We went out with Tom for the day to Crummock Water in Rannerdale, where there were expanses of bluebells across the fells. Afterwards we had lunch at the Kirkstyle Inn near Loweswater.

I then went out with the photography group to Flakebridge for more displays of bluebells. This time in the woods.

On the same day, Sam and Zoe moved into their new house in Berkhamstead, near where they had lived in Bovingdon. Much closer to us than Mozambique!

I’m known for taking lots of photographs when I’m out with the U3A and Ramblers.

On our first cycle ride of the spring, we visited Lowther, a castle and estate. We cycled on to Morland where we had lunch outside the Mill Yard Cafe. Back at home, we watched a female blackbird removing debris from the gutter over the porch. She made a mess on the ground and |I was instructed to clear it up.

The 24^th was a warm Sunday with hardly any breeze. We went to the hospital in Carlisle where they explored potential problems in my groin – you will be relieved to know that there are no photos! Tom and Tara invited us for a pizza. We were very pleased that Cooper was much improved and was now attending most school lessons. April and her friend, Lilly were playing in the pool. We were persuaded to play Cooper’s ‘extreme croquet’. It dissolved into water play. We enjoyed watching them playing with the water and getting decidedly wet. Consequently, they stopped when we told them that we would cut them off from our will if a drop of water strayed anywhere near us. Lesson: don’t mess with grandparents!

On a very warm spring day, some of the village children rigged up a long roll of plastic on a steep part of the green and a constant flow of water from a nearby house. They took it in turns to slide down the hillside and obviously enjoyed themselves enormously.

 I had a good session in the gym and am gradually improving my strength and fitness. Annabel went swimming at the open-air pool in Askam. She went to the pub for an evening meal with the Supper Club.

We had lunch with Tom’s family at the village pub, celebrating my birthday prematurely, and very nice it was too. Sally, Annabel’s cousin and husband, Alan, dropped in; we hadn’t seen them for some time. They were on their way to holiday in Ambleside.

At the changes that are taking place to ‘dual’ the A66, we visited a nearby archaeological site. They had set up a Medieval village, including ladies making cloth. We were able to visit the site where there were markers and holes over a large area where they were digging.