TUT MOORS

We are heading up to Glaisdale today to stay in a lovely hillside cottage for eight days, hoping to do a bit of trecking. Last night John and Tess took us to the theatre in York to see Beauty and the Beast, a West End production which was very good. On Tuesday night we called into the Bishopthorpe club to see Tess and John dance at the Rock and Roll club. The pace was far too fast for us. Maybe blue suede shoes are needed. We eagerly look for comments on our blog site and are starting to worry that Australia has disappeared or could it be you all have other things to do. I can't believe it. We will not have much computer access until we get to Macclesfield on 7th July, so there will be a huge gap in your lives. NOT.

RICHARDSON FALCON

Breaking News for Kerry and Gary.

At last we have evidence of the existence of the Richardson Falcon. A data sheet and photographs of two possible specimens are attached above. Reports of this species living in Australia is still speculation as it is based on only one sighting by the eminent zoologist Sir Gary Richardson in 2006!

Photographs of the front and back of our house swap in Harrogate. Please note some evidence of Sunshine.

CULTURE CULTURE AND MORE CULTURE

Today we drove to Haworth, about 30 miles away and visited the Bronte museum. It is not possible to do justice to the experience of walking around the house in which the great Bronte books were written. We had lunch in the White Lion and then bought a CD of Wuthering Heights in which Jess appeared as the young Catherine. (Jess came to Australia with Nick in 2000) This evening we went with John, Tess and Monica to an outdoor presentation of "A Comedy of Errors" in a Stately Home, North of York. We had rain throughout the day which fitted the mood of Haworth perfectly. The weather cleared in the evening, but was not the full warm sunshine which would have made the long summer evening perfect. Chicken salad, and a bottle of Vino, created a good atmosphere. The small audience and the cool evening did in no way detract from the excellent performance of the play. It was of the highest quality. We talked at length to members of the cast before and during the interval. It was a most interesting and enjoyable evening.

(1) THE RECTORY AT HAWORTH
(2) OUTDOOR THEATRE SUTTON ON FOREST

LEEDS -- KERRY WRITES -- THEN AND NOW

It's Thursday 21st June- the summer solstice, and it's raining again in Harrogate. I'm beginning to believe it does nothing else in this town! John taunts me that it is sunny and dry in York, only 18miles away. Well, I'm in need of some retail therapy. So off we go to Leeds. The story is that Leeds is the next best thing to London. Harvey Nichols has a store there now, and all the top designer brand labels have shops in brand new Shopping Malls. The train's the go, so we hop onto the 11.30 from Pannal Station and we are in Leeds half an hour later. I'm keen to see if I can still find my way to LGI(Leeds General Infirmary) where I began a short lived career in nursing. My gut feeling led me straight to the Nurses Home. It looked the same as it did 44 years ago. The only difference now is the rooms are used as offices. The student nurses all live out of the hospital. One photo shows me at the entrance to the corridor through which I walked to the wards when on duty. I don't even believe that it had seen a lick of paint in all those years!!

To the shops. We wandered to the heart of the shopping centre. Colin sat at a table in the Mall while I popped into Ted Baker to try on some clothes. He was relieved I came out empty handed. It was short lived. We found Harvey Nichols. It was his fault. He saw this beautiful Trench coat by Armani. Need I say more? Eat your heart out Loushine!! You will love it. I might let you borrow it ----in about 5 years. That was enough for today. Back to Harrogate. It was still raining!!!

GOLDILOCKS SAID THIS HOUSE SIT IS TOO BIG

The man with the horse and buggy is doing well to smile. Mum nearly wiped him out on this small motorway. This was her second road rage incident. When we visited Beningbrough Hall, (the large brick house- bottom picture), we had to traverse a small toll road which was not sign posted. Mum almost knocked the toll keeper down as he ran out of his hut. She then tried to make a quick getaway without paying. The toll keeper (about 70 years old) was not to be out-done- he picked himself up and chased her down the road to collect his 50p. Sad to say she could only rustle up 43p in change , which he gladly accepted. We are still not sure if it is an official toll way. I wish I had that sort of charm. Instead I am now the rather nervous talking GPS in the passenger seat.

We have spent the last four days looking at additional House sits. Number 1 below was in a nice setting and had stone walls but needed too much doing to it. We did try a rather small stone house ( No 2) in a deserted village, but as goldilocks said it was "Toooooo" Small. (try expanding the picture) The large brick one ( no 3) was in excellent condition had lovely gardens and lots of portraits on the walls, but required too much up-keep for just two of us. It was "tooo big" So we have settled for the house with the squirrel here in Harrogate.

(1) Fountains Abbey

(2) Harlow Carr Gardens

(3) Beningbrough Hall

After Harrogate we head to Glaisdale on The North Yorkshire Moors for eight days. and that house should be "Just Right".

IT' WERE ALWAYS RAINING ON DENLY MOOR

Saturday 16th June York Races. I had my letter of introduction from the VRC, I had my VRC members badge, I had my binoculars -- and what happens it hisses down, the river is in flood and the racing is cancelled. So all my money went on Marks and Spencer in the 3.30. The blue motionless man and I gave a rousing rendition of Danny Boy, to the denizens of Stonegate, as you can see. Went to see Aunty Heather and Peter and had a lovely Indian meal at a very palacial restaurant on the road to Malton. Authentic Indian food by-gum. Wat's tha want lad, Popadoms?On Sunday morning I pruned the roses -- you would have been proud of me Nicole! In the afternoon we walked down into Harrogate and listened to the Brighouse and Rastric brass band or similar, and now it is time for steak and kidney pie bought from the bucher in Pately Bridge.

WATER RESTRICTIONS IN HARROGATE

Heavy rain in the North of England has restricted travel - see attached photographs.

At least I am meeting my gardening obligations conscientiously.

A BIRTHDAY IN HARROGATE

On Sunday 10th June we set sail for Harrogate. Kerry drove the 300 miles from Eastbourne to Harrogate on the M23, M25, and M1 in relatively light Sunday morning traffic. This was one occasion when Englands famous motorways behaved perfectly. Harrogate is the Toorak of the West Riding of Yorkshire. The buildings are grand, the shops are lovely -- so I am told --- and so far, I have yet to see a National Health walking stick! The house is definitely business class, perfectly located looking over fields but only a downhill skip into town. The lack of traffic noise is deafening.

In a recent phone conversation, Stretch remarked that in my mention of Harrogate I had for the first time pronounced the aitch in a word. This was an undoubted achievement until I realised that my pronunciation of those less well known towns Arrogate and Rrogate also came out the same way.

Kerry had her ??th birthday yesterday. Peter and Judith drove up from Ipswich and stayed the night and John and Tess came over from York for dinner. The weather was overcast in bucket loads as can be seen from the attached photographs. However Kerry found some warmth in the seaside resort of Marks and Spencers and the after dinner photo session made up for the lack of jelly.

A VERY EASTBOURNE WEDDING ON THE DOWNS

After photographing the magnificent West front of Wells Cathedral we then progressed to Eastbourne via Salisbury and the famous Salisbury Cathederal. This Cathederal has the tallest spire in Europe and was famously painted by John Constable. My copy of the painting has now been relegated to the garden shed - but does have it's own story, almost as gripping as the garden gate.

There are no photographs of Eastbourne since it proved impossible to take one which did not contain a walking stick. Equally it would be fraudulent to brush them out as one day such a despicable act may come back to haunt me.

The wedding of David Ward to Susie was held at Upper Dicker, an old aborigine name meaning Wagga Wagga. The wedding at an old Priory was delightful and provided many photographic opportunities for the "Dress" which famously appeared in the recent Australian production Waddaweggin.

The wedding was politely English but nevertheless delightful and unique. Only the purest could attend Foranoccasion like this. The day was completed by a procession of the 130 guests led by the bride and groom to the "Long Man of Wilmington" for a champagne toast to the happy couple. The significance of this ceremony went completely over my head, but then I was not born in Upper Dicker!

SOMERSET ATTRACTIONS

Above are some of the Icons of Somerset.

The famous West wall of Wells Cathederal.

Somerset Jelly making and

Two Swells at Wells -- Lord Bruce of Hutton and Lady Martin of Beaumaris at the Bishops moat.

As can be seen the summer weather continues.

HEADING SARF

On Friday we travelled down the M1 to chesterfield ( the Cathedral with the crooked spire) and then to Macclesfield via the Derbyshire peak district. We had lunch in Buxton a very pleasant tourist town and then over the hills to Macclesfield. The view from the peaks was spectacular to the East and then to the West over Manchester and Chesire. We had a very pleasant visit with our house sit owners David, Val, Katie Andrew and Chris. A photo is attached. David organised for my laptown to work through his radio link and it worked a treat. I was able to see the radar picture of rain passing over YACK&&AH on a lap top which had no cables attached at all. AMAZING. It was P????ing down in Yack.

We are looking forward to the stay in Macclesfield, The Derbyshire peaks are a little like the Yorkshire moors less rugged but still spectacular and probably grander.

We travelled down to Weston Super Mare via the M6 and M5 with an accidental detour towards the M4 which was detected late by the resident talking GPS system in the passenger seat.

The weather here has been fine so far and we have met Molly the new Jack Russell pup. see photo. I can smell steak and kidney pie and can see two large glasses of scrumpy on the table so I will close this update.