SATURDAY 12th MAY

A perfect day for the Keswick to Barrow Challenge ( otherwise known as the K2B ) some nice sunshine and a cooling breeze.  I think it’s a wonderful event and the folk who actually do the walk and raise all that money for charity ( regularly exceeds £250,000,  yes.  a quarter of a million pounds) deserve our many congratulations! 40 gruelling miles.  The Evening Mail  will be full of pictures on Monday Evening.  Ooooh!  Those sore feet.  Well Done!  I had a good day on the gee gees,  managing to get a close second in the big race with Bonnie Brae @ 11/1.  Picked up the pick-up from Eleanor’s in readiness for the flags on Sunday,  and then I had a nice evening in.

FRIDAY 11th MAY

A much more pleasant day after the deluge we suffered on Thursday.  Lovely sunshine though remaining quite chilly and windy.  The flags around the town have taken a battering.  They are due to come down officially on Sunday morning and the town looks quite bare afterwards.  They have looked lovely though and I think the majority of folk,  locals and visitors alike, enjoy seeing them.  There’s a bit on this weekend.  There is a glorious Kite Fest at Haverigg on both Saturday and Sunday.  A super event and its FREE!!!!!  Also,  of course,  there is the wonderful Keswick to Barrow Challenge.  A distance of some 40 gruelling miles to cover and about 2500 hardy folk of all ages set off from Keswick at about 6 on Saturday morning and the first man gets to Barrow before 11.  How remarkable is that?  They all walk for charity and they raise thousands and thousands of pounds. It is brilliantly organised by a dedicated committee based at BAE in association with Rolls Royce.  Well Done! to all who play a part. I have helped by sponsoring Karen Whittle and Gill Owen, both from Ulverston.  I wish them both “Good Luck” and I send my hearty congratulations!!    I went out for Early Doors and  met up with everyone in the Farmers but left early to meet up with some other pals for our monthly curry night at the British Raj.  A very nice evening out.

THURSDAY 10th MAY

A wet and blustery morning with rain persisting throughout the entire day.  Torrential downpours  and everyone feeling very miserable.  And wet.  Such a contrast from Wednesday with all that glorious sunshine!   Had plenty to do and was out and about before 9, and did not conclude viewings till after 7. I called on to see Clare who was enthusing about her recent holiday in Dubrovnic.  What a lovely place it is .  A beautiful walled city and a wonderful shoreline with beautiful coves and little beaches.   There is a massive “Specialist” Auction  shortly in Coniston. The 7 1/4 inch gauge railway known as the Coniston Railway was built by Major Hext in his extensive garden in Coniston.  As Major Hext has passed away his Executors have intructed Michael C.L.Hodgson to sell the entire railway.  It will be fabulous with every solitary thing being offered for sale.  From the locomotives to the  rolling-stock, down to the track and the signals and even the signal-boxes.  I will be going up to view the lots,  if for nothing else other than curiosity.  There is an exciting weekend in prospect at Haverigg Beach,  Millom.  It is their annual Kite Fest when kites of all sizes and types will be flown.  Trade stands, professional demonstration,  kite-surfers etc etc etc.  And it’s all FREE!!!!!!   I hope to be there.

WEDNESDAY 9th MAY.

A beautifully sunny morning followed by a lovely afternoon.  Had to attend the Flats to see to a tree that the tree surgeon has declared as being dead.  We were in some doubt in the autumn but decided to leave it till the spring and see if there was any new growth. But not to be.  It had a disease which eventually killed it. We’ll have to chop it down and make the place safe. I saw Gene who has recently moved into Abbeyfield and she says she likes  it there.  It does well in as much that she has her own apartment and has her meals made for her and there is a common room for socialising, so she seems to be ok.  It’s very convenient for getting into town as well so I think she “has it made”.  I went out at 9.30 and met up with Steve and Peter in the Farmer’s and then went down to the Rose to listen to the Flying Cascara Brothers aka Bob Qazi,  Dapper Miller,  Alan Fry-1-Y and 2 others whose names I have forgotten.  There was a good crowd in which is always nice to see.

TUESDAY 8th MAY

Quite a nice day but it should be considerably better for this time of year.  It’s ok if you are standing in the sunshine,  but once in the shade the temperature plummets.  So big coats are still a neccessity! I called by to see how Jock was as he had been saying that he was feeling tired.  He was going off to have his blood tested and they seem to think he may be a little bit anaemic.  I’ve just told him to have a whisky now and then!  He is remarkable though and is very bright and so long as he is moaning about something then I know he’s ok.  Kay called by to see us after her trip to South Africa.  She looks very well with a lovely tan.  She was rubbing it in a bit,  as tomorrow she is off to Lanzarote for a week! Jim has fnally let his Garage in Stanley Street to a young chap who is a Mercedes Specialist so I wish him every success.  There are lots of Mercedes Owners round here so I suspect that he will do fine.  Went out in the evening with Peter to a meeting at Newby Bridge which I very much enjoyed much.  I even won a bottle of Pinot Grigio in the raffle.  Who’s a lucky boy then?

MONDAY 7th MAY

All change with the weather.  Dark and miserable and threatening rain.  Had a nice lie-in and a very nice breakfast of a FE.   Simply pottered around the house the entire day, doing nothing in particular.  Read the papers,  listened to the iPod,  watched Great Expectations and the Bridge on the River Kwai ( for the umpteenth time) and generally just slobbered around.  But enjoyed it nonetheless!

SUNDAY 6th MAY

I woke up to blazing sunshine and read the papers in bed.  Followed my usual Sunday Morning Routine of a LDSB followed by MK’s and a PSC. Got all ready and got the Suzuki Bandit out for a spin.  Rode over to Devil’s Bridge and had a mug of tea with some friends.  Unsurprisingly there was a massive crowd there. I met Dave Kendall ( Kendall Brothers Roofing) whom I have not seen for ages, so it was ncie to have a crack with him.  As always there was a  wide variety of bikes and the Tea Bar was very busy.  They have competition though,  as a rival trailer was operating right over the road!  Watch out for trouble!   I had a nice ride back and the bike is running beautifully.  I went over to Harold and Anne’s again to let Oliver see the Bandit as he wouldn’t believe that “Gandalph”  had a motorbike.  He loved it and we took his picture of him “in the saddle”. Tucked her up in the garage ready for another sunny day.  I met up with the gang for Cocktails @ 5 .  John managed to win again on the horses so the Racing Syndicate coffers are swelling.   It was Super Sunday and the  town was packed.  We had a really nice time and finished up at the Capitola.

SATURDAY 5th MAY

Had a lovely day.  Lovely and sunny and a good crowd in town. Worked until about 1 then picked Helen up and we both went across to Ireleth to see Roger and Andrea who had come up from Bristol with my gorgous grandson and grand-daughter Oliver and Darcy.  It was Oliver’s 4th birthday and we all had a super time  They are all doing very well and looked great.  I managed to watch the racing at Harold’s place and succeeded in picking two excellent  horses resulting in a journey to Coral’s to collect some “folding stuff”. ( Read my Racing Selections if you’re jealous).  I met up with Alan and Ding Dong for a tea-time-tipple in the Farmer’s and then toddled off home.

FRIDAY 4th MAY

Another gloriously sunny morning and the weather continued to be lovely throughout the day.  It puts everyone in a much better humour with themselves.  It’s a great tonic.  And of course, we have the May Day Bank Holiday to look forward to.  “Black-Eye Friday”  and then “Super Sunday”.  Watch out.  It’s my lovely Grandson Oliver’s Fourth Birthday on Saturday and Roger and Andrea have brought Oliver and little Darcy  up from Bristol for the holiday weekend. We’re all going to the  Birthday Party on Saturday afternoon.  What a scream that’s going to be!  Some excellent racing scheduled for Saturday and Sunday the 2000 and 1000 Guineas.  Brilliant stuff.  I went out for Early Doors at 6 and the town was heaving.  Plenty lovely folk all in good fettle.  Met lots of friends and  Willy was back from the States.

THURSDAY 3rd MAY

A beautifully sunny morning.  It’s Market Day, and the town looks great with all flags up for the Flag and Banner Festival.  Crowds were  in town enjoying the   atmosphere,  which was further enhanced by the band ( Ulverston Retirement Band)  playing at the Market Cross.  All very English.  All very Ulverston.  How lucky we all are?  I had plenty work to get on with and was “out and about” everywhere!  I didn’t finish till after after 6 and then I was able to sit out on the Poop Deck to grab the last of the rays.  Out for 8.30 to the Farmer’s Quiz which was, as always, well attended,  As you will know,  the Rollover ( £175) was won last week by Bill Little so this week was the start of a new Rollover.  It was £64.25 and Sarah won it straight away!  Well Done Sarah!  She was able to tell me  ” In which year Ken Livingstone became Mayor of London”.  Do YOU know?   When I came home “Four Weddings and a Funeral”  was on the box and I watched it for the umpteenth time.  It’s still brilliant!