Hello, Goodbye....

HA! Bet you might have thought something else, eh? Recently, it was my extreme pleasure to go on a small group tour of the Lake District, UK with Helen Bertram of Whitecroft Traditional Tours. It was, in one word, excellent; to use two words...most excellent. All I had to do was show up and be taken care of; long time blog readers know that for an amazingly rare treat. To say it was a shock, coming home to the lovely cacophonic reception of dogs, cats, horses who ALL wanted me to get back to the job of tending to their needs...I ask you...is there a recovery program available for me? 

But I digress. I'm at the library, again, sigh, and am uploading photos of the trip with the actual travelogue to come later...when internet at home has been restored and, more importantly, when someone teaches me how, using my extremely high tech language here, make smaller my photos. Since the "powers that be" decided Picasa needed to die, I have NO idea how to (high tech verbiage again) make smaller my photos...they are extremely dense and need to be around 350 dpi for upload.

I've just learned I can make an appointment with the library high tech geek and see if they're able to help...please, God, make it so.)

Each day/evening had special delights, each evening we would say, "Best day ever; it can't get any better!" and then...and then...BETTER! My notes are home so I can't remember (ducking and running from those women who do remember! sorrrreeeee!) the name of this home but we had dinner here one evening. All our gamboling was done within a 40 mile area, thereabouts, and we still didn't "see it all". This man had three black labs, all of them totally sweet and he, the man, was over the moon when we squealed (you know women...), "We'd LOVE to see your dogs!" The pleasure on the man's face was over the moon happy...people wanted to see, and love on, his canine companions.

Not all photos will be of humans and dogs; some are meant to whet your appetite; the last photo is for Sue, she of Oregon fame.

I haven't received permission to put names to faces, so you'll have to enjoy sans names, except for Helen and Betsy, Helen's cohort in crime tour.

(photographic evidence of Betsy loving on a dog.)

 Helen Bertram, Whitecroft Tours, on right

New Jersey

Our host and Helen, seated at head of table.

Mrs. Heelis and Mrs. T.

Helen and Mrs. T celebrating H's birthday and the arrival of Mrs. Heelis.

listening to Mrs. Heelis

(I would tell you where...but I've forgotten...I do remember this is a private home)

enthralled by Mrs. Heelis

practicing for retirement

and, because people always tell me..."We never see photos of you, Sandra; where are you?" Well folks, here am I.

I took about 1,000 photos and it'll take time to do the travelogue...especially as I have to come to town to access i-net. Be patient...God willing and the crik don't rise, it'll happen.

Ponder this ~ "The world is a book and those who do not travel, read only one page." 
~ Augustine of Hippo ~