28th December, 2015...Not all angels have wings!!

WATER has been the theme of this Christmas.......spare a thought for those poor people who have been affected by the Christmas/Boxing Day floods in Cumbria, Lancashire and Yorkshire...and it might not be all over yet...we had a few flood related dramas ourselves, but more of that later!

 

 

We had a lovely, quiet walk to Furness Abbey on Christmas Eve, a pot of tea and some gorgeous home baked mince pies, courtesy of Abbey Mill Café....I like most aspects of Christmas...hilarious family and friends get-togethers, nice food, time to read and watch TV dramas, winter walks and so on, but the pushing and shoving in shops I can do without...thank goodness for 'off of on-line' as my mother says (she's 74 today!).

 

 It was lovely to meet up with family, some new members and some we haven't seen for years, at Langdale Chase...what a beautiful setting and superb service and food!

 

 

 

 

 

Ladies of the manor...!

 

 

 

We did shoot off quickly at 4pm though, because the Lake District roads were starting to look slightly wet....

 

 

Boxing Day buffet for all, and throughout that time, we watched as Lancashire and the Lakes filled up with water again...by tea time, some of our guests decided it was time to head back up to Langdale before they couldn't make it.....They didn't make it, and pretty much rote off their car in a deep water flood...oops! This happened up by Highfield Farm in Dalton, and a guy with a white van saved them, towed the car out and bought them back to us. Then he waited for the recovery truck to pick up the car and signed it off! Who says angels have to have wings (yes, I read that article in the Daily mail over the holidays too!)....everyone was so grateful to this Dalton guy, Trevor, so if you know him, pass that on again...he's one of the good guys!

 

 

My poor brother and his wife were reduced to wearing Steve Hillman pyjama pants and Christmas socks by the end of Boxing Day!!

We've been grateful for our trusty Landrover this holiday too...it has helped get various people to and from the Lakes safely...definitely one of our better investments!

The Hillmans scrub up quite well when there's a party on, don't they!

 

 

 

 

Frankie got his usual huge mound of presents, including his favourite, a pair of new duck boots filled with sweets and Lucozade...Santa's so clever! So muddy down at Furness Abbey today...perfect for trying the new boots out!

 

 

 

The SteveHillman camera has been ultra busy this Christmas, five weddings over the Christmas period (including a fireman and policewoman we know, and an ex Greengate pupil bride), mainly at Abbey House, which does look particularly beautiful this Christmas.

 

 

 

Lots to think and talk about in 2016.......

 

 

 

 

 

 

21st December, 2015...Rosie's birthday blog!

End of term finally.....and it has been the most shattering term ever....no staff party for me this year....dressing gown on, cheese and crackers, sofa and catch-up watching of 'The Affair'!! Bliss!! We had our usual lovely Christingle finish to the year.......

 

.....so by Friday morning we were ready for a walk to Furness Abbey.....

 

 

...it was a lovely, peaceful way to start the holidays.....

 

 

...looking green and tranquil down here...

 

 

 

...ha ha...coming up to our 33rd anniversary of meeting this week!!! I guess you can tell that I turned out to be rather a good cook!!And,of course, Rosie is 31 today...we had an early brunch at The Custom House by way of celebration....

 

 

 

......that's me with Rosie 31 years ago!!!

 

 

We didn't have a lot back then, and I was a student (can you tell!!)...but we all inherited the Exley Eyebrows!!!

 

 

 

That's Rosie with my nan and granddad....they've been gone a long time now, but never forgotten....we often liken Frankie's temperament to my nan's!!!

 

 

When that huge golden thing appeared in the sky this morning, we did a bit of sunrise chasing, and finally caught up with it, lighting up Holbeck.....When I left school at half past eleven it was pouring again....what happened!!!

 

 

By mid day we were having a wet and windy catch up with Santa!!!

 

 

 

It is hard to believe that we are at the winter solstice...it feels positively spring like down at Furness Abbey, and I haven't had to cut my garden back at all...the Margaritas are still in full flower! Still got a few Abbey House and Last Resort catch ups with family and friends, before we are off to LANGDALE CHASE for Christmas lunch!!!!! I've even bought a dress!

 

 

 

 

Best wishes to you all...Santa will be on his way very soon!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13th December, 2015.....Furness Abbey cats and film stars on Christmas trees!

Phew...that was one of the most difficult weeks of my life...and the best fun!! I couldn't write a Christmas Show without mentioning Furness Abbey.....indeed, it had a whole scene, with the hippy 'peace and love' cat gang living there....and my colleague wrote a lovely Furness Abbey song, about communities that last!

 

We all feel as though we are living in a cave at the moment, never seeing daylight...but with the weather we have been having, I don't think there's been any daylight has there....the flooding in Lakeland was horrendous...those poor families....let's hope the current global efforts to slow down climate change do have some kind of impact....

 

 

...the Steve Hillman camera captured what happened at White Water Hotel....

 

 

 

 

...terrifying for the people who live there and devastating for local business!

 

 

We are doing our bit to help raise money for the clean up and provide resources for people affected...hope you are too! Furness Abbey seems to have escaped the worst of the flooding...it was dark and damp down there today, but not flooded...

 

 

 

 

...Abbey Mill Café was very busy with runners and walkers...it did get a little mention in our Christmas Show too!! Christmas tree festival at Dalton St Mary's church this evening....

 

 

....and this year the theme was 'At the movies'!

 

 

 

Look out for my colleague playing this role in the new year!!!! We loved the Star Wars tree...

 

 

 

 

...we've GOT to do a tree next year! Dalton is looking lovely and festive too....

 

 

 

...well...four more working days (and a trip, a panto, parties and a Christingle service still to come!) until we can break for a while...it's been a packed few months since September, and if you are not a teacher, you cannot begin to understand why a break is needed at the end of December...this is for you, Mrs J.......