Driving in the Rain - Day 20

We had agreed last night before we went to bed that we wouldn't have a designated "hour" to get up today and we had no plans in particular for the day either.  It is an overcast day and the forecast calls for rain.  Gordon and I discuss several alternatives for the day......Lake District, England; Abbotsford, just outside Kelso; or stay home and do the shops on the High Street and hang out at home.

After a very slow start (partying with Maureen and Hunter was involved!) we made a decision to go to Keswick today!  Keswick is about an hour and one half from here in England in the Cumbrian Mountains and the beginning of the Lake District.  We left the house just after 11:00 and arrive in the drizzle and mist into the square in Keswick.

Look right.....

look left!

Charli and Gordon head up the square.

We stopped for a delicious tavern lunch of chicken curry (Gordon); Cumberland sausage (me) and Charli had chicken stroganov.   All the meals are exceptionally good and with a pint each we sit back and relax and take-in the atmosphere.  The Lake District is a huge hiking and biking paradise and there are lots of people in bike shorts and hiking gear.  And tons of dogs.  Dogs everywhere.....every restaurant and every pub and all along the streets. They all seem to get along and they never bark!

Shops along the square.

Note the accordion player. With him playing the accordion it was like being in a northern European community.

Great little shop full of ALL KINDS of chocolates.

Charli there on the left on a little side street.

 I bought a pair of Hunter rain boots!  Very exciting and we browsed the shops.

A row of houses.

Beautiful homes.

 After our walk around town we drove down to Grasmere through the Lake District.  Unfortunately the rain started pouring down so while we enjoyed our drive what we really wanted was to curl up in front of the fireplace and relax.  Gordon and I switched the driving duties so he could have a little break to enjoy the lakes and waterfalls and hills and I drove back up to Scotland and home to Moffat.

The drive down toward Grasmere.  Too bad you can't see what we could see.  It's lovely.

Cumbrian mountains.

Once home I took a hot bath and Gordon checked messages and made some calls back to California.  Charli wrote in her journal and read.  Cocktail hour and good conversation and then down to the Jazz Club to meet up with Maureen and Hunter and listen to a little New Orleans style jazz.  The group was good and the crowd really enjoyed them but the room was super hot.  It's a funny thing about the people in Moffat....they'll sit there and suffer in the stifling heat but wouldn't dare say anything about their comfort.  They'll just take it!  What's that about?

Off to the Indian for a carry-out of Chicken Jalfrazzi, Chana Masala and lamb Korma - rice and nan and back up to the house.  Yummy!

We are exhausted tonight and look forward to another day of doing....nothing?  We are going to try to stick to nothing other than the shops and perhaps rumi-cube.   Oh, and I've got the most beautiful, organic, local racks of lamb to make.  Who said British food is boring?