Nostalgic for James Herriot

A recent geocaching visit to a farm that still uses heavy horses left me feeling nostalgic for the James Herriot stories. As our paperbacks are now too fragile to read in bed, I decided to download them to my kindle. And what a joy they’ve proved to be during wakeful hours in the middle of the night. The stories are charming; equally moving and entertaining and portray a genuine picture of rural life in the middle of the 20th century when life was slower, treatment by antibiotics was a “miracle” of the future and Yorkshire pockets were still shallow! . 

A sense of history makes my day

The weather in London was glorious when I arrived last Thursday morning. I thoroughly enjoyed my brisk (as rush hour was over) walk from the station to the office and entered the hallowed portals with a degree of reluctance. But happily, it wasn't all shade and shadows as the meeting room was at the top of the building, with a double aspect. With barely a turn of my head, I could see both Westminster Abbey and Cathedral, the Post Office Tower and the top of the Palace of Westminster. My craving for a sense of history had been satisfied temporarily!

The best time of my day

I’m fortunate to live and work in an interesting, beautiful place. Carlisle is an historic city dating back to Roman times with an impressive ancient cathedral and red sandstone castle where Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned.

Each day, my cycle to work provides lovely views across the river Eden to Bitts Park and the castle. But the best part of my day is when my husband walks our dog Molly to meet me on my way home. I love catching sight of them in the distance, meeting up and feeling deeply satisfied to be part of an historic landscape.