Halloween Party!

This afternoon, Titus dressed as a pumpkin man and Cora a Rapunzel princess, we ventured to our friend, Sarah’s home, for a Halloween Party! We enjoyed making and eating goolish treats! Sarah even had “Mummy” pass the parcel as a game to play! Johnny played Halloween music to play statues. And after the children ate, most drew pictures before settling in to watch “Hotel Transylvania”. By 6pm, Titus was shattered and ready to leave. So, we helped tidy up and then drove on home to sit in the dark and not answer our door for Trick-or-Treaters. I’d say this was a great Halloween in between all of our packing!

Return from Lake District through Settle

Thankfully, Ryan’s eye was much better Tuesday morning when we had scheduled to return home! Therefore, he was able to put his contact in and drive us home! Thank the Lord! Ryan also felt well enough for us to pause and show my Mum Settle! We love this village nestled in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales. It even happened to be market day. So, we enjoyed popping in and out of market stalls and shops to show Mum around. We took her to our favourite bakery…”Ye Old Naked Man”! Unfortunately we had to take our baked goods outside and eat them in the rain, but we enjoyed them nonetheless. Mum found some souvenirs and we bought some fruit and veg. Then we piled into the car to drive back to Leeds.

Once home, we settled in and began the washing and Ryan rested his eye. Later this day, Ryan went to his eye doctor whom confirmed he indeed has an ulcer on his eye. He was prescribed drops and referred the next day to St. James Hospital for another doctor to look as his eye. The wait was frustratingly delayed, but at least the doctor prescribed different eye drops and advised Ryan not to wear contacts for a while. We thank you for your prayers for Ryan as he is much better now!

World of Beatrix Potter

Ryan unfortunately awoke Monday morning with an irritated, burning, painful eye. And, much to his dismay, his glasses had been left at home! Therefore, he could not take out his contact, except to clean it, since he cannot see otherwise.

Ryan awaited in our car for the tyre repairman, whom arrived 90 minutes later to fix the previous day’s sidewall puncture. During this, the kids and I made our way once again to the salt marsh seaside! Titus had brought a net from the cottage and each took turns netting crabs and seaweed. It was a good thing this was our second time at this Irish Sea estuary because the tide was coming in and no sand nor seashells could be seen. Ryan met us at the salt marsh and walked us to the car for our drive to Lake Windermere.

We ate lunch in our car on the drive to Hill Top Farm. This farm is where Beatrix Potter lived and wrote several of her beloved children’s stories. It was raining and no parking was to be had, so Ryan let me out of the car long enough to walk up to the house and get a photo. Seeing Hill Top has been on my bucket list since I was a young girl!

From here we drove to the ferry and queued to board staying in our car. The kids loved it as this was their first time on a ferry! Ten minutes later, we drove off to the World of Beatrix Potter. This was heaven for Cora and Titus as, after seeing a brief historic film, roamed through the recreation of stuffed figures and painted sets from Beatrix Potter’s many books! We tried to have high tea in the tea room, but they were sold out of most of their cakes and scones.

We also walked some of the shops around this museum and then decided, since Ryan’s eye was getting worse, to drive home. However, we decided to stay our final night in the cottage as it is worse on Ryan, due to oncoming traffic headlights, and hard on me to drive the dark, winding, narrow roads. At one point we had called an emergency clinic, but it as a dark 20 miles drive on narrow roads. We bandaged Ryan’s eye, to help with the light sensitivity, and he got some much needed rest.

The next morning, an answer to many prayers, Ryan awoke with his eye feeling MUCH better! He was able to put his contact back in and comfortably drive us home via Settle, which we gratefully enjoyed!

Lake District Adventure

This morning we set off with every intention of visiting Hill Top Farm and The World of Beatrix Potter. However, the Lord had something different in mind. Twelve miles down a B road in the middle of the Grizedale Forest, we met an oncoming Land Rover and, forced to the side, we punctured the sidewalk of our front left tyre with rocks hidden in the hedgerow! Thankfully there was a place to pull over and we were able to find mobile reception in order to ring our recovery assistance. We parked right near horses, which Cora and Titus were thrilled to pet! We also walked the forest and discovered gorgeous moss covered trees, a moss covered statue of an owl, and played in the waterfalls! Before we knew it, the recovery service was here and he was loading up our car. Titus really enjoyed the lift he gave us in his car carrier! The lanes felt even more narrow as we traveled them in his huge vehicle and almost bumped mirrors with an oncoming car! The car carrier operator said this patch of road, upon which we were hung up, is frequently causing flat tyres.

Once safely home once again in the cottage, we ate lunch and ventured out walking in 27mph or more winds to the seaside. Cora and Titus enjoyed chasing sheep in the pasture as Ryan went the opposite direction in search of groceries (as this hamlet has no nearby shops nor restaurants). We felt really provided for by the Lord as Ryan was able to obtain much needed groceries five minutes before the shop (1 mile walk away) closed! The marshy estuary was breathtaking with its rolling green mounds and hiding holes in which creatures visited. Titus finally found a live crab, which he had been wanting to see for ages! We collected seashells and even taught the children how to properly cross railroad tracks just to get there! At one point, Cora said to me, “this is the best day ever”! Not bad, I must admit, for following plan “B” (literally) today!

Lake District…A First Visit!

My Mother’s plane was delayed two hours, but nonetheless we were so happy to greet her at the Manchester Airport! After hugs all around, we loaded her suitcases and piled into the car to drive to the infamous Lake District! By 3:30pm we arrived in Ulverston, which we were told was to be the last shops and pubs available before driving on to our cottage. We saw Laurel and Hardy, without entering their museum, and the largest inedible pumpkin we have ever seen! It took some determination, but we finally found a delicious Traditional Fish and Chips restaurant where we all sat at a high counter to enjoy our tea (dinner)! Cora, decidedly shattered, urged us on to our first glimpse at our three night self-cater titled “The Cottage” (many homes are named here). To find our cottage we had to travel the narrowest of country roads, as the ferns touched our car on both sides, thankful we did not meet another car as there would have been an impasse! This cottage is just what we need for a relaxing weekend touring where Beautrix Potter once lived. The kids even have a bunk bed! More to come as we explore this beautiful land…

Wacky Warehouse

Sunday, after church, Titus and Cora were invited to Jake’s birthday party. Jake is a close friend of Titus. Jake’s party took place at a local pub which also has an indoor and outdoor play area. Inside each child was presented with a wrist band for identification, asked to remove their shoes, and then let loose in the ball pit, slide, etc. The parents stood drinking coffee and trying to talk to each other, although it was a bit difficult to be heard over the roar of the children. 😃 All children queued for face painting, with Cora and Titus leading the way! Since the day prior Cora and Titus had watched the movie “Hotel Transylvania”, Cora asked to be painted like a vampire (minus the blood) and Titus wanted to be painted like a pumpkin man. ☺️ Doing this, Cora started a trend where all the little girls wanted to be painted like vampires! How funny since she really isn’t keen on anything scary!

After an hour of play, the kids were ushered to the table and presented with an abundance of good food: sausages, sandwiches, veg, fish sticks, and more. Jake was seated in a throne chair at the head of the table with Cora and Titus placing themselves on each side. Jake had a great birthday cake that was Spider-Man with Hulk’s fist punching through!

On the way out the door, each child was given a party bag and activity kit to take home. It was a nice sunny day, so the children then played on the outside play equipment. Noticing their exhaustion, we said our thanks and goodbyes. Then we drove on to visit our pastor and his wife whom live nearby. After a cuppa, we returned home to watch Doctor Who. By 6:00pm, Titus sat dazed over his food and Cora was crying from exhaustion (bless her!). Therefore, it was to bed early for all!

Harvest…

is celebrated this time of year at school and at church. Harvest is a time of thanksgiving for God’s provision and sharing with those in need. Each student brought food to put on the Harvest Table. These items are then donated to those in need at a local food bank. Friday morning’s weekly assembly had every student in Cora’s and Titus’s school singing, playing instruments, and reciting poetry for Harvest. Titus sang a song “someone’s bought a loaf of bread to put on the harvest table”. Cora recited the “Little Red Hen” poem dressed with black cat ears…too cute! Both of them earned blue badges this week and Titus always puffs out his chest to show his badge proudly. 😊 There were other songs sang thanking God and even a British poem recited, which I had read to Cora and Titus prior to moving here!

On Sunday, each family brought food to put on the Harvest Table as we sang songs and prayed thanks to God for all His provision. These food items were donated to Caring for Life, a local charity helping those in need.

I love this time of year when the gorgeous, colourful leaves fall and we harvest and think of others!

Freshers Week and Term Beginnings

It has been too long since I last blogged, for which I do apologise! However, perhaps that is an indication of how busy this term has been thus far! Freshers week, the first week Freshmen return to Uni, had us handing out coffee and tea to students in front of our church. This was strategic since our church building is on the Leeds Beckett (formally Leeds Met) University city campus and nearby Leeds Uni! Handing out free coffee and teas helped us publicise our church student weekly cafe, weekly events, and a Texas Line Dancing student event. At the end of Freshers week, we had about 80 students/volunteers attend the Texas night where we had free chili con carne and cornbread for students to eat prior to dancing. On Sunday morning we had loads of cakes for students to eat after service with their usual tea or coffee. This was a great start to the first week of term!

The last few Tuesday mornings we have held Crossroads, which is our weekly distribution of hot cocoa and biscuits to Leeds Beckett Headingley students, to let them know the chaplaincy is available to them. Yes, we even stand outside even in the cold rain to bless each student’s day! 😊 Yesterday we also distributed various “thoughts of the day” on business cards as a way to get students to talk amongst themselves about spiritual as well as secular sayings. Our prayer is for students to return on Tuesday conversing about these “thoughts of the day”. Many students have said Crossroads is such a great way to start their day!