20th April, 2017.....Furness Abbey and a Grim's Dyke birthday!

Well....we made it to London for the Harrow Weald wedding, and it was LOVELY! Interesting venue too...the Grim's Dyke Hotel was named after a nearby prehistoric earthwork-Grim's Ditch- and was the country home of Lord Gilbert, of Gilbert and Sullivan fame! I think Best Western Hotels took it over in 1982, but it still retains its gothic/historic feel, with woodland walks, Lady Gilbert's orchard and the restaurant (former billiard room) where the body of Lord Gilbert was laid out after he drowned in his own lake!!! It was certainly a lovely venue for the much awaited and longed-for wedding of our good friend...and here she is....looking lovely, as always!

Ahhhh...best wishes to them......hope they are still together after 35 years!!!!

We headed back up north at 6.30am on the Hillman birthday morning, and were tucking into a hearty breakfast at 10.30am at Chandlers.....how different that would have been 24 hours later when the M6 was gridlocked!!

We did take a little detour en-route....to visit Upper Heyford again-perhaps for the last time?!

After an Easter full of weddings, we finally managed a walk to Furness Abbey, which is looking lovely and tranquil in the calm spring weather.....

Poor Abbey Mill's Jackie is no better though....

...but still doing a brilliant 'morning tea'!

Early spring flowers blooming at the moment down here......certainly worth a weekend walk!

In other news, our daughter is finally mobile!!!

Can you tell that's not a SteveHillman photo!!!

9th April, 2017.....'Action is eloquence'..it's Shakespeare Season again!

It's scary how quick that half-term has gone...the amount of teaching we've done, helping children and families we've done, community events we've carried out, photos, trips, counselling, family stuff...the list goes on and on...but it's been so rewarding too.....quiet action behind the scenes, but has a big impact! That's teaching....never be put off by people moaning about workload and pressure...every day makes a difference and matters! No wonder my very talented colleagues and I look 'wrung-out' but happy!

                        Found time for a family walk to Furness Abbey today though...a soothing balm!

Can't get my mother off her phone though!!!

It's looking lovely down there at the moment....everything just about 'bursting forth'!

Our school hosted its first ever family quiz and bingo night this week...it was so well supported and great fun...there's real strength in the central Barrow community!

Then we finished with our usual zany 'spring like' Easter assembly and fun day...more mad-cap colleagues! The SteveHillman camera caught up with this bride-to-be earlier in the week....all the way to Barrow to collect her wedding dress for next Saturday....

...look at that 'list' of photos!!

Don't forget to visit Ulverston Canal Regeneration Project's Easter Egg Trail....we've got an egg in it this year!

We though we'd give Clarence House a go on Friday, for 'afternoon tea'....they've had a lot of bad press lately, but it was lovely and time for people to give them another chance I think! It is a beautiful venue, and the staff couldn't do enough for us.

Words mean very little on their own....quiet action, with no need for recognition...that's what counts...ask Shakespeare!!

2nd April, 2017...Mother's Day, Mindfulness and Monumental changes!

Finally...we had a clear day to visit Furness Abbey, and we were there just before 9am. The weather promised to be stunning and I think it has delivered today...it really felt like spring had arrived!

The beck is running really high, but it looked beautiful.....

...so peaceful and calming down here! Interestingly, I went on a 'mindfulness' course this week, and it was so interesting...neuroscience is now proving what a lot of us 'peace, love and nature' types have known for a long time...switch your mind off and take time to 'experience' things! Jo Bentley, who delivered the course, even had a little 'bell' for signalling time, which would make our good friend Will laugh so much...he already offers me 'kale shakes' which he says I drink instead of coffee and tea!!! The course wasn't at all  'hippy-dippy', it was fascinating (so there!). Talking of tea, we had time for a spot of very early morning tea at Abbey Mill Café.....

...but poor Jackie...we hadn't realised that she had been so ill...lets hope she's on the mend soon!

Massive Mother's Day party at my house last weekend, but the SteveHIllman camera had other plans....

...so Uncle Andy took over with the banter.....

...whilst the SteveHillman camera did what he does best!

...and Happy Birthday to my dad, who's 76 today! It's a busy week at work, everything coming together towards the end of the spring term, with egg competitions, musical events, lottery and even this year our first 'Family Fun' night...lots of great support from families and friends of the school, and still time to join us...

 .......and the famous Mr Irv himself is running it...what's not to like!

Those of you who know us and our community know that we are now looking ahead to exciting times....this is just the start of it.....

....but for now...get out into to nature and enjoy it!!