A Wheelie Good Weekend

Just over a week ago Pat underwent a major operation on her right foot to correct a fairly long term problem which has been giving her pain. Most people stand with their two feet at 'five-to-one' whereas Pat's right foot has adopted more of a 'five to-three'.  Just over a week ago she had the necessary operation at The Yorkshire Clinic - as an NHS patient.

All seems to have gone to plan but her right lower leg and foot are in plaster for the next five weeks during which time she must put no weight on it, meaning she must either stay in bed, levitate or hop.  We have hired a rather snazzy wheel chair which should make things a lot easier.  It has an extension for the right leg so it is a bit of a 'long vehicle' as these things go.

This weekend daughter Lorna and grandsons James and Ben have come all the way from Gerrards Cross to visit and do things, Bless Them.

Here are two old crocks having a test-run round Settle station

And here are some examples of how the family have come to the rescue:

First a sparkling oven, thank you Lorna

Then our traditional Sunday brunch, complete with pizza crust left-overs.top right.  Thanks boys.  We may be onto a whole new dish here.  May.

Now that we have a sparkling new galvanised stairway it did rather expose the old one as needing a good power-wash.  #1 grandson James did the honours.  Note his height compared with that of the standard British doorway behind him at 14 . . 

14 or not he was like a kid with a new toy with granny's wheel-chair.  A ardent supporter of Pittsburgh Steelers as you see.  His wheelchair skills are impressive and soon included wheelies and handbrake turns which quite inspired granny.

But back to business, we had our first steam train of 2020 through Settle station today.  The Winter Cumbrian Mountain Express hauled most spectacularly by the Southern Region Merchant Navy class locomotive British India Line.  These amazing machines were built between 1941 and 1949 to celebrate and commemorate the debt the country owed to the merchant navy during two world wars.

I do believe that the denim jacketed figure on the left is me.  The dedicated photographer on the bridge is about to get kippered.