Let the Sun Shine!!! - Day 18

Glorious sunshine!  We awake to glorious sunshine!  We're so excited!  Quick, quick - drink your coffee; make your breakfast; feed the birdies; pet the neighbors kitty; wait for the Tesco grocery delivery and let's get out the door before the sun goes away!

This cat looks like he's gonna bite Gordon but he's just meowing!

Gordon pets the pussy......

And off we go.  Today we are going to walk down through town.....

Gordon says those horns are off a goat.....I don't think so....more like a cow of some sort!

Down the path.....

 

Along the pasture.....

Across the burn....

Gordon helps Charli across

Gallow Hill from the far hillside

Up to Jenny's View and the kissing gate......

Hey!  Wrong woman!

Looking back across Jenny's View toward Moffat

Those cows were acting a wee bit frisky!

A red mushroom!

And along the forest edge....

 Cross Rogermoor!......to Archbank

This far little white house is our goal.

We walk up Archbank....it's quite muddy and there are cows to dodge....and over the bridge crossing the Annan waters.....

 To a spot to take a little break at Alton Hill........

 Next stop, Moffat Well one more 1/4 mile....but first...a little video!

 Through the mud and down the little rise to the sulfer well......

And back up to Hartfell just blocks from home.

The view of Hartfell from the pasture below the Heathery Haugh.

2 1/4 hours we are back!  So happy to have had some exercise and a little sun on our faces.  Lunch of leftover soup and pasta and a sit on the back deck.  Then Gordon paints the fence and I work in the garden trimming and weeding and Charli has time to update her journal, do a little reading and take her shower in the "time capsule".....the world's smallest shower!  Don't drop anything or you'll have to do a deep knee bend to get it and there's always the chance you'll never be able to get up again!

Cocktail hour in the sun before we head to Maureen's for dinner.

We arrive at Maureen's at the appointed hour of 6:30p.m. and meet her dear friend Irene.  What's with the Irene's on this trip?  She is a beautiful, fun, delightful, full-of-personality woman and we are so happy to meet her.  Actually, I've met her before at a ladies tea at Maureen's house several years ago when my friend Vicky was here visiting with us.

We have cocktails and Charli asks for a tour of Maureen's home and garden.  Afterward we go into the formal dining room for dinner.

This is our menu and EVERYTHING was absolutely delicious.....10 out of 10!

Starter:    Watercress with cherry tomatoes and balsamic
                Baked Camembert with homemade rhubarb chutney
                Herring in Marsala
                Fresh baguette with butter
 Main       Beef Olive which is a very thing slice of beef wrapped around a delicious sausage in gravy
                al dente steamed carrots
                Boiled white potatoes
Dessert    Homemade meringues
                Fresh whipped Jersey cream
                compote of blueberries, plums and something I don't recognize! ? but was yummy!
After         Coffee and chocolates!

OMG.....we are all stuffed.  Throughout the meal Maureen served delicious course-by-course wines that were perfect pairings with her selection of dishes.  Tomorrow I am making dinner for Maureen and Hunter and I'm thinking....."hmmmmmmm, this is a tough act to follow."

Irene and Maureen have known each other for 40+ years and there is a genuine friendship between the girls which makes the whole evening simple, friendly and fun.   We speak openly and honestly about life, politics, friendships, family, aging, dying, travel but mostly about living life to the fullest and enjoying every minute.  Maureen has given us a delightful evening and we leave feeling full physically and spiritually.  A good evening all 'round.

We have walked down to Maureen's house which takes about 6 or 7 minutes.  We are glad we did because we have had too much to drink and eat and the walk home will do us good.  It is a very clear evening and, therefore, cool.  It's supposed to be in the 30's tonight.

Not a very clear picture for 11:00p.m. at night but you get the idea.  Almost a full moon with but a shadow of a cloud on a crisp night.

Tonight's sleep should be good!

All-in-all a wonderful day.  Tomorrow we are planning on heading to Merlin's cave in the Devil's Beef Tub.  It's said that Merlin the Magician used to hide in the hills of the Beef Tub shrouded by the mists.  Perhaps we'll see Merlin and experience some of his "magic"!

More to follow!