Written while away

While we were away I did indeed have a go at writing some blog entries. However, we couldn't get internet access to publish them. The following are what I wrote when away.

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Written on Tuesday

We’ve got away & are safely settled into our cottage haven. I hadn’t realised before how near it is to not only the canal but also the M6 motorway. I’m aware of a constant buzz of traffic in the background, but at least it is just in the background.

This marina development has only recently been built. Some of it is still being built – again not unduly noisy.

For a cottage for disabled people it is poorly equipped. The wooden floors are great but the rugs are an unnecessary obstacle. The main concession seems to be the fact there is a ground floor bedroom, but I certainly wouldn’t fancy trying to cook in a kitchen where there’s barely room to turn your wheelchair to face the cooker or the fridge/freezer on the opposite wall.

More concerning is the lack of grab bars in the bathroom. It is a strain getting up from a rather low toilet. I’m having to pull myself up with either the sink – not wise as it is possible to pull the sink away from the wall – or the door handle. I’m telling myself if I cause any damage it will make them realise the inadequacy of provision they’ve made for a wheelchair user. The shower is a flat walk-in one. However, there is a glass screen around most of it, making it impossible to get a wheelchair into the shower area. Also there are no grab bars & no seat. It looks very tight to put a plastic chair in. So, no shower for me for the duration. Still we’re only here for 4 nights so I should be able to manage with just a wash for that long. If not, I’ll just have to pop home. It’s only half an hour away.

We’re coming to the conclusion that this place is a triumph of design over practicality. In the kitchen, the toaster is placed almost directly under the fire alarm. You’ve guessed it. Long before the toast is brown, the fire alarm is bleeping madly!

Despite all the disadvantages of the place, it is reasonably peaceful & stress-free. We spent a couple of pleasant hours yesterday with our friends MK & Helen. They live just a few minutes away. We’re hoping to pop in for at least a few minutes each day while we’re here. If the weather holds us, we may even try to get MK out to the pub here for a change of scene & maybe even for a meal with us.

Today is bright & sunny at the moment so we’re hoping to go to Kendal for a change & have a look at a lighting shop – we can’t entirely forget the kitchen at home! We also fancied having a look at the bookshop to see if we can find something on microwave cooking. We’ll be getting a microwave for the first time in our new kitchen, so feel we ought to give it a trial for proper cooking & not just for re-warming ready cooked meals or quick thawing of food from the freezer.

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Written on Wednesday

Having carefully tiptoed out of the bedroom in my bare feet so as not to disturb the Fox, I decide to have some toast for breakfast. I carefully move the toaster to the far end of the tiny kitchen so it wouldn’t be under the fire alarm. I think I’m doing well. The toast is turning golden brown. Then the bleeps begin. Piercingly they reverberate around the cottage. So much for not disturbing the Fox.I hastily try to silence the thing. All quiet, I settle to eating the toast & having some tea, when the alarm starts bleeping again!

Today I shall get something to have for breakfast that can be had cold – some cereals for a change maybe, after all we are on holiday of a sort.

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Written on Thursday

In the end we decide to pop over to Kirkby Lonsdale. When we were first married & lived next to the Leighton Moss bird sanctuary, we used to visit often. But now it has been several years since our last trip. We seem to remember it was in 2000 when we took a French visitor over. Time to see how it had changed we thought.

The first thing that struck us is the beauty of the scenery around. From our first home, we passed along this same route to Kirkby Lonsdale. It takes you along a country road, passed fields at present filled with baby lambs & their mothers. From the road you can get fabulous views of Ingleborough & Penn-y-Ghent, Pennine hills both. Our second home was at Arnside just a little further north, over the border into Cumbria. The route from there to Kirkby took you along the busy A65 into Yorkshire, in between the hills which blocked much of the views.

Kirkby is built in the local golden sandstone. It’s a pretty village built near the River Lune. Indeed it’s famous for Ruskin’s view, supposedly the most beautiful view in England. We didn’t bother going to the view. It’s not the easiest placed to go to in a wheelchair, with a steep slope & a flight of steps to it.

It’s an old village. Since we were last there, many of the ancient ginnels & back yards have been opened up. Shops & cafés hide down them. In many ways it is a pretty village, but I’m also struck by the fact that most of the shops are geared towards the tourist. The practical shops seem to have largely gone. There still remains a butcher, a chemist & a small Spar. A cheese shop & fancy baker have arrived, but the greengrocer, the Coop, the ironmonger, all have disappeared. Instead there seems to be an infinite variety of gift shops & eateries. It sadly seems so typical of so many picturesque villages in this country.

In the past Kirkby was full of pubs but these days many seem to have closed, be for sale or changed purpose. All this makes it a place of interest to look around if you like looking round antique shops, expensive clothes shops or are seeking some novelty for a present but not very practical for residents beyond the fact they provide employment.

The one new addition is a Booth’s supermarket on the outskirts of the village. Booth’s, a Preston based chain, tends to be a bit pricey but they do carry a wondrous range of foods. This is the supermarket for your delicacies. The shop in Kirkby is no exception. The fresh fish stall is gleaming with fish. The fresh meat is stocked mainly with local fare. Bread too is mainly from a local bakery. If you fancy trying the local damson beer Booth’s is the place to go. I’ve always thought, if ever I became rich, & there was a local largish Booth’s nearby, then that would be where I would shop. They’re always such friendly shops, stocked with some exciting products as well as the more everyday items you require. Unfortunately our nearest reasonable sized Booth’s is several miles away from our present home. So I continue going to Morrison’s most of the time.