31st August, 2014....Frank's got the 'end of August' blues!!

Where did the school holidays go? Today is the final Sunday for teachers and kids, and Frank is definitely not happy!!

 

Had lunch out with the mad gang last week, and we are all looking forward to returning to school.....we need a rest from sailing, making buffets and generally entertaining family!

 

 

Earlier in the week, after a sneak-peek at baby Darcey, we headed down to Abbey Mill Café to sample Jacqui's famous 'morning tea'.

 

 

Very nice it was too...and what a lovely morning....perfect weather and beautiful surroundings... I would definitely recommend getting down here for an early walk then breakfast!

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm sure this is a little 'herdie' peering over the fence at us...but only one??

 

 

 

I thought it was interesting that Story Homes were the good guys on this week's DIY SOS Big Build in Cumbria. All the builders had their Story Homes jackets on and came across as thoroughly nice chaps... which they genuinely are I guess....and I felt I wouldn't want to stand on a Barrow building site where they were working, waving a placard protesting at the Manor Farm homes! Very good PR by Story Homes, and at a crucial time too, as planning has just been submitted to Barrow Council!

 

 

But again...we don't want to lose this view!!

 

 

Subtle signs of early autumn down here at the moment....

 

 

 

.......just ready for Wednesday's mini heat wave, when school kids have to don their new uniforms, shoes and head back inside.....to face teachers bombarding them with the NEW NATIONAL CURRICULUM FOR 2014!! Spanish for juniors; the Stone Age; Infants working on adding fractions; The Mayan a; Evolution.....whatever next!!! (Actually, I wish I was a kid again...we did alpha and beta maths, comprehension and a bit of textured painting...it's much more interesting now!). We haven't lost Furness Abbey from our local history studies though.....or Victorian Barrow....too important!

 

 

We thought we'd be helpful and fix the broken water trough in one of the meadows down here today...unfortunately it had been flooding for a long time and I got caught in the centre of the marsh it had created.....I wasn't allowed back in the Land Rover until I had binned the trousers!!

 

 

I've read a massive volume of books this holiday, but by far the best one was the latest Tana French novel, The Secret Place....She has five novels out now, all set in Ireland, and they are superb on every level...they have pride of place in my library at home, but I'm willing to lend them out!!