Haematology to Ullswater!

As my wife and I waited patiently for my appointment with the Consultant, already half an hour late at 9.45, a group of gallant climbers were scaling the dizzy heights of 'Gummers How' overlooking Windermere.

The arrangement with my eldest daughter and family was that after my appointment we would drive up the M6 to Penrith, do a left and left again and meet at the National Trust site of Aira Force, a lovely waterfall on the shores of Ullswater.

They meanwhile, would, if they survived the climb, travel along the eastern shore of Windermere and then from Bowness head over the Kirkstone Pass, into Patterdale and thence to Aira Force to meet up with the illustrious grandparents.

'Skimmers' from the beach

Best laid plans and all that...when got to Aira Force the car park was full, so we speedily  changed our plans and met at Glenridding where we had some refreshment. We would then try to find somewhere that would interest my two grandsons ie., a beach by the lake.

Can't beat getting your feet wet!

Serious dam building.

This we were fortunate in doing and it was where we parked on the shore of Ullswater, at Glencoyne Wood, that William Wordsworth was inspired to write possibly the most famous lines of poetry in the English language: 'I wandered lonely as a cloud, That floats on high o’er vales and hill, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host of golden daffodils, Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze'. Perfect!

Taking shape.

The boys built a dam and I, being the elder statesman, supervised operations!

The steamer passes by

The proud foreman and the completed dam!

We then travelled on to Aira Force where there were now a few parking spaces and our daughter's clan climbed up to the waterfall while my dear wife and I sat on a bench and scoffed an ice cream!

Cor! That looks good!

What is more, while we were there a beautiful Morgan in pale blue metallic drove through the car park whose driver was of course hailed by yours truly!

What a wonderful time we had...you can't beat time with your offspring and theirs.

After the waterfall we travelled on to a pub to spend the night, but the less I say about that the better!

Polishing 'Nellie'

This is a job I quite enjoy doing as there is a lot of satisfaction when you've restored your Morgan to its absolute best...well almost anyway!

When looking at the photos you might think that I have shares in 'AUTOGLYM' which is not the case, but merely the fact that I have always used their products and find them excellent.

That's better!

Their Super Resin Polish is good for water based paint as used on modern Morgans, Vinyl and Rubber Care adds a nice finish to engine components of that ilk and Tyre Dressing gives a splendid matt finish that is discreet.

Vinyl and Rubber Care for the engine.

On the question of tyre dressing, someone in the trade once said to me that a car wasn't valeted properly until the tyres had similar attention.

 Anyway, she is looking good and ready for Autumn and the onset of Winter, God help us!

"Take it to the garage"....

.....my wife said as I suggested that it was time to once more launch myself under the Morgan to grease the front suspension.

Anyway, regardless of this sound advice I attacked the job....well,  'attack'  is probably not the appropriate word! Have you ever seen a giant sloth on the attack!

I tell you it would have been pitiful to watch, but thankfully I was locked away in the Morgan garage, so nobody could see my physical contortions or hear my moans interspaced with colourful language.

PLEASE NOTE MY COMMENTS BELOW REFERRING TO THIS 2011 PHOTO!!

Is it my grease gun? Or is it just because I am getting totally inept as the years advance. There was grease everywhere and I suddenly realised that I had only two sheets of heavy duty tissue and a limited supply of wipes.What an unholy mess!

What with the nozzle of my grease gun constantly coming adrift from the nipple and then ceasing to work at all, the job took three times as long as normal.

Fortunately, my wife was not on hand to take photos of this sad event so I am using one that she took in June 2011, 7 years ago, when I was the sprightly age of 67!!

When viewing this photo, picture a similar scene but totally ignore the smile, it not appear this afternoon!!

No doubt I shall try to complete the job again in the future, but a trip to Halfords is definitely on the cards for more cleaning materials. 

Before the rains arrive!

Having been led to believe from the weather forecasters that a heavy dose of very welcome rain is due in the next few days, Helen and myself decided we would give 'Nellie' a whirl.

Our parking spot with the cove below.

First stop was of course my favourite pie shop to pick up a juicy pork pie for our picnic lunch and then it was off to Silverdale and Arnside, off the M6 at junction 35, into Carnforth, passed the railway station where they filmed 'Brief Encounter' and then through lovely countryside, at times bordering Morecambe Bay, to try to find a picnic spot.

South towards Silverdale village with a bed of samphire in the middle distance.

Well, what a find it turned out to be, apparently known as the 'Dip' we parked by a gate leading to a delightful cove and what is more, despite the fact that it is August and school holidays, no people!

We settled ourselves on the limestone pebbled beach and surveyed the fantastic view across the sands towards the horizon.

Interesting tunnel under the road.

In mortal danger...I just hope he knows what he is doing!

This is a dangerous beach to wander about on due to quicksands, not that we had any intention of going for a paddle as the sea was probably a couple of miles away....so we just sat, read the newspaper, ate our picnic and drank a tiny bouteille de bier, or whatever they say over there!

Arnside, with the viaduct in the distance. 

 

 

The viaduct

What a car!!

The car was superb as ever, delivering joy by the bucketful, not only to us but to the oggling public.

Across the River Kent with the Lakeland hills in the background.

After our sojourn it was back on the road and on to Arnside, always a very busy place with an amazing viaduct that carries trains from Preston to Grange over Sands, Barrow and then up the west coast to Carlisle.

Quick shop in the delightful village of Milnthorpe and then back down the A6 to join the M6 again and back home.

What a cracker!!!!

Over the bonnet and far away!

Well it's 16.40 in the UK., but it's 18.00 hours somewhere, so here I sit with a welcome Gin and Tonic and a small offering of Manchego cheese and luscious green olives....oh how we suffer in apparently one of the most deprived areas of England!

Across Morecambe Bay towards the English Lakes one of our favourite stomping grounds.

My summer motoring cap blew off in the fresh breeze today, on the way back from Fleetwood, but thankfully, due to my Morgan lanyard, it landed just behind my head and not in the middle of the road.

Both pictures towards Barrow and Black Combe the mountain on the hazy left.

One of those bright breezy days when I wish that I had left the sidescreens on because, apart from the fact that I am conscious that my titfer is going to blow off at any time, I know that it is absolutely necessary in the absence of sunvisors to avoid being dazzled by the sun.....and there has been a lot of it in the UK this summer.

Close-up of Barrow...amazing the zoom on these small cameras!

Topped up with BP Supreme grade fuel, only the best for 'Nellie', and had a long conversation with the lady Assistant who rather admired my 'old' car!

Wonderfully enjoyable drive today, the 4/4 is so nimble and I wouldn't want to swap her for any other model.

Time for another G & T so I will bring this missive to a close.

Still hoping to sneak away in the Mog for two or three days at the beginning of September.

Maranello

The question was....what to do with our eldest grandson while we were looking after him in Surrey?

A 'no brainer' really, as one of Max's interests includes Ferraris. So off we drove to the Ferrari/Maserati dealership in Egham to see what we hoped would be a wonderful selection of that Marque.

We were not disappointed. I spoke to a lady in reception, who confirmed that it would be alright if we had a look around and that it was also possible for our grandson to sit in one, as long as it was not one that was already ordered.

A very satisfied young chap!

What a very grand showroom it is, clearly aimed as a befitting place to show those beautiful cars and geared to 'them as has the dosh to buy one!'

More trouble to get in and out of than a Morgan!

However, us peasants were made to feel at home and enjoyed an hour oggling at both the Ferraris and the Maseratis on offer. Amazing the number that were already spoken for, around 60% of the stock I would say...indeed the very model that I wanted had already been sold!!!!!