I shall be released

Any day now....Any way how....
Margaret leaves North Road School 25th May 2010....

And before we know it the day has finally come


Leaving for work for one last time

                Andy says ta rar








    Mags arrives at Northwood School

                 

and gets down to work(?)  (picture at desk supposed to be here but censored by Mags)
 

        

   Everyone says bye

Back home with bountiful gifts

Flowers
Wine
Jigsaw?  (It's CHOCOLATES Mrs Thompson!)
A card each from all the kids, and a song.
Poems from Beryl and David

Adieu alarms
Bye Bye breakfasts at 7.30
Ciao commuting

Hello bus pass

Boris Goes West

Friday 21st May - topless convoy to Borrowdale - transport to Grange eventually and lovely walk back up the west side of Derwentwater.

Views across to Shepherd's Crag Borth Buttress.

Boris leads the way.

Sneaked in some shopping either side,
and a nosh up at the H&F to finish us off.

Remake Remodel

Pensioner's meet out west 13 May 2010.  Similar pattern to last year.  Thomski encore hors de combat (more ski fall-out) so once again in charge of pixels and bait.  Norm and the G-Man working the routes.  A nice couple of warm ups on Brown Slabs, then Donkeys Ears minus Ears.



Peter high up on Brown Slabs Arete.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTN_QQ48B-w

 Brown Slabs looming large

Final pitch of Donkey's Ears

(c) J Moss with thanks

The Lions lie down with the lambs

Lions tour 2010 was somewhat more low key than other barn storming efforts.  At least two members of the hard core party hampered by surgery and back episodes, and Steve E a late no show, something to do with boy scouts.... 

Barn (left centre), Thornthwaite farm (right centre)

So the party was distributed between the barn, a cottage on site, and a Greyhound B&B down the road.  Mike Harding’s Fell End Barn venue (can you ‘ear me at the back?) was always at the heart of things, and the recently installed wood burner was an unexpected god send.

Low key short walks were the orders from on high and after a noisy natter we headed off down to the beach to mix it with the cockles, which took us nicely to happy hour and a CJ sausage special washed down with copious shiraz.  Staggered back to the stable cottage in the dark with a clockwork torch thing!
Sunday saw us sailing across the lake (Steve’s counter Rich-plan plan) and a mooch (another Steve invention) along the shore and a visit with the Ruskins.  Lovely people.  Waitress not  sure about Steve’s new coffee stirring action...  Waved adieu to the Stockton contingent, think CJ was ready for a long lie down – left over Lions did a nice walk around the Rigg which took we happy few safely back to happy hour

Sancerre, chilli, and more Shiraz.  Light fantastic  evening, talked until late finishing with Rich’s notion that society could be fixed by a system “RESET” .  Night sky full of cosmos, and another sound sleep.

Monday dawned pinging – knocked up by barnstormers 8am – breakfast and great walk along the Cumbrian way, views across to the barn and farm.  Homeward via tea at Newby Bridge.