Week 10 17th to 23rd Dec

Monday 17th December – day 58
Last week Moi returned from Abim and she is to join us in Ambleside today, after a weekend up

in Scotland. We decided to do, hopefully, the final bits of Christmas shopping in Kendal, until it was time to pick her up at the railway station. Back to the flat after the pick up, for a lovely cup of tea by the fire, and watch the sun go down over Loughrigg from our sitting room window.

Tuesday 18th December - day 59

Woke to a brilliant, clear bright and crisp morning, and a walk was planned!! With the sun on our backs we set off for Clappersgate, up Loughrigg, over the fell and then down to Elterwater, where we stopped for a while to enjoy a well earned pint (or two) at the Britannia Arms before catching the bus back to Ambleside and into the Golden Rule for a final pint, before (carrying Moi) home for supper and a little whiskey! .

Wednesday 19th December – day 60

Off to Keswick today, on another beautifully crisp, clear day, the frost is really making its presence felt, so much need to wrap up warmly before venturing out for the walk. Parked up at Grange and walked along Derwentwater towards Keswick. The scenes were breathtaking with the frost making everything a real winter wonderland. The walk was punctuated with Moi taking photographs of the ice and frost for her friends back in Africa, and showing Helen the finer points of photography. Eventually we returned to the car and back into Keswick and The Dog and Gun (and yes a pint or two to restored the inner beings).

Thursday 20th December – day 61

Hannah joined us today so we all enjoyed a lazy morning until it was time to pick her up from the station at Oxenholme. After the pick up we went to Lakeland Plastics for tea and cakes. After which we spent a silly ½ hour checking out all of Lakelands amazing array of domestic must haves, and Chris was tempted by some tea pot doilies, designed to put round the spout to catch tea drips, but we restrained him!

Friday 21st December – day 62
So sad to leave the flat today it has been quite magical up here again, but we must press on to Clitheroe and Christmas. But still managed to end our lovely holiday with Lunch at Lucy’s for all four of us.
Drove down to Clitheroe and dropped the girls, Moi and Hannah, at Clitheroe Station for their onward journeys to Oxford and Manchester respectively. Then we moved on to Ali and Vic to stay for a few days.

Saturday 22nd December – day 63

Completed all our Christmas preparations, wrapping presents and card writing all while Ali and Vic were out shopping. Then as evening approached we made ourselves ready to visit the old converted cinema in Clitheroe to see a band called the Swing Commanders. We managed to get
there early, a very neat trick for us, and got a good table midway between band and bar. Not quite sure if the organisers had got themselves properly sorted out, as they ran out of draft beer and the alternatives were few. Unfortunately the wine available was a little rough; thank heavens we managed to bring in our own bottle, but opening it was a covert operation as “take your own” was banned as Helen found out when she went innocently to the bar to ask for an empty glass. However the band was excellent and very enthusiastic and got all of us up and dancing at various times. Supporting the band was a dance troupe that gave some exhibition dances of the era, jive, swing, walking and jitterbug, but what was really amazing the average age must have been about 65, hurrah for them.

Sunday 23rd December – day 64

Chris’s birthday today, but only a trip to Manchester planned, no shopping but lunching with Hannah and her boyfriend Steve, so parked up in suburbia and caught the tram into Manchester Piccadilly, a very easy way into town and thoroughly recommended. We met up with Hannah and Steve at that now old favourite - Wagamama’s, and a really nice lunch of Japanese fresh/fast food. Hannah was heavily laden as she was going on to Malmesbury, but they still had shopping to do and Steve’s arms were growing longer by the minute. After Lunch we left Hannah and Steve, and went for an explore of the local Manchester area, where we found another large Ferris Wheel (in the style of the London Eye) lit up in white and ultra violet. We watched this for a while and then returned to the tram stop in Piccadilly to start our return journey to Clitheroe and Ali and Vic.