Home again...

I am truly home again after a really relaxing holiday in that well known sunny place, Cumbria!

Yep, it only rained for one and a half days out of fourteen - definitely a record in my book.

The cottage we were staying in is nestled in the Howgill hills, in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (but in Cumbria!). The attraction for me is that there are plenty of walks, secondhand bookshops and definitely no TV. During the first week our younger son debunked to his grandparents to watch the Olympics on their TV. This meant that we were childless which felt both strange but rather nice too. The sun just made everywhere look so beautiful. We had picnics in the hills, afternoon tea with my parents in a posh hotel overlooking Lake Windermere and generally just chilled. 

The second week my hubby had to return home to go back to work and our younger son went to a CYFA camp in the North Lakes. This was his fifth year at this camp so he was really happy to meet up with his gang and do all the outdoor activities his parents don't partake in - kayak surfing in the sea, gorge scrambling, canoeing, walking etc. I was effectively alone this week but I was definitely not lonely. I spent time with my parents, had dinner with my brother and sister-in-law and their boys, and met up with my friend from Northern Ireland whose son was on the same camp as my son. She was staying the week with her sister in Carlisle so we managed to fit in a day together. I had my sewing machine with me and managed to complete three half-finished quilt tops (I will show them to you another day).

I also met up with two of my Hipbee friends, Sarah and  Catherine. It was a beautiful sunny day and we spent the time chatting, admiring each others creations, eating lunch and having a stroll in the summer sunshine. It was a really fun day. 

Sarah & Catherine
(Look at the sun and blue sky!)

Me & Catherine

Me & Sarah

My hipBee buddies also came bearing gifts. Sarah is such a thoughtful and kind person (she also has a wicked sense of humour) and has made each of the hipBees a zakka pencil case. 

Sarah also commissioned Shannon (Judith's daughter), who has an etsy shop Poppy Pocket to make each of us hipBees a little bee. It isn't any sort of bee though, it is a hippy bee with flowers on it's bottom. 

hipBee

Hippy hipBee

Sarah thank you for such superb presents. You are really thoughtful and I do appreciate your kindness and friendship.

Catherine also gave me a lovely present of Tiptree jams and a little fabric bowl. I would love to show you my complete present but I am sorry - the jams are eaten! This is the little fabric bowl and I am going to use it to keep my scissors and thread in. Thank you Catherine for my presents.

Cool fabric bowl

So that is the resumé of my sunny Cumbrian holiday! The washing machine has been on for most of two days, to clear the backlog of holiday washing including the boys sleeping bags and some very smelly wet clothing from camp! Normal life has now resumed and it is rather nice to be back in the groove, refreshed and ready for the next academic year. 

Di xo