Refreshed by pastoral tranquility...

It is a beauteous evening, calm and free,
the holy time is quiet as a Nun
breathless with adoration; the broad sun
Is sinking down in its tranquility;
The gentleness of heaven broods o'er the Sea:
Listen! The mighty Being is awake,
And doth with his eternal motion make
A sound like thunder--everlastingly.
Dear Child! Dear Girl! That walkest with me here,
If thou appear untouched by solemn thought,
Thy nature is not therefore less divine:
Thou liest in Abraham's bosom all the year;
And worship'st at the Temple's inner shrine,
God being with thee when we know it not.

(a sonnet of our dear Billy Wordsworth)

Despite seasonal absence of anything yellow on 'the daffodil walk', our visit to the heart of the Lake District felt like we had surreally stepped into one of Wordsworth's classical poems. However the photo above does not show me blissfully meditating on the magical surrounding beauty, softly reciting such poems, and praising our Maker, the perfect artist. No, I have flopped unable to move a muscle after dragging my unfit body over the stones on our hike ('... pant..heave...puff...wait Drewbear..pant....so steep....why won't someone build me a chair lift?...pant...) However after my city/studentness got out of my system I was prancing from peek to peek like a wee mountain goat.

It was so nice just to chat and wander aimlessly- both of us needed to rest and fresh air so much. Sheep have to be the funniest animals. They are so chilled but daft at the same time! Drew loved talking to them, even whilst they pee (see picture). We spent a day at Keswick, hiking at some waterfalls, ate lots of gingerbread in Grasmere, spent a morning rowing around a lake, zipped around on open top buses, which does crazy things to your hair.

Back in Carnforth I spent some special time with my parents and my sweet sweet friend Mary. Although we used to be neighbors, Mary and I do not get to see each other very much, as she is training to go to Uganda as a vet. Sigh, I'll miss her. She is a companion who is fun and good to the core! So many precious people who I hold so close to my heart are geographically so far away! Cat is in India, Alex in Romania, Lu in Italy, Hannah, ex- roomies, other capes buddies in Canada, sister Jillypie, Zippy, Doug and Bjorn also across the pond in the US, Sarah in Mattai's arms (which could just as well be the other side of the world!).... the list goes on! Oh well! I can not complain too much, as my dearest hubby is here.

Mary managed to rope us into performing a drama 'skit' at an old people's home hymn service. It turned out to be loads of fun. Old people are funny ('is he your gentleman? is he a gentleman? Does he give you lots of loving?' ...Two minutes later... is he your gentleman?....) This animated old lady asked Drew if he could guess what religion she was, when he couldn't she beckoned him over so she could whisper in his ear, 'I'm a sally-basher.' Drew looked a little perturbed, imagining her in a bizarre cult that searched out all the women named sally in the vicinity to bash them with their zimmerframes. He was most relieved to find out it was only a nickname for the Salvation Army!

Old people are so neglected and lonely, and many of them where so comforted by the hymns. I chatted to one 90 year old blind lady who described to me these dreams she had of heaven, and how she would be able to see again, and see the Father who was waiting for her.

I also got to spend some quality time with my parents. Mum and I had many endless mad conversations that we have nearly every night on the phone. A wonderful aspect of being married is the way that the idea 'both being wives together' stengthens the bond between daughter and mother. We also got hooked on the BBC production of the Dickens classic Bleak House, and watched every episode.

Yawn... I am getting sleepy, am off to snuggle my poorly pookie (who has the flu) I will probably write tomorrow, if I am not too weak from my fast (organized for the whole 'created?' magazine team by the new editor ... Yes, I hung up my boots!) I should be fine though, as I plan to cheat a little (sugary drinks). God and I have an understanding where I only will cut out solids (he created me with low-blood-sugar, and a propensity towards ungodly grumpiness without it)