Now then, Franky, lad – we’ve had a couple of difficult drives these last two days, eh?

Aye, we av an all.

Do you want to tell folk about them?

Aye, appen I could. Fust up, we ad to get from ome to Wharfedale, Bolton Abbey – it’s grand up yon! – but there’s no good way to get there, like, is there? It’s all stop, start, crawl, roundabouts, traffic lights – hardly any open road along whole o’ t’way.

You’re right – SatNav said an hour and a half to do 40 miles, so I allowed two hours, and we needed it! But we got there just on time to find Philip and family already installed in the ‘Devonshire Arms’, where we had a very tasty lunch. (No photos – again, if GPT wants to send some, I’ll add them – they should include Judi, who wasn’t there at the brunch on Monday.)

Aye, well; after that, we ad to get down to Wakefield in time for tea – but tha took us a long way round, like, eh?

I did, yes. Carol and I had done Wharfedale (Grassington) to Wakefield once before in Harry, and I’d said ‘never again!’ because the route was much the same as from Huddersfield. So we headed for Harrogate and Wetherby to get on the motorway. It was a nice scenic start, but slow through Harrogate.

Who’s Harry?

You know – my motorhome where I sleep when I’ve been babysitting in Wakefield.

Oh – im! E talks funny, dunt e?

Well, he’s French made and spent his first year in Germany. Why, anyway?

Well, tha went off in that little black car, wi thi lass an t’babby. So we had a chat, sort off.

What about?

Thee, mainly.

Oh, yes?

Aye, e says I’d best be careful, or tha’ll bash me up.

Did he, indeed. Anyway, yes – Rachel and I did go out to lunch yesterday (Thurs 17th) with Shannon. We went to the garden centre and I bought a little planted trough for my doorstep.

Aye – and tha’d best get it out from t’footwell where tha left it!

I know – I was tired.

Well, happen it needs fettlin’.

Fettlin?

Tekkin care of – looking after.

OK! What about the next drive?

Ee – that were a  bad un! Should’ve ad plenty time to get from Rachel’s to Chris’s, leaving at 4 o’clock.

(We were on taxi service to get N. to ‘Rainbows’)

BUT! Motorway signs said ’30 mins delay’, so we left motorway an followed the A62 – talk about    CRAWLIN’ !- it wor wuss than t’day before. Took till 6 o’clock, nearly! But we got little lass to  er club on time.

We did! “We got her to the church on time!” (“Wiv a little bit o luck!”)