World Tour of Cumbria Week 2

Well we got off to a good start with week two as the Cockermouth Show was good. We didn't think it was going to be on because the weather the night before was torrential and Buzby Berkley's gang where giving it death on top of the caravan but show day turned out very warm and sunny. i sold quite a lot of Blue faced Leicester yarn , which I was quite pleased about. Carol and I have had two trips to Woolclip ( sorry can't put a link in , this computer won't let me )at Caldbeck . It's a gorgeous yarn shop run as a co-oprative by some lovely Cumbrian ladies. Needless to say we had a good spend . I got two good books about natural dyeing and carding and a load of Dyed Herdwick to make crocheted bags for the stall. We are now enjoying a rest till next Thursday so we have had lots of walks. I am really very relaxed now . Who wouldn't be when you can lie in bed of a morning and just lift the blinds and gaze On Monday DH and I spent a lovely evening at my friend Cecelia's house at Johnby , with a group of knitters crocheters and spinners.One of the Ladies showed DH how to do Tunisian Crochet . he was well impressed.It was very relaxing and the time just flew. The highlight of the evening was when her Nubean Goat decide to poke it's head through the door and check us all out.We had put in to do Dalston Show tomorrow but weren't successful . I am now glad we didn't get in as , Guess What ?????!!! it's going to pour down . So i'm going to hunker down and spin ALL day. TTFN.

World Tour of cumbria Week 1

Hi folks .Well that's the first week over. No pictures I'm afraid as I'm logging on in the library in Keswick and can't upload stuff. Anyway I'll try drawing pictures with words. We had a fantastic weekend at the Steam Gathering and the weather was absolutly gorgeous. Sales were up on last year and we seemed to be the exception in the Craft Marquee as most people had a bad weekend. I bought a fleece, to spin, off this drop dead gorgeous New Zealander . Can't wait to get it washed . Monday we moved up to our home for the next six weeks , Askew Rigg Farm , in Mungrisdale . The weather continued fine so we managed to get the awning up in record time . Jeff and Carol joined us on Wednesday after a short delay due to family matters. The weather wasn't to bad till yesterday just as No 2 son came up with the Grandchildren. It was a shame as we couldn't do much but it was nice to see them . All during last night it rained heavily and if you've ever been in a caravan when it rains you'll know it sounds like the comlpete chorus line from a Busby Berkley musical going through their routine on the roof . Suffice to say I didn't get much sleep . The best thing that has happened this week is the first of this years Pedigree Highland calves born on the farm was alittle girl and she's been called Ursula after me. I deemed this a great honour. It's great to be up in the Lakes again . Meeting up with people and lets not forget the fabulous scenery . Tomorrow we go to Cockermouth Show . TTFN

Busy Busy Busy !!!!

The past few days have been rather manic. The weekend was spent doing last minute things before we go away. The car and caravan have been duly washed and waxed . The garden has had a last minute tidy and the house was duly cleaned from top to bottom on Monday and the windows washed. Why I do all this cleaning before I go away I'll never know because when we get back and unload everything it will be like a bombs hit it and I'll have to do it all over again.

Monday evening DH took me out for a meal for our 38th wedding anniversary. It isn't our anniversary till Sunday but as we will be at a fair we celebrated early .

Monday midnight No 1 son arrived for a visit with his two sons soyesterday we all got together at DD's . This is the whole tribe , eleven of us plus two dogs , out for a walk in the park . A good thirty eight years worth.

No 2 son aged 36

No 1 son aged 37 yrs.

It was a lovely day as we don't all get together very often . It's a year and a half since the last time. I love having a big family especially when we are all together. Everyone has left now so I have just to tidy up and have a bath and relax . We are off early in the morning . Posts will be infrequent as I will have to find an Internet cafe or library where i can log on and keep you all up to speed with the World Tour of Cumbria . TTFN

St Swithin and the Royal Lancashire Show

I think St Swithin is sulking or something it's hardly stopped raining since the 15th . I think I'm going to have to haul the plans out I got from Noah last year if it carries on .This is the Royal Lancashire Show in a nutshell . Mud , mud ,and even more mud. We went to set up yesterday morning and arrived to utter chaos . Nobody knew where we had to go and if they did they didn't know which way to send us . We ended up in a tailback of vehicles for nearly and hour . The P**S UP and Brewery sprang readily to mind. Eventually we got on to the field an found the Craft Marquee to find it was still being marked out. I should have turned round there and then and come home but we didn't , we got all set up.

This morning we got up bright and early and set off only to be confronted with a sign ,saying the show was cancelled for today ,as we came off the motorway. We decided to carry on to the showground where we immediately decided to cut our losses and retrieve our stuff . It was awful and with the weather forecast giving more rain it could only get worse and I wasn't prepared to wait for their decision at 3 o'clock as to whether the rest of the show went ahead . If it went against ,that place would be like Bedlam with everybody wanting to get there stuff off the field . It would have been very stressful and I don't do stress anymore . So we managed to load all the stuff without it getting wet or muddy , came home and now plan to spend the rest of the day and weekend chilling :-)))))))

Feeling quite smug .

Further to the above post . I have just been watching the lunchtime news and the Royal Lancs

has been completely cancelled so I feel quite smug that we decided to pull out this morning . God help all those who still have to get their stuff of that showground . Back to my chillin and maybe a bit of knittin and spinnin . He He !!!!

St Swithins and all that

It's St Swithin's Day today and according to legend

St Swithins Day if thou doust rain

For forty days it shall remain ,

St Swithin's Day if thoust be fair ,

For forty days twill rain nae mair.

Well it didn't it's been gorgeous all day so hopefully the legend will be true .Look what I got today . A singer treadle sewing machine . It belonged to DH's Grandma .

His Aunt died last year and it was up in the attic neither of her two daughters wanted it and it was going to go in the skip , so I rescued it . They've only just managed to get it down and bring it over . It is now safely in my spare bedroom till I get back from my travels . It seems in good condition and I think it will just need a good clean . Can't wait to have a sew on it . I think it's about 75 years old.
All the transfers on it are like new.
Well ,all the caravan is packed and ready . I've just a few bits and pieces to put in and we're ready for off. Just a matter of doing the Royal Lancashire Show this weekend and off we jolly well go :-)))))

Long Time No Blog

I can't believe it's a week since my last blog. Unfortunately the blogs will be very sporadic for the next couple of months cos we're into the busy season. From now till mid September we have a LOT of shows. It started this weekend with the Lakeland Rose Show and to be honest I hope the rest of the shows will be better. It was a dead loss. Organisers reportedly said on Radio Cumbria that they expected in excess of 8000 visitors . It was more like 800 and they weren't interested in buying . It was a complete waste of a weekend . I could have spent it getting ready for the big trip to Cumbria. Ah ! well we live and learn. There's a few nice pics below of exhibits .Roses
Beautiful Bouquet

Gorgeous Sweet Peas . Next to pinks these are my favourites.

I spent all morning sorting stock and repacking the car ready for the Royal Lancs Show this coming weekend . Then the afternoon getting the caravan ready to leave home next Thursday .

I'm getting quite excited now . Six weeks in Cumbria. Ok I have to work but the time in between shows i'll be able to spin and knit and go for long walks . All in the peace and quiet.

Ah! well back to the sorting . It's clothes this time .

Tea Parties , Shawls and Wimbledon

I had intended doing my blog last night but i was rather tired.It was a long day. I got up early to do all the baking for my Tea Party.

Lots of cakes , which nearly didn't get baked as my useless electric oven went on the blink AGAIN and switched itself off . After much fiddling and not being able to get it back on I decided to decamp to the caravan and use the oven in there . DH had just got to the van to switch the gas on when , guess what , it swiched it's bl***y self on again . I think it knows it's being replaced by a super duper gas model when we return from Cumbria.

Everyone had arrived by twoish so we sat out in the garden as the promised rain did not materialise .
We'd been out about an hour when a huge black cloud came over and it pored down , so the party went indoors. Everyone enjoyed it especially my Grandson who took an immediate shine to my Nutty Flapjacks . When he was going he asked if he could take some home for his school buttie box. How could i refuse . In fact they all went home with goodie bags . As usual I'd made to much . The rest went to my cousin the Mechanic when I went to get an oil change for the car this morning.

I have finished the "Wicked " shawl and doesn't it look wicked. It's so warm and soft. I finished it last night as me and DH watched the marathon Men's Singles from Wimbledon .
What a match !!! I was exhausted by the time it had finished . But it was brill . One of the best matches i've seen in years .