A rather different holiday

We're back! Not as wet as you might think. Whilst areas of England and Wales have endured torrential rain and dreadful floods the Lake District which is known for it's wetness was actually quite nice. It rained of course but mostly at night and we managed to tick off Millie's entire list of places to go and spend a fabulous day at Woolfest! We went to the beach near Barrow -in-Furness. This area was reported in a guidebook as one of Cumbria's best secrets. Well if they want people to visit they should look to their signage!!!

We visited the World of Beatrix Potter in Bowness

Millie enjoyed the visit, although some of the bigger animals and Mr MacGreggor where hurried by rather. She developed a bit of an obsession with Beatrix Potter herself and desperately wanted to visit Hill-Top which we passed after our trip on the car ferry across Windermere but it looked dauntingly busy and I suspect she thought the lady herself would be there.
We also went to the pencil museum

Which Millie was disappointed with as it didn't actually show pencils being made. We grown-ups found it interesting though and she did enjoy doing a pirate game for a prize of....yes..coloured pencils!
On the same day we went to Grasmere so I could buy some gingerbread most of which I have just realised I left in the bread bin back in the cottage. I hope someone gets to enjoy it because it is delicious. We also went to Ambleside where we visited the House on the Bridge
Auntie Isabel bought Millie the best water bottle in the worldNot only is it pink but it has her name on the side.
On the way back I was sitting in the back of the car with Millie, knitting on a sock urgently needed by Isabel who hadn't taken enough, when suddenly I saw something unexpected....GIRAFFES. And do you think the rest of them believed me? Not a chance. I was severely teased by everyone,especially the three year old who suggested it 'might have been someone dressed up Grandma'. But they were there alright
South Lakes Wild Animal Park is just off to the side of the road and if the giraffes are standing in the right place THEY CAN BE SEEN FROM THE ROAD. Although I am still getting comments and Millie, going out for an evening stroll with Isabel was pretending the street lights were them. It is a really lovely zoo, very open and well kept. You can walk through an area where lemurs, kangaroos and wallabies roam about. A monkey will join you for your coffee break and from a high walkway you can feed the aforementioned
The bungalow was really nice. We could just have done with an extra bathroom sometimes but we managed. There was a beautiful garden and Millie enjoyed keeping the fish fed. This was the last morning and it was raining and it rained all the way home.
NEWSFLASH > Johnnie has taken up knitting! I didn't risk a photograph but he has a little practice swatch and asked for wool to make himself a hat. we were happy to oblige and bought him some and his own needles at Woolfest. He was so happy he posed them after winding the skein