Sep 16 - Walking about town

Photo of the Rose and Crown pub - back room where we ate lunch. One or two blocks from the house.

This afternoon, we took a walk on a public footpath probably a tenth of a mile from the house we're renting. Met a friendly woman with 2 dogs, playing ball by a stream. It was a nice little loop, maybe 2 miles long.

Photo of the start of the Cumbria Way in Ulverston, a long national footpath.

Photo of our front gate.

Below, Hal stands in the alley in front of our place. Our gate is in the wall to the left.

The front door of the Abbey House Hotel

Abbey House Hotel roof and chimneys

Hal sitting in front of Abbey House Hotel

Weather here has been excellent. Sunny and crisp today. According to weather.com, Feb. temps average 35 to 44 Fahrenheit. July averages 55 to 66 F. The Abbey House Hotel (3 photos here) where we are staying (big stone fortress) is home for this week only. I suppose we may stay here when we come back if we can't move into the house right away. Correction: we are driving an Audi A3 not an A4.

I didn't buy wellies yet. Scouting them out. How wild can I go in this conservative place. Looks like I can get zany with my boots. Buy the sock-like liners at LL Bean, and the boots at J. Crew (in US) or Tesco's here. black-and-white animal print maybe. You're right, giraffes are not b&w. It was a zebra print, with pink highlights.

Hal has done a great job with driving. He says it's white-knuckle driving. He just loves it when a lorry (truck) comes around the bend on a one-lane road. The road signs are very different from signs in the states. After 1 year residency, we won't be able to use our CT drivers' licenses. We need to prepare for the "theory test" (what people take to get their learner's permits, which allows them place huge - 8 inch maybe - capital Ls on their boot (trunk)). (We already have valid licenses, so we don't have to go thru the "L" thing, but we have to take all the tests.) After theory test comes the computer simulation test, and finally the practice test. Most people don't pass the first time. Hmmm. A challenge. They use the hand brake at every stop, and there are a zillion round-abouts. Hal says it's like information overload: intersection, cars all coming from the right, but in 2 lanes, cars beside you, plus beautiful scenery, and then you have decisions to make - do I get in the inside or outside lane of the circle, once I squeeze in, between zooming cars, and plan ahead for where to get out of the circle (think clock face - 9 oclock etc). Look right first, drive on the left. Keep the driver next to oncoming traffic. Hard to judge the space on the passenger side. Whew!!!

We did a drive-by on a new house that isn't selling, so it's ready to let (rent). Just another boring house in the burbs. This evening we had dinner with Hal's soon-to-be boss. Got the low-down from him and the wife on living in England. Nice people. Great dogs, too. It was a unique experience to walk several blocks through town at 9:30 pm to go back to our car.