Birthday Card & Holiday Pics

Hi Friends

I'm sorry my blog posts seem to be getting further apart, i just can't believe how this year is whizzing by. Plus holiday's in between. We went to the Lake district last week. We planned to leave by 9am but when Paul moved the car to connect to the caravan he noticed some oil on the drive, typical!.  At 7am he was on his way to the garage and hoped that they could help, and bless em! they did. They topped the oil up in the Diff ( something to do with the drive shaft ). He did say that it would need to be replaced soon especially if we are doing that long journey again, and we are! sometime next month. So that's not going to be cheap.

Paul wants to go back to the Lakes and stay at a site called Trout Beck as there are another series of mountains for him to climb.

I didn't even get to have a walk around Derwent Water, the lake along side our camp site with Paul & Half Pint as I had a fall in the caravan. Paul had already gone out for his 1st climb,when I saw the biggest hornet EVER!  and heard it, and there was no way I was going in the awning to get my craft stash until that hornet had found it's way out. So for the first afternoon I pulled the fly net over the door and I read my book with a glass of wine.

The next morning after breakfast, Paul left for his all day climb, and the awning sounded quiet so I guessed the pain in the butt hornet, ( literally ) had found his way out of the openings in the awning. I got to the table and chairs where Paul had left my stash. Then I heard that noise, I ran to the caravan steps and the hornet flew straight for my head, it was in my hair. I shook my head and waved my arms around like a lunatic, I couldn't scream in case Half Pint came and tried to take it on, it really could have hurt her it was so big. I turned to get in the caravan and by turning my slipper started to come off and as I stepped through the door the toe of my slipper caught the edge of the door frame and that was it I couldn't help myself I remember twisting my knee and catching my hand on the frame of the door and part of the work surface. I also cracked my knee on the door frame and then fell head first into the breakfast bunk, and finally landed on my right hip. I remember laying there not wanting to move because I couldn't work out which part of me hurt the most, Half Pint looked shocked and came running over to lick my tears and because I didn't move she curled up under my neck until I managed to get up. My goodness all that damage and that is without having a drink, as it was only 11am, but I did have a brandy about 3pm as I was still pretty shaken. I didn't ring Paul to come back as I knew he would be well away on his climb and I didn't want him to hurry down the mountain and him having another fall. I don't think we will ever go back to that site again as it was about 5/6 yrs ago Paul had a fall and was blue lighted off to Carlisle hospital and had a major op on his shoulder when we got home, but the main reason I said we won't go back is because we were in the same wooded area and only 2 pitches away from our caravan when Paul had his fall. Not good vibes.

I did get to have a small walk when we got to Ennerdale Water. We had taken the children over many years along with both our previous dogs  called Barney & Berkeley many times and thought it only proper to take Half Pint too. We had a lovely picnic but the rain ( only the tiniest of showers ) decided it was time to leave, but at least I got out of the caravan. I did get out again, we went to the slate mine on Honister Pass and had a house name plaque carved. Really pleased with it too.

Steph so sorry we didn't get to meet up this time, I was really looking forward to meeting you & Andy & of course Cassie . Had we not had the problems with the car the morning we should have left for our jollies and had left on time we would have got our hugs from 03-03-16 😢😢. We arrived way too late, and were off again early the next  morning to continue to the lakes. Next time we'll stop for a few days ( Hard Luck ). Even after writing my list like you said and taking 4 full boxes of goodies, I still forgot a water brush and  a stamp block. Must double check my list.

I did meet a lovely lady called Lynda in the caravan next door. She is a dog trainer & had 4 beautiful dogs with her, they were all so well behaved and so quiet you would never had known they were there. It turned out she is a crafter too. She made some beautiful beaded houses (villages ) that could be hung from the Christmas tree, and gorgeous beaded bracelets. Isn't it annoying that you find a lovely person with the same interests and you're only there over night. ( bummer! ). We did exchange emails though.

I will put some pictures of the lakes after the card just in case you would like to have a look. 

Right! on to the card. This is my sister-in-law's birthday card ( LIZ ). I thought I would make her another eclipse card.

Here Goes!

Hope you liked it.

As promised some piccies of the beautiful Lake District.


 Our pitch at Manesty, and the view from the back of the pitch. People had built a bird table so our 1st job was to buy some bird food which they all devoured.

This is a picture of the base from the slate mine. It looks like a flat road, but believe me it's not, and the road leading up to Honister slate mine is sooo steep you feel yourself leaning towards the steering wheel willing the car to move forward and not stall, It just doesn't do it justice.

The road drops from the slate mine.

This is a picnic area on Ennerdale Water I zoomed in on where we had a picnic on many occasion over our years in the Lakes, but after my fall I couldn't walk that far so we  had our picnic on the shore where Claire, Craig Barney & Berkeley had had picnics and now with little Half Pint. Such a stunning place, the photo's do not do it justice. Half Pint thought the rocks were big hills as they are so much bigger than she is.

Well, that was the 1st of our holiday's to the Lakes this year, stay tuned for the next one when Paul finds out when he can have some more time off and I can update my craft box with the items I forgot. I'd like to start on my Christmas cards next time. Hope you enjoyed the photo's.

See you back here again soon.

Lots of love & Hugs

Tina XX