Merry Yule & Goodbye 2011

What a year this has been but as the song predicated we have survived! Needless to say it was not what we expected it to be following my accident in January as I am still having on-going treatment for the leg injury. In many ways my limited mobility has prevented a number of our plans from becoming reality but with our friends around we have managed to get some major work done, mainly in the garden but also in our home.
As usual the highlights have been visitors, with Jaki. Derek and Lucy (and it did rain) in July; the Street Market stall gang (and it poured but made £300 for the event) at the end of May with a return visit for Doogie and Rod (some sunshine); then of course Frank’s sister Mary ventured south (weather was actually quite nice). I have said a lot about the wet weather but we did manage to have a couple of sunshine days for BBQ’s with the neighbours! So mention of the neighbours leads me to the two major celebrations! Elaine hit 99 at the beginning of July, and Russ and Joyce became legitimate at the end of September!

They were not alone as Paul and Jess had a wonderful wedding in June! Anne and George are very busy with George’s son Paul and his family now living next door, Nicola expecting a delivery by New Year and Fraizer into everything when helping his Dad! George & Paul made our garden design a reality in preparation for a sunny BBQ’s summer!

A big decision is to run Highfield B&B a focus being to get the house ready, with great advice from a neighbour who has done this for over six years but recently stopped owing to her sons needing their own space. Ever increasing visitors to the village gave us a clue that a little income generation would be a good idea, indeed a necessity! Marketing has been by passing the word around but early in 2012 we will need to get a proper website and link it to others.

Halloween saw us at the Game Cock helping to organise the night which was well supported to the tune of over £400 for the village hall and school. Now we look forward to 2012 with a hope of it being productive, healthy and peaceful for us all!

Halloween

After organising the children's Halloween party, Pub Quiz and Charity Auction, the small team of volunteers were well pleased at the support from everyone! Making over £400.00 for the village hall and school, the doubter, just a few, were well proved wrong. Eric and Maree provided the pies and peas, which were very good! Eric and Maree have invited us to have dinner at the Game Cock Inn, so booked for next Tuesday!
Now we look forward to Merry Yule, the New Year celebrations and 2012!

Happy Day

After all the "secret" arrangements the wedding day for Joyce and Russ arrived on Tuesday! Wonderful weather and a surprise appearance of Joyce's son Jamie that really did help the day go with emotions! So we wish them well for their future together and are grateful that they are such close neighbours to us!
While the wedding was the focus it did display what "village life" can be all about, people coming together for a shared cause. Denise & Peter provided the flowers, Anne the decorations, Kath to booze and toward the meal and ourselves the venue, wedding breakfast and bride's posie. There is an extra surpise to come but more of that later.
More mundane things now as Paul and George are starting the garden seating area soon but George has already removed most of the back porch roof ready for this to be replaced by an elevated construction. Amazed that we have not had the rain come through. Thankfully the forecast for the rest of this week is for an "Indian Summer".
New specs ordered yesterday, hospital and GP visits next week and the winter fuel ordered with rock salt! I did say mundane!

Happy Birthday to ME!

Yes another year has come and gone and what a year this has been! Last week a MRI scan so should have the results shortly; preparing for our neighbours big day on 27th and also the GCI Harry Potter night! Who says that life in the country can be boring!
Good health news is that the eye clinic appointment yesterday as all went well so do not have to attend for eight months! They did not need to do the intensive examination so happy that I was able to see properly after a couple of hours rather than taking to a darken room for 24!
Frank has applied for a job at the local Co-op so fingers crossed that shopping discount might be on the way! Needs to keep busy and earn some cash!
To celebrate being 26 (did I get those numbers the right way around?) going to Russ & Joyce tonight then George & Anne for Sunday lunch! What a fuss - lovely! So no doubt planning the garden changes with George but more immediate is the replacement of the porch roof, we hope by the end of the month but certainly before the winter weather comes along! So to all well wishes - my thanks and here is to the next 26 which satistics show that I might actually make!

More goings on

Ages since I updated but shows how busy life in the country can be! Major events being a visit from Rodders and Doogie on their way back to Edinburgh after visiting family further South. It was brilliant seeing they although it always proves to be too short a time.
We are helping organise this years Halloween Party at the Game Cock Inn, hence the picture as we are having a Harry Potter theme day and night with children's activities and pub quiz's!
In the meantime we are having to get the back porch roof redone as all the wood has rotted over the years. I suspect it's well over 30 since it was built! George and Paul are also doing this work as well as making a seating area ready for next summer.
Health wise the rehabilitation is on going so off to Airedale tomorrow (10th Sept) for a MRI Scan to see what is happening to the injury and why it is taking so long to recover. Maybe an age thing, or so I have been told, in the nicest possible way! Lots of party's and even a BBQ this weekend, weather permitting. The latest news and hush is the word, that our friendly neighbours are getting married and we are doing the wedding breakfast for them, but as I say keep that quiet!

Update & Happenings

It certainly is happening! The important news is that our neighbour Elaine was 99 years young on 3rd July and I do mean young in all senses of the word! Her niece Maggie is pictured here with the lady herself! A wonderful celebration that we all hope will set the pace for next year!On a personal note my recovery from my accident continues with physio completed I am continuing the exercises which includes driving a little, usually to to local town and back to shop! Visitors are expected coming weekend so it will be great to see Derek (without a work remit) Jaki and their three year old Lucy. Frank is working in the garden and last a couple of weekend's the Austwick Open Garden was a great boost for us to get Highfield included in the next event - two years away! The weather has been wonderful with long sunny days that have resulted in us having two BBQ's with the neighbours calling in that has resulted in getting to know each other much better! The GCI is still a focus for our patronage, indeed it seems to go from strength to strength which is good! Seasons do not seem to effect the popularity of the village with walkers and bikers calling. So more summer days and plenty to do here in the Dales!

We went Cuckoo

The Annual Street Market and Austwick Cuckoo Festival took place at the end of May and as usual our friends rallied around to make sure the event was a huge success considering the terrible weather! Rain most of the day but it did not seem to put folk off with over £9K being raised for the charity. As usual we had our bric a brac stall which raised £300 for the Street Market! More recently I've had some recurring problems with my left leg so back to the physio and GP to get it checked out. Continue with the exercises but try to take it a little easier! IT is amazing how quickly time does go and on monday Anne & George treated us to a day out to celebrate Frank's 64th! Windermere and Ambleside were looking terrific in the warm sunny weather. Bought plants for Frank's special day that he can put into the garden. Sadly the flower cherry tree had to be taken down as water had gathered at the top of the tree acting as a well and seeped into the trunk with devastating effect, although we did get a lovely blooming this spring!

Thinking of future plans as Frank and I are not working so coming to terms with retirement and perhaps looking to offer house guest rooms!

Queens see the Kings Speech

A lot has happened since my last blog with rehabilitation going well at the local physiotherapists and other medical matters getting sorted. Really good news is that although I have been having some difficulties with my eyes the consultant is clear that I am able to see within the permitted distances for driving!

Andy, Joan and Ray did a return visit to us and were amazed at the changes at Highfield! A wonderful weekend which flew past but did give me a boost, helping to restore confidence that I could cope, along with my 24/7 carer! The Ribblesdale Area Moving Picture Show (TRAMPS) are a regular visitor to the village and showed "The King's Speech" on Friday so we went along. A film for adults because I suspect of one scene, which is brilliant but at least a 12 year old can view it and the DVD is available now, with no camera tricks, gore or CGI it is a simple story of the relationship between two men, one who just happens to be the King and Emperor and another with great experience of working alongside people who stammer! There are slip up's with history as you can expect from the escapist world of film making but these can be forgiven as the powerful performances of Geoffrey Rush and Colin Firth leave measure of this! The parish hall where TRAMPS and the village volunteers have the film evenings was packed and everyone enjoyed the intervsl themed refreshement of cucumber sandwiches and coronation cakes! Shade of Mrs Bucket! Brilliant and over hundred folk there to enjoy the evening! So preparing for the next round of visitors when Austwick goes cuckoo!

Hail Mary!

Here at last is Frank's youngest sister Mary. As you can see the weather has been brilliant and her stay has been too short! We were able to get to the Game Cock Inn twice and to Colne for Boundary Mill! We are thrilled when family the genetic or alternative come to visit!

Back in action - I hope!

Transfered from Lancaster to Skipton thank goodness although first appointment there is not until Tuesday! However I am shuffling along and hope to be walking soon! Went in the car yesterday and went to Skipton and Colne with Frank's sister Mary who has been visiting since Tuesday. More to come when i get back in the routine!

Out of action

10th January I fell on black ice and was taken to Royal Lancaster Hospital -with a diagnosis of a partial rupture of the left quad! Followers will know that I torn the right on in 2006! SO in recovery with full leg to ankle plaster until 22nd February then physio! So keep in touch!

So more to come about the experience especially of the hospital "care",