the symbol of hope

A gentle start to the day. The birds are quietly getting on with their daily routine. Looking across to the raised beds the garlic continues to thrive. An occasional car drives past the front of the house. The garden is still and I have the shed doors open to the deck.

The deck is likely to be the first place we will host visitors once lockdown eases. Anne is more likely to have a pal on the patio in front of the greenhouse. Me, drinking gin on the deck. Both are outdoor locations. The shed itself could even be considered outdoors if I open both sliding doors to their full extent.

I was early to the shed this morning. Eight thirty is early. I feel ready for the day. Gently ready. My third cup of tea is pretty much finished and it might be that I will consider that a fourth is required before the day proper begins.

Over the weekend we booked a three night stay in Keld in Swaledale in May. It is one of our fave spots. The Keld Lodge Hotel is in the middle of nowhere. You walk outside the front and it is just fields. I sense it is touch and go as to whether they will be allowed to open by then. 

We booked it as much as anything as a symbol of hope, of freedom. Booking the hotel allows your imagination to take hold. Long walks amongst the sheep up in the hills above the Swale. The fresh sweet smell of the countryside blown by the light spring breeze on to your face warming in the sun. Sitting down on rocks for a cup of tea from your flask and munching a biscuit whilst around you the birds swoop feeding on airborne insects and gathering nest building materials. The stopping for lunch in the Kings Head in Gunnerside. Baguette and chips washed down with a pint of beer, or two.

Tom and I stayed at the Keld Lodge when doing the coast to oast walk a few years ago and we had lunch at the KingsHead, half way ish between Keld and our next stop Reeth. We have fond memories of that day as being probably the most picturesque on the walk. Swaledale is truly beautiful. Don’t go there. It will spoon it for those of us in the know 🙂

24 hours after I had the jab I felt a bit achy but the next day I was fine. Today I read that a study in Scotland has suggested if you have had the AZ vaccine you are 95% less likely to end up in hospital with covid 19.  It would be quite interesting to follow what was going on inside my body. I like the sound of the statistic and am curious to see the progress of the vaccine working away inside me.

Right now I have the 1812 Overture playing in the shed. This was the first piece of classical music I heard as a child. Mum and dad had an LP with on one side this together with the Light Cavalry Overture by Von Suppe, as I recall, on the other. I think it might have been the only classical record in their collection. Killing a bit of time before my 14.15 meeting.

Looking at some of my bookcases an occasional gap may be observed with the result that not all books are fully upright. It makes me wonder which books I’ve moved and where I’ve put them. Cleared a load out a year or two ago. Must have been more than a year as we’ve been locked down for that long. So freed up a lot of shelf space which now seems largely to be used up. I have bought books in the meantime but not enough to fill all the space. Maybe I’m just not using the space efficiently, hence the sloping books. No biggie eh? 🙂

Will need to rebook Keld. Hotels now don’t open up until 17th May.

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