Time for a Rest

Wherever there's a crochet blanket around our house, you'll find a cat. Bertie is spending the good weather  sleeping things off and I wish I could join him some days. Thank goodness the holidays are here. The past few weeks have been an endless whirl of plays, concerts, trips, fairs, open gardens, maypole practices, fetes, services you name it. We're shattered!

And rather ambitiously we thought we were up to dashing off up the motorway with the caravan for the weekend just as school rolled up. Luckily it was a smashing time but tempers were a bit frayed and I think tiredness had a big part to play in it. Not all the time though thankfully. On Saturday afternoon we sat by the cooling water of Windermere enjoying the return of summer at long last. Bliss.

A weekend in the busiest corner of the Lake District with thousands of other people isn't exactly our usual recipe for relaxation, but the chance for the boys to see the Air Show again, over the Lake, was too good to miss. We managed to find a few more peaceful havens (honestly the lakeside did a very good impression of Oxford Street on the first day of the sales!) and enjoyed the peace of a grand hotel's gardens with space to play, demolish several ice creams and marvel at the aerial acrobatics.

Most brilliantly we finally got to see the Battle of Britain memorial flight which was cancelled thanks to bucketing rain the last time we came up.

Seeing the immense scale of the Lancaster and the agility and speed of its Little Friends, the Spitfire and Hurricane, was immensely moving and very spine tingling for a girl who hails from the same neck of the woods as the Spitfire's memorable designer, Reginald Mitchell.

But the highlight of our 48 hours away was being out on the water. The people, noise, queues and bustle all disappeared while we (well Woody actually I was far too relaxed!) rowed some of the long reaches of this famous Lake, sliding past huge, great gin palaces, secret islands, old fashioned elegant yachts and smaller pleasure craft.

I'll remember our relaxing hour on the water for such a long time. Now we're back home and a more peaceful air is slowly descending on the house.

Summer is high, the relaxing can begin and goodness its not before time. But look, someone is awake and ready for tea. Better push off or I'll never get a minute's peace. Take care. Xxx