21st April 2019...Glorious long Easter weekend!

How about that....just returned to work after the Easter break and...we break up for a long Easter weekend! Can't complain about the weather either-England is basking in 20+ degree temperatures at the moment and Furness Abbey looks beautiful.....

Lots of wild garlic and bluebells making an early appearance....

...along with a spot of morning tea at Abbey Mill Café, which was getting busy as we left- beautiful weather brings out the Barrow crowds, as always!

The senior Hillmans ventured out to Ford Park earlier in the week....

...a great place for a light stroll around the gardens and afternoon tea! We had a 'hot cross buns' meet up at Lakeside on Friday...…

...great to have extended family settled near-by! Thanks to everyone for the birthday gifts and good wishes- the furthest away one came from Australia! This came as a belated birthday present too....

...and oh my goodness me we've had some laughs trying to guess who sent it!!!!!

7th April, 2019....Lovely Lakes, Easter term Ends, Diamond Delights, and finally...Furness Abbey!

The spring sun was trying to shine this afternoon so we ventured down to Furness Abbey, surprised that we hadn't made it down for a month-I love the fact that although our favourite place alters with the seasons it is so permanent and unchanging...it will still be standing and be admired long after we've gone.....

...lots of green buds and blossom appearing finally.....

...and a quick pop-in to say hi to Jackie at Abbey Mill Café...

We've got to say congratulations to Olive and Ray Hillman (parents of the famous SteveHillmanCamera) for making it to their DIAMOND wedding anniversary.....

...great party with family and a lovely cake made by Lucie's Cake Co. too!

After all our usual Easter madness, of bingo nights (thanks Mr Irv).....

...theatre groups (thanks Image Musical Theatre)…..

…...dressing-up in yellow and green (thanks PTFA)...….

…….decorated eggs(thanks kids and parents).....

…….and breakfast bagels(don't ask!).....

…..we finally managed a few Lakes days away, at lovely Low Wood Bay!

The hotel is looking beautiful now that it is finally finished, and our room....wow!!

It's well worth a visit! We also tried out the new Windermere Jetty Steamboat museum.....

The restorations have been meticulously done- such a lot of Lake District history in one place- it's a fascinating visit....couldn't resist dropping in to our favourite Lake District place though.....

…..Blackwell is superb, as always, and it is hosting an exhibition of furniture by the Rusland Movement at the moment, with some unbelievable pieces.....

...the style looks so 'at home' in a house designed by Mackay Baillie Scott-superb!

This blog is dedicated to Furness Abbey's own Tom Burrows, who died last month...he was groundsman for as long as I can remember and Frankie was convinced he was 'Percy the Park Keeper' and that he lived in the little cottage that was the ticket office- your memory lives on Tom!

24th March, 2019.....Manic March!

In the last blog, at the end of February, we were pretty chilled out in the beautiful sunshine- finally after a frantic few weeks Mad March is coming to an end and we've almost fitted everything in- just a DIAMOND wedding anniversary and Mothering Sunday to go...plus all our usual 'end-of-term' events-Cumbria Education Authority has now fixed the Easter break to the first two weeks in April, regardless of when Easter actually falls, so we've got to do all our usual stuff this week- and Easter is nowhere to be seen!!!

It did look beautiful at Furness Abbey this morning in the early sunshine....

….a walk down here always re charges our batteries!! Lots of energy burnt off down here earlier in the week too, by some of our lovely staff and pupils...

...rolling down the side of the amphitheatre has been a 'thing' as long as I've lived in Barrow (49 years!).

Always time for a little fun at Abbey Mill Café.....

…..and some of Jackie's delicious cake! Talking of 49 years ago....this photo was taken just after we moved to Cumbria (brother number two wasn't even born!)Happy Birthday to my first brother, that's me and him holding hands outside Beatrice Potter's house- 51 tomorrow!!