The best laid plans of dogs...

...and men, and women! It seemed like a good idea a week ago to meet up with four friends, three dogs and possibly even a further two friends and a baby for a New Year's Day walk. We decided on Grizedale Forest Park and found our way there today with few problems save the ice-rink of a carpark. Our friends and the dogs fared less well unfortunately as an imaginative satnav sent them down a backroad that, with one cresting of a hill, turned into a toboggan run complete with car shaped toboggan. One call to the emergency services later and some advice from a policeman about how to get out of the situation safely and they decided to head for safer ground. The friends with baby were still frazzled from a less than restful night so decided on other plans. Which just left us to enjoy a slippery but very pretty walk. The end of the day saw us reunited with friends and dogs and enjoying a hearty pub meal, which can never be a bad way to end the day, even if it was just round the corner from us, rather than in the Lake District as planned.

Happy New Year

Our fortunes have definitely been mixed this year, but I think it's safe to say that good has always come out of the bad in the end. It seems somehow appropriate, therefore, that we spent the morning of this, the last day of what's been a tough year for many, getting our first glimpse of this little fella or gal. All being well July next year will mean another change for our family, only this time we had a bit more influence in making it happen. Happy New Year everyone!

Baby it's cold outside

We've had a great festive season. This included some time spent at the farm, which thanks to an impromptu blogging session you can now read about here. The festive weather continues and although there hasn't been any snow it's still very chilly. The pics, then, are to try and engender a cosy feeling. We found this pattern book when tidying up today- I made the men's sweater for him indoors a few years back (minus the bobbles!) and in pure wool it's a warm up and a workout in one to wear! Meanwhile, I'm back on the Fairisle again, having forgiven myself for the misread pattern debacle.

23rd of Advent

What with travelling to see friends and relatives, preparing food in advance and decorating the house, it's been a lovely, hectic few weeks. The last thing I expected was to feel sad at the little lull that's happened early this week: C being back at work, our usual pals having gone away for Christmas and nothing really much to do. It was twice the good news, then, when I got an unexpected call from an old friend, who is currently staying (as she described it) 'halfway to where you are compared to when I'm in London'. That's still five hours drive in some nasty weather, but she insisted that she wanted to take advantage of the fact and come and see us. Now that's friendship- all that travelling for an overnight stop!
It was tempting, with the sun shining, to try and go up to the Lakes. However, I've learned now that a few miles and a bit of altitude makes a lot of difference, especially in winter weather, so we stuck close to home and went back to Conishead Priory. The woods were magical in the frost-crusted snow, made more so by the decorated pine tree near the beach. It was covered in messages from whichever elves bring baubles and tinsel into the woods- presumably those who work at the Priory.
The shingle beach was transformed by its snowy blanket and the bay as still as I have ever seen it. Even with the wide selection of joyful dogs we met and a fascinated toddler it was icy tranquility. We rounded it off with lunch at the ever-wonderful Gillam's Tea Room before our intrepid explorer set off on her homeward journey.

21st of Advent

Christmas- or at least the Christmas fruit and veg box- came earlier than expected today.Brussels sprouts on their stalks, chunky carrots and parsnips, fresh thyme and rosemary, organic oranges and lemons and much more. Not to mention some Creamy Lancashire and Cheddar cheese. Howbarrow Organic has done us proud. This being the first time I am not just cooking but also hosting at home for Christmas last night I wrote a plan, with timings, for the big day. Not including the list of things to get out of the freezer and other preparations on Christmas Eve there are nineteen separate instructions. NINETEEN! And somewhere amongst this I need to open presents and be of good cheer. Actually I'm really looking forward to it and now that I've got it all worked out I'm pretty confident it will all go fine, just as long as I don't chop any more fingers between now and Christmas day...

19th of Advent

The food is sorted (apart from the veg box which arrives on Wednesday) and squeezed into the fridge and freezer- although with the temperature in our kitchen we could just keep it on the floor! The presents are bought/made and (mostly) wrapped. The cards are posted. The house is decorated. All this meant that today, instead of braving the shops at Christmas we could escape up to Coniston for one of our favourite walks to Torver jetty. It's the first time we've been walking properly since the floods and know that lots of lovely walks have been damaged or swept away altogether, but thankfully this one is unaffected. It was mighty cold so we ate lunch huddled in the car, but the weather meant we got to park in the free spaces and had the place almost to ourselves, save a few brave dog walkers and swans. Then to top it all off- snow! We've missed out on this particular brand of winter magic so far, being the wrong side of the country, but now we feel Christmas really is on its way!

Advent update

We've been doing some early Christmas visiting so preparations in own household have got a bit behind, but today the Festive Season really arrived in our home. With handmade contributions from various members of the family and a pot-grown tree which we hope to keep alive for at least a couple of years, we're keeping the cold out and the good cheer in. It seems that despite our moving so far North everyone else in the country has snow apart from us- but fingers crossed!