A break before the hard work

Today we made our way to our most favourite place in the world - Haweswater. A remote lake (actually reservoir) in the Lake District. This is where we do most of our walking (apart from in Wales and Scotland). We have climbed every route possible and know it like the back of our hands.

We booked a mid week mini break at the Haweswater hotel a few months ago using www.laterooms.com and got a cracking deal. It is just perfect that it has coincided with the few days before I go to India. In all of our many years of marriage we haven't been apart for more than a couple of weeks so four weeks is going to be difficult. We are relishing our time together over these next two days.

The hotel is magnificant and P said tonight that he felt quite decadent. He is a welsh valley boy, whose dad worked in the steel works and he was raised with financial hardship as the norm. I, too had a horrible childhood, but I don't feel any such reservations about our life now. We have made decisions (and brave ones) which have changed our lives. We haven't won the lottery or come across money by chance, we have worked hard for every penny and I am going to enjoy that!!

The first thing I did was check out the bathroom.... not only was there a bath but it was a jacuzzi bath!

And it had a telly - look at those bubbles!!!

I do so love my baths - after 30 minutes in this one all the coal dust and dirt from chopping wood etc. had gone from my hands. I have to take radical measures when on the boat to deal with the results of the physical lifestyle. Every Sunday before work on a Monday morning I usually have to plunge my hands into neat bleach to clean them. That might sound radical, but in my job I just cannot afford to have dirty hands at work, no matter how 'clean' the dirt. I have tried swarfega and all sorts of other more gentle hand cleaners but they don't get my hands snowy white. It was such a joy to come out of that bath squeaky clean!!

Tomorrow we hope to have a walk, but daren't go up high into the mountains in case I slip and injure myself. A lot of money has been spent on my air fare to India and a lot of planning has gone into sending me there - I can't let them down. A couple of years ago I was booked to work in the south for three weeks. A couple of weeks before that I was attacked, kicked and trampled by a herd of cows while out walking in a remote area of Scotland. I had to be airlifted to hospital with broken ribs and a collapsed lung and ended up not being able to fulfil that work commitment. I can't afford to make the same mistake again!

The view of the lake from the bedroom window is georgous:

Buying the boat has freed us up to do this sort of thing and long may it continue!!

Al :0