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!!

12th March, 2017....Early sunshine, late showers and superb TV!!!

Well...The Swan Wedding Fayre was a great success....not perfect without Gracie-hence 'this stall'- but great for the SteveHillman wedding factory!

Unfortunately, I've been in the grip of the worst migraine I've had to date...Sunday evening until Thursday evening...I went to work, but it was like watching from afar...I've decided to try giving up caffeine...there's not much else to give up-don't drink/smoke/eat meat/take meds...and I do feel a bit more human today, so we ventured to Furness Abbey early this morning for a bit of fresh air....

okay...so I gave in to the caffeine ban and had a spot of morning tea at Abbey Mill Café.....and caught up with my daughter....'don't take a photo of me...I haven't washed my hair' came the cries...but that's what Sunday's are about isn't it!!!

Spring seems to have arrived this year without us noticing......

...and the beck is quite high...

...soon be time for THAT wedding!!!!!!

Supporting Abbey Musical's production of Barnum this week....the SteveHillman Camera is off to photograph the dress rehearsal in a short while.....I have some colleagues in the production, and some of the crew were good enough to come into our school earlier in the week, and give the children a little taster...

...look out for Mr Irv, and his new talent!!

Our evenings have been spent watching TV on the sofa recently....there has been some excellent drama...what was The Kettering Incident all about...even five minutes from the end, we hadn't worked out what would happen.....

...and as for The Replacement.....superb!!

26th February, 2017...Storm Doris and the Bumpkin Billionaires!!

Well.....Storm Doris has been and gone, and I can't help think about my own Nan-her name was Doris- and she was what we, in the family, call 'a Puddefoot'! That was her maiden name, and the Puddefoots had a reputation for an element of stubbornness......DON'T!!! Anyway, as Doris has passed, we have managed to get a breezy walk down to Furness Abbey at last.....

...muddy, but refreshing........

....as was Abbey Mill Cafe's morning tea!

Although things have conspired against us this week and we didn't manage any trips away for half-term, we did manage to get to Blackpool Arena for a spot of ice skating....with 48 children in tow! I love skating.......

.......but one of my colleagues liked kneeling on the ice rather than gliding across it (sorry Mr Mac!)!

The Blackpool Pleasure Beach staff were excellent though, and it's well worth a trip to the rink! We've had our old pal Joel in school also....he's not living locally anymore so we don't see him much....but he's alive and well and as brilliant as ever!!

Couldn't allow him to juggle knives over kids though, so my poor colleague had to volunteer!!

Who says 'romance is dead'? My lovely husband knew I really wanted to see the kingfisher who nests along the banks of the beck at Furness Abbey, but we're never early enough or quick enough, so he bought me this gift on St.Valentine's Day.....

.......I always call him 'Bumpkin Billionaire' because of his humble 'Dalton-in-Furness' roots but 'world famous photographer' branches.....ha ha!

(Yes, that's very like The Hillmans!)

But he did do a rather cosmopolitan, international wedding earlier this week- Lovely Barrow girl married New Yorker, at Abbey House...

......and he has been invited to The Swan, to take part in next weeks wedding fayre (a good PR job by my brother Mike-thanks for that!)....and from his humble origins too!!!!!

Can't let this blog pass without mentioning another humble Dalton life....Uncle Danny was laid to rest on Wednesday....the word 'inspirational' was used quite a lot...