GD5 arrives

Five days late and Granddaughter Number 5 has arrived at 2.30am this morning. A little Hampshire lass, weighing in at 7lbs 11ozs. She is beautiful, of course and so unlike the other four!(who are also beautiful!)

I have been busy waiting for this new arrival by making marmalade. After complaining, earlier this week, that I never see Seville oranges in the shops any more, there were plenty to be found in my local Supermarket! I combined Delia's recipe with one I found on the Internet and, if I may say so myself,,the first batch looks and tastes excellent. I'll try to make some more tomorrow.

It was wild and windy today, but I needed to get out with the dog, so I followed a walk in a book by Jack Keithley. This was the penultimate walk in his book called 'Walks in the Ribble Country' A lovely, if rather muddy, walk from the start of the Ribble Way and around the Longton Marshes. The book is interesting because it is full of historical facts. Also the route was described accurately and the instructions were easy to follow.

The people I met en route were very friendly and helpful. Which is not usually the case when you are in a strange place with a dog, and following a map. The people I have met in Hampshire are very pompous and unfriendly, when you miss a turning, because the farmer has allowed the right of way to become over grown. Perhaps it the difference between northerners and those folks down south!

My own pile of bricks: Tate Modern Watch out!

My own brick pile, growing on the patio. Barny thinks it is a place to put his toys.I am afraid I have not been able to complete the job yet. Too many distractions.

Here is a view of the remainder of the wall which fell down in the middle of the night.

This has been one of the distractions. The weather has been great for fell-walking last week, so we took ourselves of to the lakes for a few days. Climbed Loughrigg and Lingmoor in tee-shirts. This photo was taken from the memorial at the top of Great Carrs, looking over towards Scafell, Great Gable and Bow Fell. We did the round of Wetside Edge, Swirl How and Wetherlam from the start of the Wrynose pass that day.


I have finished one of my embroideries for the Summer exhibition at Norton Priory. This has been in between entertaining the Grandchildren, up from Oxfordshire, for the half-term.These are three of the batik pieces which we started at the last meeting of Textile 21. They will be joined together at the next meeting to form an installation outside at Norton Priory... Some embellishment is needed on them before then.
I must start on these this week

Ramblings

I knew once the rain had stopped it would be difficult to keep this blog going. However, as it really is my own place to record my life it doesn't really matter how much or how little I make a post.

Last week we had a great day in the Lakes. We went up the old 'Blue Flash' route near to Raw Head cottage in Great Langdale. This is really the old way over to Grasmere. The blue flashes which originally marked the path have been replaced by yellow arrows. This is a steep ascent but gets you to the top of Blea Rigg very quickly, and away from the crowds. (No crowds last week, which makes a change) From Blea Rigg we walked towards the head of Langdale. The sky was spectacular as the sun shone out of the heavy wintery clouds. With a strong wind in our faces we climbed Sergeant Man. (Met a miserable couple who were on the way down, who found it difficult to say 'Hello'. They must have been upset because we were sharing 'their' mountain.)From here we walked over Pavey Ark and Harrison Stickle and then decided we had time to bag Pike of Stickle before we desended via Dungeon Ghyll back into Langdale. The dog was tired for once . We only met 10 people on the hill all day. It is a long time since this happened!

This week I have managed to play some golf. My first 18 holes since October and I recorded a net 73 and that included a 10 at the second! I hope my driver keeps on working like this, this summer.

I have finshed the jacket I have been knitting with the bargain wool I bought on E Bay. I am very pleased with it and will post a picture as soon as someone takes my photo whilst I am wearing it.

The garden wall which collapsed is gradually becoming a new Tate sculpture on my patio. I am quite proud of it. In fact I think it is better than the original pile of bricks as the mortar gives it an interesting texture.

On Sunday I made a great chicken stew from Nigel Slater's Diaries, followed by a Lemon Merange pie, nearly as good as my mother used to make. Oh what comfort food.