Catalonia Train Rides

20th June 2014

Ribes Vila Mountain village

Montserrat by rack train and funiculars

Vintage Train   Bombadier? 

Steam Locomotives Monsters of the Track

Vall de Nuria  Hotel & Sanctuary accessed only by train

we travelled in a historic train car "Cotxe-salon"

Restored Engine

Vintage Carriages

Te AVE high speed train

Catalonia Train Rides

I have just returned from a fantastic holiday in Catalonia Spain with a very special group, of rail enthusiasts. We travelled the length and breadth of Catalonia,riding miles and miles of track, into hidden valleys and climbing high mountains, staying in small villages and far out towns, sunshine all the way. We flew into and out of Barcelona a magnificent city that deserves a second and third visit, go see. This was our 5th tour with PTG Tours and they did not disappoint Dorothy nor myself,hectic but well worth the effort. Shot some  three hundred  photos, I always amaze myself that the photo turn out as well as they do, because half the time we are racing along shooting photos through windows.
Wrote this poem dedicated to all who love Trains.

Catalonia Train Rides

A sleek elegant train, races smoothly on,

Carrying a group of English rail enthusiasts. 

Content to ride miles and miles of track

That flies swiftly beneath their feet

From one destination to another.

Seeking new and vintage trains.

In far distant lands. 

Old neglected rolling stock

Hidden in overgrown sidings,

Sheds and breakers yards world wide,

Are lovingly restored

By proud enthusiasts  

And dedicated volunteers.

Toiling away in isolated sheds.

To be admired and venerated by many

Who travel far and wide 

Seeking out these unique icons of an age long gone.

In Rail Museums 

Filled with different type and classification

Of rolling stock ,

Restored to their original state. 

To ride in comfort and style  

To the indisputable

Rhythm rarely heard today. 

Clickity click clickity click clickity click.

The points sing out as they race along .

Exciting exhausting, always exhilarating 

Is this never ending need to ride the rails.

Val Cook

June 20014

Vilanova Railway museum

Montserrat Monastery

Vallvidrera's Funicular

Portugal Traction Group Tours

New England-2000 

Italy-2010

Portugal-2011

Southern France-2012

Catalonia-2014
 Wonderful memories 

Arriving home I was greeted with a overgrown garden,the lawn almost knee high.It took some effort to get it back to normal but two days on I an back on track in my normal routine. Its great going away,but oh so much better coming home. Before leaving I had a guy come measure for new blinds and today they have been fitted, I am so pleased as they make the rooms bright and cheerful. The next project is a new computer set up, cable free!

Dorothy and I drove over to Slaidburn in the Forest of Bowland on the Wednesday to meet up with friends for lunch,it was very sunny and hot but we sat outside all afternoon under the `brollies` catching up with all our news with so much laughter. Betty is a volunteer warden at the youth hostel there for one week in June every year so we always make an effort to get together its a wonderful ride and a lovely village,sometimes we stay over but not this year. 

Hope your all enjoying the better weather
" Friendship is unnecessary,like philosophy,like art...It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that gives value to survival."
C.S Lewis
Love you all   Val X

                                                                   National Media Museum.

18th May    

Started the month off with an invitation to visit the National Media  Museum in Bradford to see King Lear  a live screening from the National Theatre in London. The casting was brilliant, a lot to take in and quite violent towards the end but I did enjoy it. I look forward  to another  visit someday.

King Lear

Spring always sets me off organising and changing things, I decided to upgrade the spare room as it had become a dumping ground for anything and everything. Replaced the guest bed with a Futon to give me more room . The mattress, a lovely deep terracotta has to be conditioned  before it will fit into the seating position. I have to roll it alternate ways daily and sit on it until it has more flexibility, quite a job. But it has given me more floor space and the room will look better when I have finished.    I also have ordered new window blinds and rugs. In the garden I have planted some late showing bulbs that Jane brought back from Amsterdam last month and dug up the pathetic limbless Christmas Tree that has been growing ever taller in the corner for the past eight years…. I gave it its chance.

I have re-engaged Green Thumb to care for my lawn again as its looking very sad due to the horrendous amount of rain over the winter, and it is looking a little better today.  

Lawn Care

Very pleased to announce our WI website is now live after seven weary months struggling with the software. Looking for some interesting features and photos now to upload..

  

5th May was Lucy’s birthday she expressed an interest in taking afternoon tea in the Midland Hotel  Morecambe, an iconic building recently renovated in the art deco style.

June drove, Betty Lucy and I sat back in comfort and enjoyed the ride.  It was a rather robust day and knowing Morecambe we wrapped up well. It was very windy but thankfully dry. The tea was special, quite a sugar rush but we survived  and then we walked along the Prom for a while, took a drive to Heysham and then back home via a very busy motorway.  It was a typical girls day out, we never stopped talking all day…  I was bushed it was a grand day out.

The Midland Hotel

This week I was excited to watch Alan Bennet talking to Nicholas Hytner on BBC4 .I have followed  his writings for ever, he has the  rare talent of getting to the centre of people, attitudes and life styles. The Madness of King George is one of my favourites and it was a real treat to watch some of his “Talking Head”  BBC TV  one act plays they are so good.  

Alan Bennett

Alan Bennett 80th birthday

News item : Stolen Fence Panels

Remember I couldn’t get any fence panels well its still a problem.

Its all go now, flight tickets for our holiday have arrive taxi booked travel insurance and currency on its way. Excited …..

Lovely sunshine, this weekend has promised a heat wave yesterday  Saturday 17th was wonderful was on the garden all day writing, reading and snoozing. Started walking every day usually in the evening I have a route which just takes me about an hour, I sometimes  gain  speed especially down hill, ha ha….

I have to be pretty fit to keep up with the group we will be with on holiday, it’s far from a relaxing holiday, we are up early and back late from our excursions in  Catalonia . I am excited as we will be staying in Barcelona a couple of days and have plenty of opportunity to see Antoni Gaudi’s astonishing architecture. I have been in love with Spain since the early 60’s,returning many times  to view its history and culture  that never fails to move me, El Cid was an iconic movie that  I can watch again and again…

I am not a sun worshipper but a seeker of substance. and interest. 

  

Take care of yourselves and everyone dear to you. 

Love you all.

Valerie XX

Easter Weekend

26th Saturday

"Oh they do like to be beside the seaside"

Where has that child gone?

Begging

Munching

Old Mill Race

Just can't keep her out of water

The one who is never far from sight

This month has been  so hectic but it's ok because I love being busy and having places to go . I know there is a balance so next month  I will slow down because my holiday starts on the 4th of June and I have to be fit to chase those trains. I have been chasing up and down the motorway recently. Over Easter  I was house sitting and looking after two delightful Labradors (grandmother and granddaughter) in the village of  Dalston Cumbria with my friend Betty. Lots of walks  around the area in beautiful weather, I actually caught some sun in April ! The people where very friendly and helpful, obviously knew the Labradors and where curious as to who we where. I am not one for walking far, but Betty was and I did keep up with her and enjoyed it. Had a trip out to the seaside at Silloth rather windy and overcast but a great day out.

Sadly my Sister in Law Carol died rather suddenly whilst I was away, she had Cancer and on palliative care, we had been given four months but it was four days,  regrettably not long enough for some of us to say goodbye.  I was able to attend her Cremation in Worcester yesterday to be with my brother and his family it was a very sad occasion, she was a very special person many will miss her, I will miss her.
It was an horrendous journey home, road works, heavy traffic and  persistent torrential rain all the way, drained me …. how some people cope with this congestion daily is amazing.

Before Easter my youngest son came down from Harrogate for a visit, we tackled some problems in the Garden and enjoyed just  being together, he is such good company. Still lots to do and I have kept up with some of the work Spring is such a busy time. Replaced my Rhubarb plant with a new verity Ruby Red and started preparing my pots.

Managed to fit in a movie “Noah” featuring Russell Crow, whose always a winner in my eyes. Really enjoyed the film it was very well presented the casting superb. Full of emotion and well structured examples I think, reflecting what is happening in this our world, planet earth.

                                                  Noah movie

Feeling Good that Spring is Here

March 28th

Red Lane Ainsworth 

A cottage wall garden

Hello again, I cannot believe another month has whizzed  by again so fast and we have not seen any snow and Spring has certainly arrived …its lambing season already. I took a walk today and captured a few spring flowers growing by the side of the road.

Thinking about my brother today its his birthday and he is going through a very tough time, his wife is seriously ill in hospital and needs your prayers. I feel so helpless living so far away from them but what gives me strength is knowing they are well supported by good friends and neighbours.

Shortage of Fence Panels

Finally found some fence panels for sale, ordered 4 pm Monday they arrived 2 pm Tuesday, most impressed with the price too.  An uneventful couple of week except for the brilliant blue skies and sunshine we are having  alternating with usual cold wet windy days, its crazy weather..
I enjoyed pegging out my washing in the sunshine this week, it really felt good, the clothes smell so fresh and are soon dry. I can see the garden is slowly waking up, Spring has arrived, there are  lots of buds on the trees and  the pussy willow soon will be out, then comes the task of clearing the garden and paths of its fluffy droppings .  The Camellia, Forsythia and Hydrangeas are looking good and lots of daffodils are in full bloom although they are somewhat wind blown,stayed out on the garden for a while and pottered about.

Finally got around to booking a  holiday my friend Dorothy and I will be joining another PTG Rail and Culture Tour around the region of Catalonia Northern Spain and going into Southern France. Our last holiday with them was through Southern France and the Catalan Region of Spain so its almost a continuation of our last holiday.  Really looking forward to getting away to some constant sunshine.

Go see PTG Tours

Went along to another Web Master Class at Lancashire Federation Headquarters this month and  this time it was less confusing and I managed to get my web page finished. There are 2,58000 members of the National Federation of  Women’s Institute comprising of 69  Federation in England, Lancashire is one of the largest with 156  WI’s under its authority. It is a huge task placing every individual WI website onto the National site, but it is happening……

The National Federation of Womens Institute

Attended  the NHS Retirement Group this month to hear a retired Probation Officer talk about his job in the 1960. He was  very interesting to listen to and it was very evident that society in the 1960s was not as complicated as life is today and the probation service in the 60s dealt with many social problems as well as crime.
At the ladies group this week we heard from  a BBC Journalist Kevin Fitzpatrick who was very entertaining, he should have been a comedian as he kept us in stitches all evening.

Finally got round to having my hair cut and coloured.   I toy with the idea of letting it grow about once a year,  then one day I look into the mirror and say no that isn’t me .!  So  I am back, happy to be looking myself again.

I had a wonderful surprise my youngest son bought me a slide converter for Mothers day. I have talked about converting our vast collection of colour slides into JPG format and burning them on to a DVD for ages and its proving to be so simple …. Brilliant.  Thanks Stu I love it..

Time to sign off,  goodbye for now my friends.

The March Wind doth Blow

                                                                 

                                                                                                                        

Go see

                                                                     
“It’s not the years in your life that counts .
It’s the life in your years.”

I don’t know who penned this but I like it. Having just celebrated a phenomenal birthday on
St. Valentines Day ...  Yes I had a wonderful birthday, busy  as usual,two birthday lunches
and a family dinner that my youngest son prepared, he is a brilliant  cook !
I really do appreciate all  my family and friends, they are my anchors in a sometimes stormy sea.

 The stormy weather has since abated but last week I lost three fence panels during a hurricane (108 miles per hour)  it was an horrendous storm and because of the demand for new fencing through the UK the stores are completely out  but I will try again soon..   Also my garage door was banging about, it was terrible  so I padded it with cloth, filled all the gaps to stop it  twisting about and it worked. Lots of properties where damaged with trees falling into the road and onto homes lots of electricity pylons came down again and it was the south  of England that suffered the most with coastal landslides, homes washed into the sea and more flooding.. 

But now we have enjoyed  blue skies and  sunshine these past few days, a welcome change from  grey skies wind and rain. Because of the good weather I drove up to Harrogate to see my family. I took the Motorway to avoid potential hazards on the way through the  Yorkshire Dales. It is a wonderful drive whatever the season but prone to flooding over the past few years.  I was once caught up in the flooded fields just outside Skipton in a brand new car, water up to my ankles but she sailed right through, the water was so clean there was no evidence of the incident I was so lucky.

Attended the Hypnotherapy Talk at the Ladies Circle and realised that for 20years I had been using the same technique the therapist used on his clients to relax my expectant mothers, prior to and during Childbirth.  He really put a spoke in the Stage Hypnotists  Act,when he explained how they worked to fool the audience. ???  
Speakers Club this month was book readings, we where asked to bring a book and read aloud for 3minutes followed by another 3minute read from someone else‘s  book. It was entertaining listening to the varied  selections and was a good exercise.  I chose Stephen Fry’s   “The Ode Less Travelled”  It’s an idiots guide to writing poetry. Simply because I feel some  do not appreciate Poetry as much as I do and it was well received. Then I read an excerpt from  “Nella Last’s War”  -   WW2  Housewife’s War Diaries. My other contribution was a few words from Winnie the Pooh. We also had a social event  later in the month a Beetle Drive and supper,  that was good fun.

Our annual Women’s Institute’s visit to the University Catering Department for a  Silver Service Lunch didn’t disappoint , the student waiters where excellent, it was a meal to remember  and for such a small price..    It was very difficult to chose as there where three choices all very enticing.
My starter was chicken and black pudding stack, it was delicious.
 I love blood puddings ! They are a Lancashire delicacy.
 For my Main course I chose Calves Liver + gravy , peppers, peas & onions, duchesse potatoes and  mash.  Very tasty.    Dessert was phenomenal a Chocolate cup cake filled with chocolate cream (very light) covered with cherry sauce and accompanied with white chocolate ice cream, I savoured every mouth full it was delicious….  followed by coffee, the best meal yet.

Went to see the War Horse Thursday evening at the cinema, it was a live feed from the National Theatre in London .  The  puppetry was incredible you soon got used to not  seeing the puppet masters that where inside the shell of the horse . It was a magnificent production very different,  a huge emotional story I loved it…..

"So goodbye again, I am sorry to be leaving you, goodbye again as if you didn't know its goodbye again"    John Denver         



       National Theatre Stage Play : The War Horse
     

Rain Rain, Go Away Come Again Another Day

British Coastline 2014                 Daily Telegraph

                                                      
February 6th
Hi everyone

 For those of you overseas, sadly I have no good news today as England is in crisis, the countryside is saturated, the floods are increasing daily. People are evacuating their homes, power supplies are unstable  and  now the main rail track along the coast into the south west of England  has been destroyed as our coastline is being eroded by the huge waves and high tides that buffet our land. Here in the Northwest we are fortunate to be fairly safe from these unprecedented  disasters but its still harrowing to know that Britain is under siege from this vile  weather that has created this crisis.  The USA has suffered too and is still experiencing extreme cold weather and  its blown over the Atlantic to plague us.

But life has to go and its true, we can take the rough with the smooth and carry on regardless, I just pray it ends soon….

One sign of change is that the bulbs are pushing up into the light and  hurrah, daylight is lasting longer so Spring is on its way. I  haven’t seen any snow yet, just freezing 90mile an hour gales, hailstones and sleet but in the higher parts of Bolton they have had a  few hours of snow, but it quickly cleared. From my  own aspect  I want it to snow, I love it, the soft fluffy deep snow is part of our winter scene and the quietness that descends on the town, clear bright daylight and cold crisp fresh air, and the bonus is that it wipes out unwanted bacteria and germs that thrive in the moist warmth of summer…..and overheated homes...... no one seems to open their windows these days.

I went to the Movies  to escape another wet miserable day, to see 12 Years A Slave, an excellent film. Based on a book by the slave himself written  in the 1800  presenting a different aspect of slavery than what we have learned in the past. There are always people ready to exploit often the most vulnerable in today’s society.   The Cockle Pickers of Morecambe Bay are just one example. It’s a sad reflection on all we believe in.

Morecambe Bay Cockle Pickers Disaster

Trailer 12 Years A Slave

One uplifting moment last month was my granddaughters graduation in Perth Western Australia. She is now a qualified primary school teacher, its been a long hard journey for her, I feel so proud and happy that she is happy. I am also as proud of my daughter who as a single mother has excelled in all she undertakes. Brilliant outcome,love them to bits.

We had a  dry day last week,  so I hit the Sales.   February !  there wasn’t much left but boy did I get some bargains. It was well worth the trip to town and I treated myself to lunch. I don’t shop as much as I used to do, hate window shopping I have to have a list and I am usually in and out quick, but boredom and lethargy was killing me so I made the effort and enjoyed the day.

My friend Betty encouraged me to go along to Bolton Ladies Group who meet up alternate Monday evenings at a local hotel.  The Speaker  on “ Victorian England” was very good and the company warm and friendly, I was surprised that there where so many there  whom I knew, so I decided to join the group. Looking forward to the next meeting, there is to be a speaker on "Hypnotherapy"!!

I think I am slowly coming out of my Winter Blues, its been miserable trapped in-doors all day, because of the horrid weather.   I took a  lovely walk a few days ago and it really cheered me up. So that’s a Resolution, to get out and about when its fit to do so, I spent far too long indoors when I was ill,  and it took a great effort for me to get my  fitness back, so there is much to do.
Byee for now dear friends.

        
  


   

Welcoming in 2014

13th January

Hi
Happy New Year to everyone, I hope you had a Christmas as wonderful as mine was.But I have been so busy since New Year that I couldn't say just what I have been doing its been rather hectic,
and here we are already two weeks into 2014. One thing I have been doing is re-organising the office it was  chaos in there.  For me January is always somewhat demanding with the usual annual payments for this and that and they all have risen in price. I think every aspect of owning a house is covered by insurance these days they don’t half frighten you with horrid stores of  “what if.” I like to keep household accounts so I am in control from the start of the year. Last year panned out well, so I am hoping this year will be the same. 

Thought I might have to buy a new Desktop Computer this month  as this one being rather elderly as PC go, it runs Windows Vista, was being rather temperamental and refusing to obey me and we cannot have that . Anyway after a few taps here and there, plugs out and in  and a few strong words, it is performing perfectly, fingers crossed as I am so reluctant to upgrade to Windows 8 as  it’s  creating such stress amongst my friends that  for the moment I just don’t want to know until they have sorted  all the kinks out out of the system.

New Year was quiet, finished some reading and writing and catching up on things that had been shelved until after Christmas.  My tree and  all decorations all safe and sound up in the loft. Almost a spring clean too, as  housework has been on hold for ages with  all the extra work and my gallivanting about over Christmas. I always say this  and I am sure some of you do to, “I am so glad to be back to  my  normal routine…..

Our weather has been terrible, very stormy with major flooding and loss of power through out England. The North West is not prone to floods it’s the coastal areas and  major river systems that cause the floods but now the ground is so saturated with the very heavy rain fall its hopeless, many  more  areas are being affected.  I feel for everyone who have been driven out of there homes and been without power for a long time, travellers stuck in far flung places separated from family and friends over the holidays.

I haven’t been out much but went to the first W.I. meeting of 2014 it was a “ Beetle Drive” and  such a fun time mixing and meeting new and old friends, a good start to the New Year..  Speakers Club started also with “Call My Bluff” another fun night to get the New Year off to a great start.

On the 18th January I am very proud to announce that my eldest grandchild  graduated from Edith Cohen University in Australia, she is now a qualified primary school teacher. I am equally proud of all my three children  who also have professional occupations supporting their communities.... I cannot go without a word of praise for my other grandchildren who bring so much  joy, love and pride into my life. 

Children are our joy,a gift to the world,
They are our future.
Our life's work that will perpetuate and run through eternity.
An ongoing gift to you and I of love and sharing,
Because that is what life is all about.
 
VCook 2008

Rather a sad start to the year was the death of a close friend and colleague. The church was filled to capacity, many retired and working midwives where present, it was good to catch up but equally as sorrowful to be saying goodbye to a dear friend. 

 I hope you are all ready for the challenges  of 2014 I think I am but time will tell.... I haven’t made any resolutions this year as I rarely keep them, so decided not to bother.

 Now here is a real treat for you, the latest album release of  one of  my favourite singer/ songwriters Sting    “The Last Ship”  The songs are related to his beloved Newcastle and the ship yards that are no more.   I am listening to this album a great deal it’s so good.

 Inviting you to listen to all the songs on the Album

The Last Ship