15th November, 2015.....Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité...

I can't blog today without mentioning the events of Friday evening in Paris....the collective 'mankind' has been dehumanized by a small group of fanatics in order to excuse their barbaric jealousy and actions. The 'think-tanks' that try to over complicate it don't need to...there are NO excuses. Enough said. My family, friends and colleagues are just thankful that we get to live our lives, with all their minor trials and tribulations, in relative peace and stability. We are so lucky.....

 

 

...but, boy, what a WET weekend!! And Happy 30th Birthday today to my friend and colleague Mr Woody.....he's such a good sport, (completely crazy, but very cool with it)....helping us to raise money on Friday for our annual Children in Need fund raiser.

 

 

It's looking quite Christmassy at Abbey House and various other local haunts.....

 

 

 

 

...but completely soggy underfoot down at Furness Abbey today!

 

 

 

 

Look at the beck...it's almost over flowing it's banks, compared to a few weeks ago....

 

 

Okay, there is a pattern forming here, but it is about 'Rivers'.....

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9Qs8-BkiLw

 

...I can't help it, I start watching Tommy Shaw and get sucked in AGAIN! He's 62 now!!!

 

 

Last weekend of freedom for the SteveHillman camera, so I made my first batch of mince pies of the season to fatten him up!!!!! Christmas wedding season starts with a vengeance  from Friday!

 

 

The first one is here, so the reindeers are ready......

 

 

Just don't bother getting permission for some photos inside the ruins...it's soaking!

 

 

Got this Saturday morning, finished it Saturday night...if you are interested in what makes humans act the way they do...especially if you are a teacher, this is an excellent read! Talking of Christmas.....don't forget to come to this year's Fair!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8th November, 2015...."Hobgoblin nor foul fiend, can daunt his spirit..."

Wow...an incredibly stormy Remembrance Sunday....but still the good people of Barrow turned out to support their armed forces......

 

 

 

 

 

 

...it is dark enough to be evening isn't it......

 

 

 

...it wasn't quite eleven o'clock in the morning! We were fairly warm and dry thanks to good old Jack Wolfskin!!

 

 

I was looking at that Victorian house opposite and musing about Central Ward, or Rollo, as we affectionately know it...so much of Barrow's history and tradition is contained here....

 

 

 

 

 

...and, of course, good old Rollo School at the heart of it all. We've served this community for nearly 150 years...there's real strength in that!

 

 

So...arriving home cold and wet, it was rather poignant to switch on the TV and watch Remembrance Day services from around the UK and listen to the words of John Bunyan's hymn 'To be a pilgrim'...

 

Who so beset him round, with dismal stories,

Do but themselves confound, his strength the more is....

There is definite unbreakable strength in community, these commemorations show that! After we'd warmed up, we did head down to a rather deserted Furness Abbey......

 

 

 

 

 

...a few days of rain have made it soaking wet down here; the beck is quite high, and it's soggy underfoot!

 

 

 

 

...atmospheric in the extreme....I love the outdoors!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1st November, 2015..."Season of mist and mellow fruitfulness..."!

What an extraordinary few days of weather....must have been exactly what John Keats had in mind when he wrote his ode To Autumn! Looking glorious down at Furness Abbey, with no breath of wind and swirling mist....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Frankie is growing at an alarming rate...sometimes he is taller in the morning than when he went to bed the evening before!

 

 

So, on an extremely misty All Saints Day, we headed down to Abbey Mill for a celebration breakfast....celebrating next weeks return to work that is!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brrrr....but lovely and welcoming inside!

 

 

 

 

 

Can't have breakfast without 'My Little Pony'! Then off we trudged through the mist, to get ready for tomorrow....we always call this next bit of term 'Christmas Madness' and I'm sure every primary teacher will know what we mean!

 

 

Abbey House is looking lovely at the moment too...I did laugh when I was told about the tee-pee weddings taking place there at the moment...in my mind I had imagined a small Arapaho tent with Native American markings.....not THIS.....

 

 

...two of them, and they are MASSIVE! And they remind me of the smell of scout camp when I was little!! It does look lovely in the grounds though.....

 

 

 

 

....lovely wedding venue...if that's what you're looking for!!