Nearly Hull Again

This week I have been through Halifax, Huddersfield and very nearly Hull! I am absolutely shattered, so this may make less sense than normal.

Pam - you are awesome! I dropped bear off, picked up some bits from Tesco and then decided to follow your advice. I plugged in the satnav and set it to go home. It didn't use the way I would normally go, but instead it took me up a street I had been wondering about for a while. I decided adventure was calling and turned right instead of carrying straight on.

It was a great learning experience. I learned that there are some gorgeous and quite easy country roads around there. I learned that Red struggles up hills as she is just a little engine, but she does better in second gear when the hills are steep (some were steep). I learned that I had not yet seen the worst junction in the area but I dealt with the new challenge and I was fine. I was also reminded that I have no idea of how long 300 yards is. I found that out when I was in a complicated roundabout system which is notorious for its difficulty, even with experienced drivers. If you end up in the wrong lane you are on your way to Hull. And I was so busy following the directions, which kept telling me to bear left in three hundred yards, I ended up in the lane for Hull, paused, indicated, kept everything crossed and switched lanes at the last minute without holding up too many cars. Once I got clear of that mess, I could work out the roads and get home okay as I came out near IKEA and the fabled J27 of the M62. It felt like a great adventure.

Bless - I have always checked the routes and looked at maps first, but satnav is part of the driving test now, so I've learned to deal with it, and it isn't too bad. I am making sure bear knows how to read a map, though. It's such a useful skill and it's dying out.

To be honest, this morning's adventure was a lot easier than the car park this afternoon when I was picking up bear. It was a nightmare, and I found myself so stuck and unable to turn as there were cars turning everywhere and nowhere for anyone to go! I could have cried when I finally found a stop, and it was horrific getting out. It's the last day before half term so there were lots of people picking up their kids.

Bear is a happy bear. It's not just that he has a week off school, but he is now the proud owner of a very inexpensive violin. It cost £50 from Gear4Music and is about two steps up from a toy plastic violin, but it has a proper bow and strings that can be tuned and is the right size. He is practising already. I have warned the neighbours.

Writing stuff - The latest from the White Hart is here. I'm not sharing the pic that I used for the story, as it is a little unnerving. Instead, here is a pic I took of a gravestone on Tuesday, which is considerably more wholesome.

Hugs to all.