Greatitudes 672 - 684

Goodness, I'm losing the knack of blogging!  Haven't written any Greatitudes since November. And I used to think the "Greatitudes" slant was quite nice. Now I think that merging Ann Voskamp's Monday discipline of giving thanks and reaching 100 with the Beatitudes smacks of something approaching blasphemy!

So, any old how, whatever the title turns out to be from here on in, we in the Land of the (not so tearful lately, said she) Strawberries have much to be thankful for, not least a very exciting weekend, far from school and homeworks and admittedly GCSE marking which is my Big Job for the month!

On Saturday we were in the Mournes finally, after too, too long a break from walking and climbing and generally being out in the wilds with lots of air and sky and venturesome living. Venturesome was one of our new words last week. It came at just the right time! We walked from below the skyline here, along the Burntwood of Annalong that you can see in the distance. Devastated by ridiculous and deliberate fires last summer. Then followed the path up to Percy Bysshe- excellent caving and climbing possibilities for intrepid young men. I had to wait until they had crawled right along the ledge inside to whisper to Prince Charming, "I am very scared!" Needless to say that I was not hanging on the end of a rope at any stage of the adventure.

 

We spent Sunday afternoon in the city centre for the the tenth Festival of Fools. We haven't been going for ten years, but I do remember watching a fabulous guy on Royal Avenue the first year we stumbled across it, and we had two very small boys, so this was maybe our eighth year!

And yesterday we decided to keep faith with Jo and not go on any drive that would be more than an hour. Less than half an hour to the beach for skimming stones. Mere minutes into the next town for lunch. A quarter of an hour to a beach for bouldering (and path walking for the not so venturesome middle-aged women amongst us), same again for a lighthouse. Quick dash across the Ards peninsula to the Land of Fable, otherwise known as Mount Stewart. You have to love the Frozen North for condensed and varied beauty- you have to visit the Frozen North for condensed and varied beauty!

And so to the rest of the week. Normal service blossoming around us in the bright, oh so lovely sunshine and taking up residence with the cherry blossom and envelopes of marking!  I'll be back on Thursday, Jane, with views from these windows- honest!  All is ablaze out there suddenly, and maybe after an al fresco lunch I might even open some marking envelopes...