have short walks. The garden is looking bedraggled. Its the wildlife I feel for though – how is it surviving? Its the Big Butterfly Count at the moment but i truth I have literally seen a handful of butterflies all summer. Not so many years ago I couldn’t count them they were so numerous on the buddleia.
Frank and Kate came over for a game of cards. I was trounced – as always. but it doesn’t matter. Its great fun. Hector does a lot better – and really gets tuck into it.
Chris and Fiona came for a Saturday visit. Wonderful. As always.

Their company makes me happy. Hector had put together a selection of beers and they brought some goodies too. I made a risotto for dinner.
The following day I took Rosie and the camera and had a walk down to where they were doing some MotoX. The noise so redolent of cross wasps!

I isn’t get as close to the action as I’d have liked (fields full of young boisterous calves) but did get this shot that pleased me….

Hector has been making WONDERFUL omelettes and getting into making quiches. Very good they are too.

For those of you who have cast doubts on Rosie Posie Poodle being a REAL dog, let me tell you – she is!

Imagine my surprise this morning while unlocking the church (our turn again) I lost sight of her chasing the chickens, as usual, and after a few moments she galloped back to me from behind the gravestones with a young (and struggling heartily) chicken in her mouth. Result? Me surprised, Rosie smug and the chicken? Thankfully living to flee another chase.

Friday evening was card night with Frank and Kate. Always a good evening. We walked home with Rosie leading the way!

On Saturday it was ALMOST sunny and Hector suggested we went to Langwathby to the Scarecrow Festival. There were some excellent ones! when it rained we tried out the Shepherds Inn there thats recently been refurbished.

This was my favourite…. very clever reproduction of their pub sign.

There has been more rain but maybe not quite as much as before. Still doesn’t feel too much like summer.

The day after the blues gig we pottered but early evening I suggested we tried out a bit of a walk we hadn’t done before. Its a long track a few miles away. Its a lovely walk with fantastic views of the Pennines. We didn’t get to the end because the puddles were progressively deeper and wider and our footwear not ideal.

The track joins up after a while with one we have started to explore from the other end.
No point mentioning the week at work. Hectic and funnily hassle but it rushed by. On Wednesday afternoon after working at home Kate and I dodged the showers with a walk at Coombs Wood.

I am a bit in love with my new Adesso shoes! Blissfully comfy.

Penrith Live Blues gig last night – great to go to one of these events again. SO good to see old friends. It was the excellent Jim Suhler we saw and he and his band were superb. Hector offered to drive so I could have a drink- and I did! A bit too much. Felt somewhat merry but not so much that I had any sort of hangover. VERY enjoyable evening.

During the football season Hector has been engrossed in the games so my plans to get out for walks while they’re on has been scuppered but the weather being so bad. But I have been for a couple office walks with friends. One with Kate – only a mile – and we took Sally’s dog Roxy who was with us for the day. Enjoyable. Then later in the week a walk with Sally and Roxy around Lady’s Walk at Eden Hall. Perfect calm during a really busy week.

Our walk with Sally and Roxy…….

Last weekend I had a short rainy walk above Salkeld Dykes with Rosie. We stuck to a little road to avoid the mud. We met some very curious black cows.

A rare and real treat. I was given the ok to wander and take photos in the magnificent Eden River scenery and gardens of a large house. It was for once a fine rely evening. Lovely….

And at the weekend when Hector was away having a family weekend with Ross and Kevin et al I had a surprise visit from Chrissie and Chris. SO happy to see them, albeit briefly. I miss Chrissie a lot.

The weather has been ghastly! So, where possible I’ve been trying to get some walks with Rosie and dodge the worst of it. For one 3 mile walk all seemed fair, didn’t take a waterproof or brolly and got taken up taking photos of the fantastic high dark clouds and failed to think they were full of rain.

Rosie and I got soaked through for the last half mile. Drenched! I had to dry Rosie off with a towel and hairdryer she was shivering.

The torch came through Penrith so we dashed in to see it. By chance we were at a point where it was ‘kissed’ from one torch bearer to the next. It was quite exciting and strangely moving.

The next day it was going through Ambleside so I used it as an excuse to visit Mum and Sis. Sis and I took Rosie into Borrans Park to watch the torch come by. We were damp and midge-bitten but it was great. Rosie had on her waterproof hi-vis jacket and matched the policemen.

I enjoyed seeing the torch bearer take the torch onto the lake Steamer and sail off to Bowness.

We watched from the lake shore in the park and Jane picked Rosie up so she didn’t get trampled.

We were on the TV too – on Look North BBC News… here’s the snippet that Hector prepared for me.