Touching base, briefly.

Well I've done the first thing that meant I couldn't blog in May, which was going on holiday. Handbag theft gave me a touch of paranoia which was why I didn't say out loud (as it were) I'm going on holiday. But now we've been and gone and done it I can tell you it was very nice. We travelled the canals of Lancashire and /Yorkshire in a little boat...well quite a large boat actually, a fifty-six foot narrowboat, and saw some gorgeous scenery. We discovered pies* in Hebden Bridge and Slaithwaite and got quite wet several times. This was due to rain, not clumsiness though I did fall over on some cobbles** and have brought back a heap of bumps and bruises as a result. Since our companions on this trip were brewers (the makers of Maggs magnificent mild and other wonderful beers) we had plenty to drink and the pies filled in other gaps wonderfully. Nutmeg came with us and he got wet, partly because Marvellous Mr Maggs walked him from lock to lock in all weathers (and thereby made him a Very Happy Dog) but also because he was a bit clumsy and perhaps a bit confused about that smooth shiny stuff and stepped straight into the canal the minute I stopped reminding everyone that he is a slightly dim person (though a very bright dog).
I have brought back a lot of pictures though there is a slight problem with canal pictures. If you are travelling at 2 or 3 miles an hour, ie, a steady walking pace, everything glides past very gently and invitingly. But just try taking a detailed photo of a tree or a shaft of sunlight pr a ripple (there were lots of those) while walking past it...without stopping! It can be done but it takes practice. I did a lot of practising so it will take me several hours to delete the practice runs and the 'got it right too late because we'd glided gently past the view', versions.
I have to go to bed now or maybe a couple of hour ago. I'll catch up a bit more tomorrow or soon. there's rather a lot to do here so I'll still be mostly absent. Pics when I've finished downloading:)
xxx all :)

*Ah! The pies of the North are as different from the slurry filled and sloppy pastry-ed pies of the south as are the granite crags of the pennines from the rolling hills of the Downs. In a totally melting, delicious and juicy way. In fact the pies of the North are unrivalled. Freshly baked, little hot pork pies with crisp tender party and dribbling with savoury juices have no equal anywhere unless you happen to prefer the sticky, rich gooeyness of Northern meat and potato pies. with the same gorgeous pastry.

We ate rather a lot of pies.

**I blame the thieves, who acquired my middle distance glasses when they pinched my bag. Bifocals and cobbles are a bad mixture....and before you suggest it, I don't get on with varifocals.