Information for general consumption

Ok, I finally found a computer that I can use for a few minutes, but cousin Kenneth came just as I started this and kept us talking for a couple of hours, then Kathy (that is mother to some of you) had to read all the mail we have been getting (that is, all the mail that I decided to show her), so it is getting rather late, now. I will write as much as I can.

Since I last sent you any information we have travelled a long way. We went back to Northumberland after the soccer grudge match in Sheffield with cousin Les (it was great) and John decided that he should make a list of all the wonderful things in northern England that we should see and do. They took us to the Lake District (Cumberland) for a day. There are lots of lakes there, strangely enough. And rabbits. And sheep. It is a very beautiful place. For dinner there we had fish and chips in a nice restaurant by the side of Lake Windermere.

They were busy on the weekend because they have to tabulate all the information from all the racecourses and send their data to the newspapers and bookies and all. We took the Skoda (it's a Volkswagen) up the coast to Seahouses on Sunday and went on a boat ride to the Farne Islands. There were thousands of seabirds building nests; puffins, kittywakes, guillemots, razorbills, and shag (really, it's a bird! Honest!). We took an afternoon boat because that one was supposed to have a bathroom on board (we are big on bathrooms these days - I'm on a football tour, mother is on a bathroom tour). It turned out not to have one, but it didn't matter because we stopped on an island that had one. It seems a bit redundant as the birds do it everywhere. Anyway, we decided to have lunch before we went. Mother saw a cafe offering all-day breakfasts, so we went in. There was a big English breakfast and a regular one. The big one had two of everything; eggs, bacon, sausages, fried potato, black pudding and very greasy toast. Mother had that one because she wanted to try black pudding. I ordered the small one, but ended up eating most of her's, of course. Then we went on the boat ride. I'm glad it was a calm day, because that breakfast had my stomach thinking bad thoughts the whole time. We saw fulmers and great big gannets flying overhead, but mother really wanted to see puffins. The skipper said that there were thousands the day before, but we only saw three (actually, I only saw two, but mother claims she saw one dive down a nesting hole before I could turn my head - I was probably still thinking about the black pudding - and I believe her, of course). The skags and kittiwakes sat and posed on the cliffs just a foot or so away from us, so we have lots of pictures of them. There is a picture of a puffin, but it is on the top of a castle and it is hard to pick out. It looks just like another gargoyle (look that one up - castles are crawling with them and they are featured in Harry Potter movies).
After we got back from the boat ride we drove on, took a picture of another castle (the place is crawling with them and they are all, apparently, featured in those same Harry Potter movies). Further on we found our way to a far-out place called Ross Links, grass-covered sand dunes mounded by the wind just behind every beach. Dozens of skylarks fluttered and sang over us wherever we went.
We had to get back quickly, though, because J&J were taking us out for fish and chips and we didn't want to be late. It was a good job we had that walk to work off the breakfast, because there was a big plateful of f&c to wolf down.

The next day they took us to Earl Grey's castle at Howick Hall for afternoon cream tea (Earl Grey, of course). Apparently the earl had to open a tea room to pay for the castle. It takes a lot of cash to run a castle properly (that is why they rent them out so often for movies - such as Harry Potter).

The next, and last day with the Whitleys, we drove down to Whitby in the Beamer. Good cars those Beamers. They get a lot more respect than the Skodas. It was a long drive, but worth it (because I didn't pay for the petrol at £1 a litre) for the fish and chips at the end of the day. They were even better than at Beadnell. That was partly because the restaurant, called Trenchers, has actual chefs who cook (if that is what a chef does - actually, chefs create, don't they) the fish and chips, and partly because of the wonderful bathrooms in the restaurant (gleaming in marble with cologne dripping from the dispensers - mother liked the bathroom more than she liked the fish and chips. Keri, you would love this bathroom, too). We had a great drive over the North Yorkshire moors and saw where 'Heartbeat' was being filmed in a place called Goathland (sort of like an English version of the 'Beachcombers,' but up on the moors, if you know what I mean). We visited a couple more secluded little seaside villages down long, narrow winding streets to the waterfront. Great little places. We never would have found them on our own.

Then back to our own little bungalow home to pack.

Yesterday we said goodbye to J&J at the Alnwick bus station and came to Wickersley. My cousin, Ann and her husband Ben picked us up and installed us in a very comfortable room with our own bathroom. Great digs, though having our own bungalow at Beadnell was hard to beat.
I don't know how we are going to exist with out the Skoda.

Today we found cousin Doreen who took us around the village to see all the changes, then down the Listerdale woods. The bluebells are just starting to flower. Before we leave they should be in full bloom. Doreen took us to a pub and we had pub grub (and my first glass of Stones). Then we went back to her house and looked at old photographs all afternoon.

There, I finished it. Before sunrise, too.

Please look after our little girls. Mother saw the pictures Polly sent and got all teary-eyed again.

Home in a week (mother's birthday).

Grandma and Grandad