I'm writing this on the 11th of July and it's been an eventful week! I have to report that the gas bubble in the eye that had the retina reattached after I suddenly went blind has gone, it finally vanished on Wednesday as I was travelling up Ullswater on a lake steamer. I think I might be going to be lucky, I have clear vision back but at the moment there is some distortion and double vision but they tell me that will improve over the next few months. If it happens to you, take heart! Miracles are evidently still alive and well in this modern world. I am so grateful to Mr David the surgeon at Burnley and the NHS for not asking for my bank details.
You might wonder why I was on Ullswater. Daughter Susan and I went on an adventure, we travelled on the steam-hauled Fellsman from Blackburn to Appleby with a full English breakfast on the way in the First Class dining coach. At Appleby we got off and went on a vintage bus to Ullswater for a boat trip on the lake then back to Appleby for dinner on the train as we came back over Ais Gill back home. It was a beautiful day, fluffy clouds, sunshine and a cooling breeze, the food was superb, all cooked by two chefs on the train and of course the smell of coal smoke and the sound of the Stanier locomotive blasting its way up the fell. I was particularly pleased by the fact that the locomotive wasn't what we used to call a 'Namer' but a big freight engine. The only modification to it was the fact that the wheels had been specially balanced to enable it to do high speeds. It performed well, we touched 60mph in places and from the way it barked climbing the moor the fitters had got the valve timing just right. A wonderful day!
On Tuesday there was another big event in the town, the judging of Barlick in Bloom. Apart from the wonderful flower displays thanks to the volunteers and the Town Council, I was impressed by how clean the town was and how other jobs like mending the bent traffic barriers, painting street furniture and removing clutter like old brackets on lamp posts were accomplished in time. I was even more impressed when I saw that Claire Teale and David Whipp had spent eight hours in Town Square vacuuming up small litter and cigarette ends! If attention to detail counts for anything we deserve to keep our Gold Medal.
I've said it before but I'll say it again, we have much to be thankful for and this week even the weather gods smiled on us. Perfect weather, a shower of rain on Monday night to freshen everything up and a beautiful day for the judging. It would be wrong to say that Barlick is perfect but on this weeks showing it's getting very close!
Claire and David doing a deep clean of Town Square on Sunday.
