27th August 2020...No back to school for me!!

It feels really strange not to be getting ready for September-I've been doing that since 1981, if I include the university years, and I now know what my very dear friend and former boss meant about moving on finally from teaching. Not getting any sympathy from any ex-colleagues though, who have taken to running past me or blanking me completely. Perhaps that's just the way it goes....

Anyhow...Furness Abbey has stood through many generations of humans angst and I'm sure it will stand through many more after all those people have gone, realising that they were nothing more than a drop in the vast ocean of time, as we all will be, in the end....or maybe Furness Abbey won't still be standing...

...because it's having work done!

Still looking lovely though!

But very quiet this morning at seven thirty!

Hair's a bit wild at the moment- haven't use straighteners since lockdown.

The boy was eighteen on Tuesday...thanks to Lucie for this wonderful cake...(and the words of wisdom)

...and to all the people who turned out for his birthday, despite the pandemic (none of his godparents there though, sadly.)

The upside of that for us is that, like a lot of other people, we've discovered some new and wonderful local places to walk....

...channel side being our most favourite one...

...if you don't include the moon!

Very autumnal chill in the air at the moment....

....but I'm expecting an incredibly poignant September!

6th August, 2020...The New Normal!

Some things don't change! Furness Abbey has remained stable and beautiful throughout this pandemic, but when I've just switched BLOGGER back on to resume the documentation of our walks, even that has a new system in place...and I can't get rid of the underlining! 

We've walked down here three or four times a week since the pandemic began, but only now is it starting to feel normal again- Jackie has opened her doors again and we are able to stop and chat to people without them jumping into the hedgerow to avoid you or giving you furtive looks because you've had more than you allotted time for exercising!

There was a little bit of sea mist when we first got down here at seven thirty this morning, but it had cleared by eight, leaving everything drippy and dank.

Lots of fruits and seeds round too, considering its only early August. The boy is eighteen in a few weeks time and has been turned down for every apprenticeship or job he's applied for since college closed. This is going to be the terrifyingly new normal, I suspect. No weddings since March, either, though I am now writing book number four!

We had a rainy walk up to Kendal Castle earlier in the week- that's a nice walk if you like wandering, old ruins and good views, and we do!

We're hoping that by the end of this week, things will become a little more normal for our family, although some things won't ever be the same again. Thank goodness for the enduring romance of Furness Abbey and the surrounding countryside!

I am totally obsessed with all things literary at the moment-if you know me, you'll know why- but if you haven't picked up a copy of this year's Booker Prize winner, you need to....it's scorchingly realistic, and transports you instantly. Hope I can write like that one day...

4th May, 2020....the pandemic continues but people are changed.....

So, this country, along with most places in the world, is still having to take stringent measures in order to break the transmission of the terrible coronavirus that had spread across the globe. Speculation abounds about the source of the virus and everyone involved in virology or epidemiology is rushing to try and create a vaccine or drugs to help fight the virus if you are unfortunate enough to have been infected. Tragically, 248K people from across the world have died from the virus- 28,000 in the United Kingdom. The world continues to watch and wait, as the global economy tracks downwards. But there are hopeful signs. Adversity has created a feeling of collectiveness and collaboration amongst the world's population and there have been many, many stories of small deeds that have had a big effect. Captain Tom being one of them- 100 years old and raising almost £33 million for the NHS through his efforts. There are stories like this across the world. But, my goodness, the HYPOCRITES are out in force too!!! We could not stand being parted from our beloved Furness Abbey for a moment longer, so have had two sneaky walks down there recently.

It was so quiet! Birdlife had taken over and the Texels grunted in delight at us!

Scary aren't they! Robosheep!

The dandelions have taken over at Abbey Mill Cafe. On the first day that Jackie opens, there will be queues around the block- all two metres apart of course!

We are walking about seven miles every day- we might even be slimmer at the end of the lockdown, but I doubt it; like everyone else, home cooking and home baking have become a feature of our lives. There have been no Hillman weddings, so no income and no government support for this kind of self-employment. Self-employed everywhere, we are thinking of you and how you have been overlooked. So, for now, it is Hillman Flowers instead of Hillman Weddings.... 

If you haven't already walked through How Tun Woods, I would highly recommend it. We've renamed it Furlough Way.....

….and some wonderful views from the top of the nearby quarry and golf course.

So...good points of the lockdown, 40K children's book and 90K novel written, onto memoires now; bad points of lockdown, the brown root spray goes everywhere- come back Caroline!!!

25th March, 2020- We are in the midst of a global emergency and our country is on 'lockdown'.

Further to the last blog, the world has been plunged into a global pandemic- and our country is now in the same position as many of the other worst affected countries around the world. From Monday evening, we have joined many other countries in 'locking down'- the closing of non essential businesses and services and the imposition of strong rules around isolation from other people- measures that it is hoped will flatten the peak of cases and deaths from this new and deadly virus. Sounds like the opening of a novel, but it isn't- it's reality at the moment. United Kingdom citizens have been ordered to keep to their homes as much as is possible, only going out for one blast of exercise or for essentials like shopping and medical needs. We have curtailed our walking and haven't visited Furness Abbey for some time. English Heritage have closed all their sites anyway, and Abbey Mill Café is also closed. Frontline staff in key jobs are running the country now, and trying to keep people safe and well for the foreseeable future. I have total admiration for them all. When this is all over, or at least controlled, I hope we will remember those who haven't been able to hide away and look after themselves- there are a lot of quiet heroes out there at the moment- one of which is my sister-in-law- an ICU nurse at FGH. Total admiration for them all. So, a blog full of memories of Furness Abbey- to help the good and stalwart folk of Furness to be remined of what will await us all one day!

A quick p.s.- Happy Birthday to my brother- he's the baby in the photo! and that's the east end of London in the late sixties!