Three events worth mentioning, that is, two pre-op and one post-op. (I’m assuming anyone and everyone reading this knows I had my first hip replacement on September 22nd 2016.)

The previous weekend, Saturday 17th September, I took Harry up to Cumbria –

Was it not I who took you?

Oops! Sorry! (didn’t know you were there!) Let’s say we went together.

In Ordnung. Ja – why did we go, other than that we keep going?

We went so that I could see one of the AmOp companies I used to perform with – Staveley Amateur Operatic Society – do ‘Ruddigore’. As it happens, that was the last show I was in with them when they last performed it in 2009. This year’s was a very good production, helped enormously by two outstanding performances from ‘Rose Maybud’ and ‘Mad Margaret’. People seemed really pleased to see me, and I stayed for the last night party. (I had been invited, didn’t gatecrash – honest!)

This is why you found – eventually – a site near Staveley instead of the usual one south of Kendal. Also why you left for the evening by taxi …

Yes, and came back in a friend’s old Land Rover, … an old friend’s Land Rover …. an old friend’s old … never mind.

Gut geschlafen? – Did you sleep well?

Yes, thank you.

Hmmm … And when you eventually managed to stir yourself, we went on, of course, to Grasmere, where we parked by the lake, you had lunch, but did not get out to go down to the water.

No, weather wasn’t ideal, and hip was hurting.

Tut mir leid.

‘s OK. It’s fixed now – I hope!

I also hope. Maybe we go some other places soon ….?

Who knows? 

Some weeks before that – this is all topsy-turvey – but with a G & S element I suppose it’s OK – towards the end of the school holidays, Franky and I took Chris and the children out for a day.

We did an’ all. Fust up, we went over the ‘ill to Holmfirth and you lot had a fish n chip lunch at Compo’s Cafe.

(Just in case any reader doesn’t know, ‘The Last of the Summer Wine’ was filmed in and around Holmfirth. Sid’s Cafe is an authentic location, though Compo’s is a later arrival, but it’s full of photos and other ‘summer wine’ memorabilia. The trouble is, you’d have to lean across tables where other folk are eating to have a good look at most of it. Need to go at an unbusy time.)

After yer lunch (you didn’t half tek yer time, eh?) we went tut Kirklees Light Railway, an you all had a ride:

 It’s a nice little outing, with an activity sheet for the children. The Emley Moor Tower – the tallest freestanding structure in Britain – is a prominent feature during the ride.

Aye, well. It were nice to ‘ave a different day out, anyroad.

Now then! You’ve had your share of trips to Grasmere.

Aye, ‘appen. Seems like you an’ Big ‘arry are plotting summat else, though.

We’re not plotting owt – anything!

Hmmm …

Don’t you start!

(My boys are getting paranoid! Or just feeling neglected.) Anyway, to come up to date, two days ago, Thursday Oct. 6th, Rachel came with Shannon, and in late afternoon sunshine – fine but chilly – we went down to the nearest playground. Unfortunately, not quite near enough for me to walk, yet, so a little car ride was needed to get there – in Rachel’s, of course. – Say nothing, Franky! You know I’m not allowed to drive.

….. (that’s Franky saying nothing.)

We, that is, Rachel, took a suitable chair and cushion from the flat, so that I could sit and watch Shannon play, but there was a little walk from car to the ‘park’. (Shannon doesn’t recognise the difference between a park, and the children’s playground which may be part of it.) 

Time to go:

And back at the flat:                         

“I think I’ll just pop down to the shop”

“No, Gaia*, No! You mustn’t … Mummy, don’t let him!”

Nor she did!

*Based on an early attempt of Shannon’s to say ‘Grandad’. I thought being the Earth Goddess was better than being ‘Gaga’….