Storm Arwen left a view

After a trip to town for essential body maintenance I was home in time to do my packing (35 minutes must be a record for me so I bet I have forgotten something). In view of the weather forecast I had to put in my waterproof walking trousers and a fleece, merino layers etc. It doesn’t look like we’ll be in shorts and shirts.

I just got the packing done before Chris arrived for a walk in the woods. We both struggled with the steep diagonal path as it’s been badly eroded by bikes, and is narrow with steep drops. I’m glad I took my sticks but Chris won’t use one. This was the view from the easy carriage drive on the way down. Before Arwen blew down the trees we didn’t have a view over to the lake and the Cragside cafe. Her dogs leaped up on a young woman jogging. She was far nicer about it than I would have been. Then they rushed at next door’s little dog as it was coming barking out its gate. It got quite a shock but Rosemary was very nice about it. We caught up on news and had coffee at mine on our return. A camper van in the other side of the valley caught fire - awful black smoke - the fire service were there quickly.

The boys are going to FaceTime tonight as we go tomorrow for 2 weeks so won’t see them.