6th December, 2015.....Greengate's Christmas song for Furness Abbey!

More than three weeks since we got down to Furness Abbey for a walk....but it certainly hasn't been forgotten!! The Hillman/Sadler annual (and original) Christmas Show takes place this week, and a whole scene is devoted to Furness Abbey...it's a Barrow turf wars story featuring Rollo, Baz I, Sowerby, Hawcoat, Furness Abbey and Walney! Enough said....you'll have to watch!! We couldn't do it without the support of some wonderful colleagues though, and 120 fantastic kids too!

 

No chance of snow like this today...Hurricane Desmond has seen to that! I think we've got off lightly in Barrow (although there wasn't a single Sunday paper to be had anywhere today!)...those poor residents of the Eden Valley, Keswick and Cockermouth...my mother in law is stuck in Blackpool because there is no way in or out of Furness at the moment!

 

 

Poor old deserted Barrow town centre yesterday....run up to Christmas and business is terrible!

 

 

 

The sun did come out briefly this afternoon, but look at the beck.......

 

 

...it looked as though the banks had overflowed at some point yesterday!

 

 

 

As always, in the weeks before Christmas, we have been involved in all sorts of fund raising events....our Christmas Fair was bulging at the seams and raised just short of £800....

 

 

...and we did have a rather stylish Santa and elf to support us....

 

 

......and some wonderful tea ladies!

 

 

Then there was Christmas Jumper Day, raising money for the Barrow Foodbank....

 

 

 

...we are supporting them in their 'Wheelie Bin Challenge' so they will be at Rollo at 2.30pm on Friday if you wanted to turn up and donate!

 

 

...thank you cards sent for generous local businesses who support our school.....

 

 

... and all that BEFORE our Christmas Shows, Nativity and Christingle service... no wonder we all look shattered! Great fun though, and it makes you realise what a massive hole would be left in our community if Rollo wasn't there.....

 

 

Don't forget to look at the updated SteveHillman website..... here's his Penrith venue a couple of weeks ago...when he got to Roundthorn there was a powdering of snow on the ground!

 

www.shphotographer.co.uk

 

 

Hope the lovely, festive feeling lasts!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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!!