Ratting about again. (August 14th 2006)

We had visitors in August: The Screature's brother, wife and sprog. Hairyface's neice is OK. She's called Jo. Has typical teenage interests and has been surgically attached to her mobile phone. Her musical tastes aren't totally matching Hairy's taste but there are some points of contact - which is pretty weird, really. She and him like similar music, while her dad hates it as noise. I think it's cos Hairy is actually a big kid in adult's clothing, while Jo's dad is an accountant - that explains it all.

We took Hairyface's neice to Ratty. It was a lovely day. Clear and sunny.

We had the sprog with us and her folks went off in their car, to rendezvous at Ravenglass.

We are trying to be subversive and get Jo to rebel against her bof (boring old fart) dad.
She probably won't as she's too brow beaten but it's a challenge.

I don't know how hairy managed it but he was able to spend the whole day without capturing Jo's folks on film. Plus, he was only able to get one pint in! But it was at the Woolpack in Eskdale (again). Here's Jo on the stepping stones across the Esk, on the way to the pub. We'd got on Io sabo's favourite mode of transport - the little train to Dalegarth.This is where those wrinkles, sat on the bankside bench, last year, and the Screature were hoping Hairy would fall in. This year he actually went wading through, as he was wearing those stylish sandals again - he calls them his walking in water shoes. Don't know why Jo rolled her legs up but kept her boots on.

The pub didn't appear to go down too well with the bof and wife, they didn't seem all that keen on the beer or the food! Needless to say that Hairy got stuck in and had his usual sanger and pint, with a bowl of the brilliant Woolpack chips. He even managed to sneak a few under the table to us.

Io was a picture of self restraint and didn't chew anything on the train in either direction. We sat in open carriages and got the full benefit of all the smells. I just sat and hugged Hairyface which is something I don't do very often but he seems to like it when I do. Here's a picture of the soppy couple. Ha, ha.
The walk avoided Eel Tarn, but followed the river from Dalegarth all the way to the Woolpack. This was really in deference to the bof's wife who isn't a whizz on the bumps. Jo drove back home with us too, with Hairy playing a compilation CD and both of them rabbitting about Alien Ant Farm or Killswitch Engage or Avenged Sevenfold. Io said she preferred the noise of the train. I think I agree.