the washing machineMay 31st posted by Hannah
The river along our stretch was mostly wide with a little white water to add interest but there are some decent rapids towards blacksboat. The most lively of these is known in the paddling world as 'the washing machine'. Think lots of foam and waves as big as houses. We approached with a certain amount of trepidation, two of our party having already capsized and been sent swimming on a precursor to the main event. However, as we were following Tom and he happens to be one of the best canoe coaches in the country, we stayed in our boat! This is the mighty Rich thundering down behind us. More pictures here.
bank holiday on the speyMay 30th posted by Hannah
We've spent the Bank Holiday weekend canoeing down the river Spey with the Sibbalds, Ensolls, Cookes and Owens. We enjoyed a three day journey from Boat of Garten to Blacksboat. The scenery was stunning and we paddled through pine forests spotting buzzards, heron, oyster catchers and sand martins along the way. We made two camps, the second on an island in the river which the children loved - although it was the coldest night they've ever camped out, the temperature dropped enough to make ice on the tents and our midge repellent froze in the bottle! Fortunately, the midges were frozen too. More pictures here.
right said fred, have to dig the road up,that there road is gonna have to go!May 19th posted by Hannah
We've been glued to the window for the last few days watching JCB's, tipper trucks, rollers and men in orange dig up our road. Who needs Cbeebies when you have entertainment like that outside your front door. The best bit so far was watching this road eater gobble up the old tarmac with the speed and determination of rabbits going through the lupins. The dumper truck then took away the old tarmac to be recycled which is all good.
false startsMay 15th posted by Hannah
For reasons of our own incompetence, we've found ourselves on the shore of Windermere, rather early on several Sunday mornings recently. Daniel goes swimming unspeakably early on most Sunday's but with bank holidays and school holidays and other random events, we've dragged ourselves out of bed and driven up the lake a few time lately only to find the swimming pool deserted. Having bickered a bit about who's fault it is that we're there at all, we've ended up having quite a nice time.
friday feelingMay 13th posted by Hannah
I like this photo of Dan, Lucy, Megan and Boo. They were having a funny five minutes after swimming (having raided the dressing-up box and been re-fuelled by lasagne). Dan and Boo have been coming out with some classic phrases recently, Boo is into 'high ladies shoes', and Dan likes belting out 'Our Lord's Old Gracious Queen' (following the wedding of the year). They make me smile every time they ask to listen to it in the car. There can't be many children in the country that want to sing along to the national anthem on the way to asda.
the great wallMay 8th posted by Hannah
My brother may be clambering over the Great Wall itself, but closer to home we are enjoying a great wall of our own. Over 50 dry stone wallers, from all over the country have built us 180 metres of new wall in 48 hours. Fuelled by Hawkshead beer and Wilf's butties, members of the dry stone walling association of Great Britain held their annual marathon wall-building competition here. It's been a great community event with folk of all ages helping out. As a result of their hard work, we now have a safe boundary along the new miles-without-stiles footpath.
only love can do itMay 5th posted by Hannah
We are in agreement with the Archbishop himself tonight, who has described being left with 'a very uncomfortable feeling' following the events of recent days. There have been some good quotes doing the rounds on Facebook, which you've probably already seen but for the less technical members of our extended family, the best one is here:
"Are we seeking power for power’s sake? Or are we seeking to make the world and our nation better places to live. If we seek the latter, violence can never provide the answer. The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy. Instead of diminishing evil, it multiplies it. Through violence you may murder the liar, but you cannot murder the lie, nor establish the truth. Through violence you may murder the hater, but you do not murder hate. In fact, violence merely increases hate. So it goes. Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that." ~ Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
