When we got there all seemed as ever, except Floss quietened down very quickly after we arrived, and Annie was worried about her - she had suddenly got ill, very tired, pissing blood, and the vet diagnosed kidney problems, likely fatal. This cast a bit of a shadow over the whole week - Annie loves her dogs, though having had quite a few over the years isn't too sentimental over their ultimate fate. In fact Floss got a bit better while we were there, but was mostly immobile on her mat - getting better amounted to being interested in eating and drinking.
Monday we didn't do much by popular request, I think we played Carcassonne, and I went running for 10k. It is only a week after the Brighton marathon, so I'm entitled to be not back to form, and anyway there were all these weird hill things in the way.
On tuesday Annie was kind enough to say "why don't you go out and do a big walk" and so we looked at a few maps and I decided on Helvellyn, Striding edge, which I haven't done before. And it is dead famous, so I was keen to go. And a useful test of my new-found fitness. After staring at roads and stuff, we decided (more kindness from Annie) that she could drop me off on the wast side - Glenridding, in Patterdale. We had a lunch in the local (Best Western) hotel because we'd just missed the lake steamer deadline, and after that they went down for a lake trip and I walked over the road and started up the hill. A lovely day for it, just on this side of not-too-hot, and a good walk. By Red Tarn I was happy to have a little rest ijn such a lovely spot, then pressed on to the top, since I was supposed to be on the far side in 3 hours I think but actually it took me 3:40 - I was a touch slow coming down, due to ending up with two rubbed raw little toes: memo to self: take thicker socks next time.
Wednesday was slow too - we had lunch together, then Annie went off to work at the Big House by the lake where she tour-guides, and we went off to climb - Shepherds crag, Jackdaw ridge, or at least the first pitch. Before that we had coffee (well I did, the kids had whatever) at High Lodore farm, which is a wonderful place for a sit in the sun. I'd forgotten how hard it is to climb with kids and only one adult - no luxury of M to belay (so D did, and I had to be very sure not to fall off) or anyone to look after the knots on their harnesses. But, it all worked - and there is a good tree to ab off, though I admit to some nervousness about it, especially after Alderly Edge. D did more - E was in one of her not-really-happy-to-abseil moods, so didn't do too much. But she did take lots of pix while D was climbing. And after that, we had more coffee.
Thursday was another slow day. The previous evening, while I'd been sitting out having coffee in the sun (the kids had the TV on of course, that is one of the attractions of being at Annie's, and I prefer to not be in the room if possible) when the paperboy (after exclaiming over my kindle) told me I had an "egg" in my tire. And so, on closer inspection, I did - a distinct outwards bulge. So Annie recommneded the garage by the supermarket in Cockermouth as likely-honest, so off I went, and they fixed it (sweet-talking me into saving money by using some not-a-known-but-just-as-good-honest-guv tires, since they didn't have the Michellins in stock) while I wandered round Cockermouth. Which doesn't, to the unthinking eye, show any great signs of the huge floods of yesteryear. After that I was free and so went for a stroll by the seaside, just walking up and then down the beach, thinking whatever thoughts I thought.
And then, it was time to drive home, so I did, not forgetting the children, but forgetting the maps Annie had lent me, and which I've only just got round to posting back again. Over the next weekend we went to Mother's.
That is the story of the trip in terms of events. I should try to tell it in terms of thoughts and feelings and stuff too. But it is more than a month past. I remember it as pleasantly quiet and relaxed. It is nice to be somewhere else, where I'm not expected to do anything, and the kids can relax, and I can play with them a bit but not too much. In the evening I'd talk with Annie a bit - or she would watch TV - and we'd worry about Floss.
Refs
* Helvellyn post on Stoat
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