Let's do it

Like everyone I was hugely saddened by the death of Victoria Wood recently; gone too young at only 62.  I'm not just sad because we've lost a huge comedic talent but also enormously sad for her 2 children.  My dad died of cancer when I was just 18 (well technically it was 2 days before my 19th birthday but either way, far too young), so I know what it's like to grow up without a parent around to see you mark the important milestones in your life.

Whilst I was of course devastated by his death, it had a huge impact on my life.  From the age of 18 I was blindingly aware that life was short and unpredictable.  We grew up in a very working class house with a lot of love but not much money and I clearly remember talk about money being put aside each month into his superannuation.  I never saw the books being balanced in but I'm pretty sure that money could have been put to good use in many other ways.  One of the overwhelming things that has stayed with me is that dad saved hard for his retirement but died before he got the chance to relax and enjoy it - and the unfairness of that has always driven me.

It's driven me to not accept mediocre in life, even if that drives the people around me a little nutty.  It's driven me to dye my hair bright colours (currently purple, red and pink) because I like it that way, it's driven me to try and make the most of every single moment, to find pleasure in the simple things rather than "things" and it's what continues to drive me as we journey on in this crazy ass new life we could only have dreamed about 10 years ago.

So many times people have said to me "I'd love to do what you're doing but..." or "I'd love to dye my hair crazy colours too but..."  But what?  It's so very easy to find excuses not to do things and hard to find the reasons to drive you forward - especially when those around you are telling you you're bonkers to even consider it.  I'm not pretending for one minute that this adventure has been plain sailing - I've been redoing the blog index this week and re-reading our early blogs when things, at times, really were desperate but do you know what?  I would do it all again in a heartbeat.

So we don't have the cash to buy the latest big car but we've achieved the dream of publishing a book - and there are two more on the way over the next couple of years.  We get to walk in beautiful countryside, write and take photos and call it work - it doesn't pay the bills yet but we're getting there.  And we get to do things like we did today - Delores needed a habitation check so we dropped her off in Ulverston and set off on the bikes for a day together in the sunshine.  We peddled all the way to Roa Island and back, stopping for lunch and snacks in the sunshine.

Bardsea Church

Beautiful windows by Wilhelmina Geddes

Birkrigg double stone cricle

Gleaston Castle

Dendron Church

Road block!

Tea.  There was cake too but we ate it all...

Of course a new car would be nice - ours makes all sorts of odd knocking and grinding noises - but it gets us from A to B (most of the time!) and we're having the most amazing adventure.  As I've been writing this blog I've also heard that Prince has died - and there have been FAR too many others this year - just all so very sad,  I know she wrote it about something rather different but really - let's do it - let's stop worrying about the small stuff and go out and have an adventure or two.  You can all watch this - I'm off to buy my copy of the Woman's Weekly...

Legless in the Lakes (Day 6)

Peel Island from Roa Island.

Finally - a day of full and glorious sunshine and no rain or ice - yay!  Things were looking so good on the garden centre avoidance front that  I did a little dance.  Not sure what I put in the food last night but everyone had developed a deep and lasting attachment to their beds so it was gone 11am before we were on the move and, to start with, we didn't move far at all.  Time to visit downtown Grange which, for a retirement town, is pretty tricky for those unsteady on their feet.  We stayed just long enough to enjoy a coffee at the wonderful At Home Bistro and to book a table there for dinner tonight.  I've waxed lyrical about them before and they really are a must visit next time you're in the area.

The closest I got to the snowy fells...

Having spent a few days in the fells mum opted for a drive out to Barrow along the coast road.  I wasn't at all sure about the shopping part but I was certainly up for the drive.  We stopped at a couple of spots along the way to admire the view and even took a spin down to the end of Roa Island to peer at Peel Island and Castle while I tried to explain to mum about the King.  Thoroughly confused we headed for Barrow.

I've never been to central Barrow before so followed the signs to the town centre parking.  Driving around the first car park I couldn't see any disabled bays but I could see a traffic warden - not always a welcome sight but on this occasion he was.  When I asked about the disabled parking I was very impressed to discover that blue badge holders get to park for 3 hours free of charge in Barrow.  YA HEAR THAT SLDC?  So we popped the badge in the window and leapt out of the car.  Well, I leapt, mum sort of slid out cursing, groaning and complaining about her knees - as Bette Davies so accurately put it "Old age ain't for sissies".  I can only imagine how frustrating it must be when your mind is fit as a fiddle but your body refuses to play ball.  I'm pretty sure I'm going to be a very grumpy old woman; unless I spend most of my twilight years embalmed in gin, which is also an option.

Lovely council building & lovely to
have free parking for the disabled.

We made our way around Barrow and, as towns go, it wasn't too bad.  Nice wide walkways with well laid pavements and lovely chrissy decs.  I asked a couple of different people directions to get us about the place and everyone I spoke to was only to happy to help, especially the nice people in Debenhams who let me remove a decoration from their tree because they'd sold out in the rest of the store.  We didn't go far but it was a pleasure to be somewhere where it was easy to get around and where cafes and public loos were within easy reach at all time.  I never normally stop for coffee when I'm out and, even though I only ever drink de-caff, I fear I shall be going cold turkey next week...

As the sun began to set we made our way to the car and, rather than take the quick route home, we pootled back along the coast road to Ulverston and managed to catch one last lovely sunset before Mum heads home tomorrow.  It's been a really interesting week for me;  I'm known for zooming around most places at high speed and I'll be honest, at times this week my soul has ached to climb the fells - which sounds dramatic, but there are many of you reading this who will understand what it's like to look at the snowy fells on a beautiful day and know you can't go up them.  It's made me more determined than ever to run (or maybe stagger) up every fell I can while I can and to enjoy every single second of being able bodied.  I am sure that one day, when I'm old and knackered (well, older and more knackered than I am now) I will be only too happy to spend my days pottering sedately around a garden centre.  Just so long as they sell gin.

Sunset looking from the Barrow to Ulverston coast road.