How to choose?

A really lovely day today, cold, but sunny and bright. We went to Penrith to do a bit of shopping (we might be snowed in tomorrow!), and stopped for a delicious brunch at Cranstons. We then made for Grasmere, a lovely drive in the sunshine with the tops of the highest fells covered in snow, sparkling in the light. Our plan was to have a walk round the lake and take some pretty pictures of blue water and snow covered hills – I know not like me at all.

It all went wrong, as we found on arriving in Grasmere, it was so busy – people and cars everywhere. And anyway there was actually very little snow. But I had an ulterior motive for going to Grasmere, so all was not lost.

A few weeks ago I blipped the jigsaw that I had bought in Canada years ago, and said that I was feeling inspired, by seeing blips of blippers and their jigsaws, to actually open it up and have a go with it. Those blippers, who said it looked difficult, were  . . . wrong! It was not difficult, it was impossible. Well, it was for me anyway. I managed the outside edge, but had no idea after that where to start, when every piece could go anywhere. I struggled on, but eventually I gave up and put it away. However, it had inspired me to have a go at another jigsaw. I found a few gathering dust under the eaves, I think they may have been my mother’s, but I really felt that I wanted a new one.

Hence to Grasmere and the Jigsaw Shop (Barneys Newsbox). What a place!! I vaguely remembered it from years ago when I went to buy a jigsaw for my mother, but I had not remembered it as being so huge. There are corridors of floor to ceiling shelves full to the brim with jigsaws. It is truly amazing. Apparently they have around 8,000 puzzles. How to choose? Well, I did choose in the end and came out with two jigsaws. Very happy.

Then we left Grasmere to the hordes (we’ll return next week when they have all gone home), and took a quiet way back, stopping to take a few photos of the fells. But the wonderful shelves of jigsaws had to be the blip today. And I actually hope we are snowed in tomorrow!