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Sunday 21 February 2016

21st February, 2016...being grateful!

Windy, wet and wild...the only way to describe the weekend's weather...but we made it down to Furness Abbey for a damp and muddy walk....

 
 
Abbey Mill was deserted and looking a bit lonely.....
 
 
 
......unlike the Hillmans....who have met up with yet another branch of our extended family for a spot of 'tea' courtesy of the Duke of Edinburgh Hotel in the town centre.....
 
 
 
And very nice it was too...Uncle Andy was 50 this week, so that had to be celebrated.....
 
 
....and the crazy Hillman men certainly do it in style!! We are very lucky to have such a huge and 'crazy' family of Hillmans and Exleys and everyone in between!
 
 
That's Frankie's cousin in the middle, who looks like an older version of Frank himself...not quiet like Frank though!
 
 
Lovely food at the Duke too...... I would highly recommend it.....
 
 
 
We lined up with my colleague Angie, and some other train spotter types earlier in the week to catch a glimpse of Galatea as she surged on through Dalton. She made an impressive site, and we are tempted to try out for tickets later in the year.....
 
 
 
 
...it is funny how the 'age of steam' holds a fascination still.... I guess people always think things were better in the past....but look at this picture......
 
 
...that's Cottal Street, London E14.....my nan's maisonette, where I spent a good part of the first twelve years of my life....this is the block just before it was knocked down more than ten years ago, after becoming a derelict squat....some flash apartments have been built there now....it seemed idyllic to me as a kid, but I guess it was a grim place in the end....
 
 
....my brothers and sisters will remember playing out on those concrete steps I'm sure!! Anyhow, much prefer 'Up North' and look at these beautiful photos from the Steve Hillman camera earlier in the week......you can see why!
 
 
 
 
 
 
So glad my mum and dad moved away from Poplar, London E14 when they did! I love Furness and the North!
 
 
 
 
Hooray...the Furness Abbey 'Arch' has finally been repaired and can be used from tomorrow, to take you down to this lovely place......
 
 
...looking gorgeous, even in the rain!!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Sunday 14 February 2016

14th February, 2016....beautiful blue skies on St. Valentine's Day!

At last, a holiday AND some blue skies.....the thermometer was reading 4 degrees Celsius, but that didn't stop us heading out for a 'post-lunch' stroll to Furness Abbey.

 

 
Tom was 40 earlier this week, so happy belated birthday to him, and good wishes to 'Super Wedge' who turns 50 later on in the week along with Andy Hillman (brother of the famous Steve Hillman!!).
 
 
 
 
Some lovely signs of early spring down here today...look at this little lone celandine....
 
 
...we even managed to get 74 year old nana up the side of the Amphitheatre...she only ventures out in nice weather!!
 
 
Hard to get teenagers motivated though!
 
 
We've been involved in some interesting events since we last blogged......we met Frances Entwistle, who works with children on Shakespeare...she motivated my year six class to the point where I thought they could have probably passed GCSE English Lit on that day........
 
 
 
 
...and then one of my colleagues (well, a friend really....hmmm....family actually, as we go back more than twenty years now!!) organised a Harry Potter Family Night, which was great fun and something rather novel for our school.....here he is....
 
 
...Professor Severus Snape...with and without wig!!
 
 
The Steve Hillman camera captures all....he lent his small camera to me to photograph a special assembly on Friday, and somehow I managed to switch the auto focus off, so every one of seventy photos were very blurred...oops! However, here are a few from his early morning travels over the past few weekdays.....
 
 
 
 
 
 
...ahhh...isn't he clever......
 
 
So,....on this sunny St. Valentine's Day...the last word goes to Shakespeare....