Another Walk Along Whitehaven Harbour - The Last Place of an Attempted Invasion of Mainland England

Sunday saw us go out for a walk. HK suggested that we go to Whitehaven Harbour and have another look around. Apparantly there is a walk above or along the left side of the harbour. So this is where we headed. I shall start mentioning at this point how cold it was. Flipping cold. The car temp said 3 degrees. It was the coldest 3 degrees I have ever experienced.

HK surveying the harbour at the start of the walk. The sea looks cold and dark. It was. Not quite as black as Wasdale. I certainly wouldn't want to take a dip in it. Not on your nelly! Part of the shore of the harbour. At this point I was regretting not wearing my scarf.

Stood in the same place (nearly) as above, but looking in a different direction. Now I was wishing I was wearing a big wooly hat.

A bit further along. My chin was getting numb. It was as cold as it looks!

At the end of the harbour wall, you can climb up the steps and get to the very top of the harbour wall. People fish from here. Even on cold days. Nutters in my opinion. I don't care how much they like to fish or how wrapped up they are. Nutters! I thought I'd go to the top of the wall and get some good photos.

By the time I got to the top of the steps, I chickened out of going any further. I was proud of chickening out. Besides, I don't think my knees would have carried me much further as they were rapidly turning to jelly, a sure fire sign that they feel unsafe. And if my knees feel unsafe, I feel unsafe. Simples.

So this is the top of the harbour wall. I will walk along it one day. But not when my whole face is going numb with cold and my knees are like jelly.

HK doing the sensible thing with MJ and sheltering inside the harbour wall.

We returned back to terra firma post haste. Even HK said he was cold, so it must have been. I was glad that Mary-Jane was very well bundled up. Needless to say we went straight back to Ellercroft. I still hadn't thawed out by then, but a mug or two of tea did the trick. Plus lots of cuddles from Mary-Jane. And HK.

In fairness, Whitehaven and it's harbour have seen a lot of history. Did you know, in the 1770's it was the last failed place of invasion of mainland England? (Hitler didn't make it to the Mainland). This invasion attempt was led by John Paul Jones, who was originally from Kirkbean, Dumfries, and did his apprenticeship in Whitehaven. His first voyage was made to America, the country of his after adoption.

John Paul Jones led the attempted invasion on 22nd October, 1778. I'll not go into the ins and outs of the invasion. Loose talk has it that the main reason it failed was that Jones's men were in the main local men to Whitehaven and area, so when they landed they ended up going for a drink with old friends. I'm sure it didn't quite happen as simple as that, but......contrary winds have a play in it somewhere as well......

Between his death, at age 45, and 1913, Jones was buried in an ?unmarked grave in Paris. In 1913, his remains were removed to the crypt in the US Naval Academy at Annapolis.

Farleys for MJ and a Completed Scarf for Me

Mary-Jane is growing in leaps and bounds. She is very alert and inquisitive, not just looking at everything, but wanting to touch. She has taught herself an upside down back crawl, where she arches her back and uses her legs to move herself around the floor. She can cover quite a distance - and quickly if she wants to! Mary-Jane has started on Farleys. She is up to two a day (lunch and tea) and seems to love the banana flavour rusk - almost as much as what HK loves to feed her! Mary-Jane can also hold her own bottle, although we do most of the holding!

A few days ago, I finished my Yarn Gathering Baktus. I'm very pleased with the finished outcome. It is a very sentimental piece of knitting, and will be a constant reminder of Jeanette and my Yarn Gathering of Stone Knitty Friends.

It was made in Begere de France - Barisienne. It takes only one ball, and could be done a bit longer, but I wasn't sure how much longer so erred on the side of caution. Despite it being light weight, it is very warm!

So, What Happened To The Chooks?

By the time we came to move, we were sadly down to only two chooks - Sunday and Roast. Radar took poorly and died in the autumn. In Spring, one of the Modern Game over strained when laying and had to be killed. The other Modern Game, appeared to pine for her and kind of slowly went down hill after that, over a couple of months.

On New Years Eve, Sunday and Roast got boxed up, packed in the car and headed north. After a few days, Roast disappeared. We are not sure whether a rat got into the hen house at night, although there was no physical evidence of this, or whether she made a bid for freedom, I don't know. I keep still half expect to see her in the garden as if nothing at all has happened.

Sunday has taken a good week or more to settle in. She is not quite the bottom of the pecking order, but it must be a fall from grace for her. However, she is seeming to get more settled in her new home. She has sussed out that the compound is bigger for her.... and that there is a huge garden beyond that in which she can roam and peck all day.

This is Sunday on the far side of the compound, thinking she is living the high chook life!

Sunday has 8 new sisters in her new flock. Here are two. I don't think they have names.

Here are a few more. You can just see Sunday - the white thing - on the upper left.

As with all posts of chooks, Rhinog must get a mention! Rhinog has been having lots of fun since he moved. Not only has he a huge garden to play and run round in, he has House Fairies (cats that live in the house and are not allowed out) to play with and watch their every move. He and the cats are getting used to each other. Rhinog is being good with them, at worst all he does is try to follow a selected cat around the house. Oh and pinch their supper when he thinks they have finished and no-one else is watching. It's very tiring business!

Here Rhinog is, surveying his new garden, and his new feathered friends.
Rhinog and his human Grandad are in the process of adopting each other. They both happily take each other for a walk each day and come back pooped. It must be fun as Rhinogs paws and tummy get dirtier and muddier after each walk.........

A Walk and a Green Granny

Mary-Jane and I went for a walk this afternoon. We only went as far as the outskirts of the nearest village. It was on a back road and no where near as much traffic as the A595. There was no path, but this doesn't matter too much in daylight on a fairly lightly used road. I wished I had taken my camera....... next time!

HK has bought a few more things into the house, including all the DVD's. He has also unearthed my kitchen/baking utensils and trays etc, just no-where to put them in the kitchen.

I didn't make it to the new knitting group either. The day was busy, so I thought it best not to go. Will try harder next week!

The last few days outings have caught up with Mary-Jane today, she has had some good naps. On Wednesday she is due to have her second lot of immunisations, so I'm preparing for her to be kranky and feel rough for a couple of days. The Calpol is at the ready.

I want to get cracking and knit her some things - hats, gloves, bootees, cardis/jackets, dresses and cloths. Everything!! I have ordered Debbie Bliss - The baby knits book. However, I am determined to finish The Yarn Gatherers take on a Bactus (am half was through the decreases) before I start anything else. The yarn for this was a leaving gift from Jeanette, who own Yarn Gathering of Stone. It is a Begere de France, Paris I think it's called, in a shade called Granny. It's green. Just like a Granny Smith apple!

Ennerdale and Wasdale

Today, being Sunday, is the newly instated 'Family Day', where HK, MJ and I do or go somewhere as a Family. It's time set aside to be spent as a Family. The day started off very well with family cuddles in bed. This was too cute an photo opportunity to miss! MJ seems to like these cuddles although still looks bemused at times, but all the same like to have Mom and Dad close by.
We first headed off to Whitehaven to get some diesel from Morrisons - what a nightmare it is to get off that forecourt, believe me! We then headed off for Ennerdale. Ennerdale was lovely, but we never got quite close enough to the water to park up. All the signs kept on saying 'Ennerdale 1 mile or 1.5 miles or half a mile'. We just never quite got there. Bit of an odd journey. The road was single track and in some places had grass growing up the middle of it. HK said it was something like 'The Hills Have Eyes' so we kept our eyes open for home made stingers......

Apparantly we should have gone through some gates..... I think next time we may need a guide to tell us which gates and where.....

From Ennerdale we drove over Ennerdale Moor, then dropped back onto the A595 (eventually). Somewhere we picked up and followed a sign for Wasdale.

After a bit we got to Wasdale and got close enough to Wast Water to park up. We couldn't really walk MJ in her pram as the only walking place was on the road. Although it wasn't busy at all, we didn't fancy doing that. However MJ had her bottle and a look round.


Wast Water is, I think, and I need to check on this info, the deepest or it's not known how deep it is in places. It is also the darkest lake, due to the type of rock (my geology needs brushing up as well). The water indeed does look black.

When I downloaded the photos, I showed Dad, who kindly informed me that if I'd been stood a bit further down the dale then I would have seen a very famous view. Namely the three biggest peaks in the lLakes - Scafell Pike, Great Gable and Kirkfell. I'm not a 100% that the third is Kirkfell, something else that I need to find out. So I'd like to say that at least one of the peaks in this photo may be one of the three biggest peaks in the lakes. I so need to learn, early days yet, there is lots to learn!

We have decided that before we go out for a drive again, that we will try and plan in advance where we are going to go and whether it is pram friendly. We also thought about taking a picnic with us. Can't wait, roll on next Sunday!

A Jolly to Penrith

Today we went to Penrith. We got there just after 12. I did take the camera, but didn't quite get to taking any pictures, next time I shall.

I had lunch (omlette and chips followed by a take on an individual lemon meringue and ice cream) at the three crowns tea rooms. Very nice, recommdable. Afternoon tea - yes, cream scone and a brew was had at a place called Eden. Again recommendable.

Among the shops we (Mary-Jane, Mum and me) went to were a Indigo and Penrith Crafts. We picked up knitting supplies in Penrith Crafts - a knitting pattern and a Rico Knitting booklet, both for things for MJ, and a big ball of Rico Pompon yarn (in yummy purples and greens) to make MJ a pram blanket.

We also went to another shop - Just Sew - can't wait to go there again. They are one of a seemingly few shops that sell dress fabric and sewing patterns. I could have spent a fortune (if I had a fortune to spend!) The had alsorts of fabrics. The cotton dress fabrics have my name on a lot of rolls! When I have more time and space, I want to start dress making again. I was sensible today and didn't buy anything, despite lusting after at least half a dozen things, as I just don't know when that time and space will happen.

I am starting to give serious thought to going to a knitting group next week. I roughly know where one is..........

Catch-up with New Beginnings

Right, I'm back, with new resolve to write regularly and lots of stories to tell. Time is more permitting as well, as Mary-Jane settles fairly early in the evening, following that I'm not sat in front of the idiot box all evening.

On the 11th January, HK, Mary-Jane and I moved to West Cumbria. The whys and the wherefores are for another time. We are here and starting to get used to it, although in reality I think it will take a while, but we are being as positive as we can. Getting out and about lifts my spirits as much as cuddling up to HK in bed at night.

Onto the first photo - all the photos are a bit random - I made these decorations in the days running up to Christmas. They were inspired by an idea in HobbyCraft. They are very easy to make. Cut two heart shapes out of felt, I used a baking cutter as a template. On one piece, sew some buttons of your choice. Sandwich the two heart together, with some wadding or stuffing. Sew together with some thick embroidery thread, including some pretty ribbon to hang the finished thing with. Ta-da. Simples, in the words of a cute meerkat!

I'm trying to go for a walk most days, weather permitting. The fresh air is so good for MJ. This is a view of the River Calder, about a mile away from home, in the village of Calder Bridge. Calder Bridge is rather lovely. Ennerdale is about 8 miles away. I'm not quite up for an 8 mile walk (and that's in one direction!) yet.

Last Sunday, we went for a walk around Whitehaven. It was a fresh, sunny January day, so here is me being rather windswept after a walk around the harbour. We tell Mary-Jane that we have to strap her into her pram otherwise the big seagulls will swoop down, take her and carry her off to sea. She just looks bemused back at us.

Mary-Jane, about two months ago. I do like this picture. I tell her that when she wears this outfit, she turns inot a polar bear. Here she looks like a scary polar bear. I think she will grow up with some weird ideas - but lots of imagination!