Firstly, thanks very much to Fran from nb Tamara who left a comment yesterday suggesting we visit Lakeland Ltd in Windermere. It was well worth the visit. We bought some kitchen knives and a frying pan as they were the few kitchen things we knew we were missing between what's been left on nb Parisien Star and what we've had shipped over. So much for not shopping while we're up here.
The other missing item that we've yet to buy is a duvet/doona. Any suggestions as to where we can get a good one? We've got until the end of the week.
Today we have walked and walked and walked and my feet are sore. We started off with our visit to Lakeland Ltd. What a fantastic shop... we spent over an hour looking around at all the kitchen stuff. Then we went for a walk through Windermere village and stopped for a cappuccino in a coffee shop. It was one of the best we've had in England - perhaps because we asked that they make them strong. The English have very different taste in coffee to what we get back home. We mostly order a pot of tea if we're out now but this place had an Italian name and a whiz bang coffee machine so we took a chance.
Next was a drive to Kendal and we walked some more (once we FINALLY found somewhere to park). We had lunch in Booths which I had always thought was just a pharmacy but this place was an upmarket supermarket with a cafe/restaurant below. It reminded me of Leo's Fine Foods in Melbourne. On the drive to Kendal and back we checked out a custom furniture workshop and a kitchen / stone / flooring place. They really do make lovely kitchens in England. We go looking at them every time we come here. Mick will have his work cut out for him when we get home as he's already cooking up plans for our next kitchen.
Along the way Mick had found a little book about Volkswagens. It had every year and every model with some excellent photos. When we got back to Bowness we walked again - first to the Post Office to post the Volkswagen book to Kevin, our friend from Bendigo, and also to post a brochure from the furniture workshop to Peter, Mick's work chum back home. Then we had a good walk around the lake edge checking out the shops along the way.
Everywhere we look there are amazing dry stone walls. They go on for miles and miles. In Australia they are most common in Tasmania and built using convict labour. I don't know who must have spent the thousands and thousands of hours it would need to build all these walls here in the Lakes District.
Tomorrow we'll be heading back to nb Parisien Star. I'm looking forward to cleaning out all the cupboards, sorting out the mountain that is accumulating in the car, and starting to put things away. I think this whole adventure will start to seem a whole lot more real then. We still feel like we're just here on a holiday.
We have the whole week staying not all that far away from the marina (booked before we bought the boat) and there's a lot to do during that week. Sunday we're having lunch with Peter and Margaret from nb Kelly Louise. I hope you are ready for a whole lot of questions. Mick has a list in his wallet!
We are hoping our belongings will arrive early in the week. I haven't heard anything about a delivery date yet from the shipping company but we've asked them to deliver straight to the marina rather than to Ormskirk. Mick wants to paint the red and cream sections at the stern of the boat while it is out of the water. It looks even shabbier with the blacking done.
Wednesday will be an exciting day for us. Nb Parisien Star will go back in the water. She'll come alive then! At the moment it's a strange feeling walking about a boat that doesn't move.
Next Friday we have a day of boat handling training. We're hoping it will give us some confidence for when we have to leave the marina the week after. We had booked in a second day of training but we were meeting the trainer at the Anderton boat lift so we could do a day on a river. That's not likely to happen now due to the breach of the canal at Dutton. Aussie readers - click here - to see the enormous damage done to the canal by the rain the last few days! We're going to have to arrange an alternative.
Photos for today :
1. The cutest fish and chip shop ever
2. Every paddock fenced with dry stone walls
3. Pity it wasn't a clear day - what a view
4. Town crier in Kendal
5. The lake at Bowness
6. And again
7. A pair wisely standing out of beak's reach
5 comments:
Re the duvet / dooner. TK Maxx is often worth a rummage if you will be passing one. If they have one it will be top quality and very cheap. But, they might not necessarily have one, as they deal in end of line stuff on a when it's gone it's gone basis. They retail anything and everything from clothes to housewares. Stores in most major towns including, Preston, Kendal and Crewe. Website : www.tkmaxx.com Other than that, full price ones at M&S and Dunelm and the like. I believe you should be looking at least 13.5 tog for the winter.
Dunelm Mill are usually pretty good for duvets and things like that. There are branches all over, so it shouldn't be too difficult to find one.
Hi Elly and Mick, Think I'd go for an all seasons duvet, basically 2 in 1 usually a 4.5 tog (summer) and a 9 tog (Autumn/spring) 13.5 tog with both together (Winter)Argos sell them and if there is a Dunelm Mill or John Lewis near they would too. Caroline and Martin
I'd also go for the 2 in 1 duvet. You can find them online at Argos and get delivery to the marina from £3.95 if you aren't near a store. Dunelm also do online with reasonable delivery charges.
Yvonne
Yvonne, we've found a Dunelm Mill in Crewe and will go check it out tomorrow.
I had to read up about the "tog" rating. Ours are usually rated as 3 blanket warmth or 4 blanket warmth.
We'll go with the 2 in 1 - it's a great idea!
Elly
Post a Comment