I'm coming home...

for the summer that is.  I was unsure whether I could raise the funds to get home but I managed.  The idea of not seeing Elexis for two years was killing me.  Not to mention everyone else I love but Elexis is growing up fast and I hate missing so much as a week.  Come July 25th I'm outta here for almost 5 weeks.
Today Graham took me to the transport museum.   While this was not my thing I was enjoying the opportunity to take pictures of various trollies.  Next week at the camera club there is an themed competition titled "Transportation".  So I could have got all I needed in just an hour or two but Graham wanted to ride each of the trollies.  Can you guess what I did for 5 hours today?  Some were interesting for the first 5 minutes,  but that was the extent of my attention span/interest.  I did get some neat pics though maybe not prize winners.

Mirror looking down the double decker stairs.

These buses are post war and they are made of wood with beautiful fixtures, this is one of about 20 lamps in the ceiling.

 Some flowers to break up the monotony.

Beyond saving

Front emblem of a German bus

This is my favourite of the day.

Also not a trolly.

Looking up double deckeker stairs

Vera, a 1943 French Tram

I've been everywhere man...

I've just had the most amazing week.  Yesterday my uncle took me driving; up, over, down, and across the lakes.  We travelled over a vast amount of land and took the ferry accross  Derwent Water to Windemere and then through Keswick with a side trip which included some shopping.  Then today he took me to Moncaster Castle.  Wow, the gardens were full of Rhododendrums and the castle was lovely.  The family still lives in the castle and they narrated the audio tour which gave it a personal touch.  My cousins and I finished off this excellent break with dinner out.  I really do consider myself blessed, to have been given this wonderful gift of getting to know my family.  This is something I will always be thankful for.  It's back to Grimsby tomorrow so I hope you enjoy the last two days of pictures as much as I enjoyed taking them.

Favourite shot of the week, just saying.

Steam powered gondola.

We found a one way road on the mountain and it took us deep into a forest but somehow it seemed tropical.

Crossing on the ferry to Windemere.

Flowers just grow everywhere, even in the rocks.

Airing their dirty laundry at Moncaster castle, maybe this is my favourite.

Consider yourself luck, I took so many pictures of the Rhododendrums that this could be a botanical blog.  I only picked some of my favourites.

Lampshades in the trees, why not!

The view from Moncaster Castle, maybe this is my favourite of the week.

There was also an owl sanctuary.

There were too many great opportunities for the category of my favourite shot of the week.  This is definitely my favourite.

In the Lakes

Well.... technically at the Lakes.

On friday Amy and I ran from the school and headed to Lancaster where her family lives.  I spent the evening and morning there, soaking up the beautiful town.
Currently I am in the Lake district, the weather has been so nice that the weather forecasters must be surprised.  On Sunday my cousin Brenda and her friend Tony took me on the Ratty ( a 15" gauge train that runs from Ravengalss to Dalegarth).  Once there we went on a fabulous walk where we experienced just a bit of light rain.  But, when the train arrived to pick up passengers it was drenched.  They had to stop the train during the journey to let the passengers take cover in the enclosed section of the train.  During our return not a drop of rain fell on us.  I am calling this the Canadian factor, when Amy and I were driving to Lancaster, the rain stopped when we needed it and the traffic was clear.  Yesterday my Uncle took me to the top of a mountain to see a Roman Fort built in the second century.  The view was breathtaking.  Today hold another excellent adventure but enjoy this one first.

Went to Dalegarth on this one.

Had to pull over for the Diesel to pass us.

Returned on this one.

King George mailbox.

Bluebells

Look at that cloud!

The perfect English cottage.

Rhodaendrums cover the hills.

On the beach at Ravenglass

Hardnott Pass, that is a car on the bend.

The sheep is laughing at us.

Uncle Ernest

The Roman fort at the top of the mountain.

 Looking down from the fort.

Ginger

Paddington (he tried to bite my butt), there is not an ounce of farm girl left in me, I was terrified.

Ruepert

The beach at Braystone.