Armed Forces Day

So today I decided that I had to attend the annual Armed Forces Day in Cleethorpes.  After missing the past two I feel that it's a requirement of my three year stay.  Everyone in the area goes out to show their pride in the past and present service men and women.  I have to say that I hope dad could see how proud I am of him and my uncles but I also hope he can see what a challenge it was for me to work up the courage to go out into such a large crowd.  Thousands of visitors descended on the town. This experience was just as daunting to me as the visit to London for New Years Eve.  The train which should have taken 10 minutes took me an hours wait while two trains filled to capacity passed us by.  I missed the red arrows display, oh wait that's a lie, here they are...

as seen from platform 1 in Grimsby.

Once in Cleethorpes I jumped in line to see the parade and just like London, abnormally large people with children on their shoulders found the empty spots in front of me, blocking my view.

I was so proud of all the men and women and especially the cadets.  I saw a couple of my students in the show and I have to say that there is a reason they are such wonderful young men.

Then I waited for the Red Arrows Paratroopers.

When it was time to go home I was miss directed to the train and not the coach. Waited for the next one and by the time I got home I was exhausted and it had only been 3 hours. It felt like and entire day.

I have to tell you something very exciting.  I went home last week for an interview with the Waterloo District School Board.  I was sent an email for an interview on the Friday, requested a skype interview and it was declined on the Monday, booked my ticket that day and flew home on the Tuesday for the interview on Wednesday.  The interview went great!  They've called for my references and I am currently sitting with my fingers and legs crossed which makes typing difficult.  Wish me LUCK.

After only four short days I was back in Grimsby, a short visit but it's made the next five weeks seem like a very short time.

I can't wait to spend more time with these guys. Lexi, Leah, me and Andrew.

Last for Lincoln

Graham and I visited Lincoln for the last time.   There is always something new to discover.  I've been to Lincoln at least a half a dozen times but never visited the Lincoln Museum.  Today we went there, walked steep hill one and half times, visited the art gallery, and went for lunch in an old Art Deco Cinema.
Unfortunately the "Canadian Factor" only worked for the first half of the day, it rained on our way back up the hill.

I took a walk into Cleethorpes yesterday, there was this interesting haze rising from the water/sand.

Hovercraft skimming across the beach.

As we walked into Lincoln I noticed this head peaking from the wall.

I love this shot that a member from our club took of the leaning lamp post on Steep Hill and I wanted to take it myself.  The sand box was full but I did see if I could push it out of the way.

The poppies from Tower bridge in London are making their way across the country in smaller exhibits.  This is "the wave."

Tours around the city by horse.

In the museum there is an old Victorian school room.

This is Daphne, she was designed in Lincoln hold on.......

read below if you are interested.

This is my favourite of the day.  Walking up the hill with evidence that it does rain in England, boy does it rain......... and rain.

Last Time in the Lakes.

But only for a while.  I can't begin to tell how hard it was to say goodbye this time.  I know I'll be back but I don't know how long I'll be away.  My heart really is in England and if I could, I would stay forever.
This last visit with Ernest and Gene was just as wonderful as the first, they've opened their home and shared their family with such graciousness. I've loved getting to know my cousins Brenda, Paul, Angela and her husband Rob.  I always feel that I am part of their family and that is what it's all about.  This time I was able to visit with my other Aunt and Uncle-John Margaret, and my cousins Michelle and Janice.  They live very near to Ernest and Gene's.
The weather was fabulous, it was above 23 celsius every day and not a cloud to be seen the entire time I was there.  This was a rarity to the Cumbrian people, especially after such a devastating winter with all the floods.
Only 46 days left and loving the thought of going home but dreading the thought of leaving.

This is in a small village called Ulverston.

Know as the birthplace of Laurel from "Laurel and Hardy", I thought the name of the shop was clever.

This is Ginger, he makes a couple runs a day to bird feeder, not always with success.

Don't worry Ginger nobody was watching, especially no one with a camera and a blog.

New handbag.

I took a couple hours to sit on the beach at Braystones, just a mile down the road from Ernest and Gene's, how glorious.

The western line runs right up the coast.

This is just an interesting shot.  Sellafield Nuclear power facility in the background and a tower in the middleground.

Behind Ernest and Genes.

Rupert and Paddington.

Fields of buttercups are everywhere.

We took a trip to Appleby.  Every year they are subjected to the Appleby Horse Fair, where gypsies come to sell their horses.  I say "subjected" because the residents are not  thrilled about the mess they leave behind and the theft that seems to accompany their visit.

Too bad I cut him off but I still like the colour and lighting.

I thought when I was posting the pictures that I did not take many but I did alright.  I have to leave some for my next visit.