It's been a long time since I last wrote. My secretaries have idled away the last two weeks watching the Olympics despite the computer having at last been repaired. However, I digress.
Having camped for the last couple of years and been flooded off the Keswick campsite in both Year 1 and Year 2, some of you will know that my female servant persuaded my manservant that a caravan would better suit my needs. Caravan Expedition 1: Day 1 Hail and Snow. Day 2 Hail and Freezing Winds. Day 3 Clear Skies and Sunshine. Day 4 Hail followed by Freezing Winds, Rain, Rain and Rain. Day 5 Retreat Home!
Caravan Expedition 2: Arrive in Yorkshire in glorious sunshine. Things are looking up, do a bit of this, do a bit of that, eat al fresco, catch a few rays.
Day 2 Glorious sunshine. A bit more of this, a bit more of that. Canoe up the river. Canoe down the river. Female servant has idea to try out the awning. Some hours later and with the aid of some experienced caravanners the awning is up. Realise that the awning is actually an attempt to imprison me but my would be captors did not reckon with a Welsh Terrier's ability to unzip even the zippiest of zips! Manservant grumbles because he now needs to walk through awning from caravan to go and sit in the sun.
Day 3 Rain. Drive to this place and that. It's a race meeting and ladies are making their way to the racecourse in their best summer dresses, hats and shoes- it's going to get messy! Not allowed in Ripon Cathedral so me and manservant wander about in the rain while female servant wanders about inside very impressive (apparently) cathedral. Market traders are packing up due to the incessant rain but manage to buy a new ball on a rope from the pet stall to replace the one my female servant lobbed inaccurately into the brambles earlier on.
Day 4 Visit Mother Shipton's Cave in Knaresborough. Look at the water dripping on to objects which it petrifies in a couple of months. Meanwhile water continues to drip on me from the heavens. Get back to camp site where the river level is rising and the caravan is now in a small lake. Advised to take down awning as there might only be an hour's notice of flood. Manservant grumbles that we shouldn't have put it up in the first place. Check river again and the moorings are now under water. Advise servants to back up and flee. Flee we did and a good job too because yes, the site flooded! In fact, it would seem that much of Northern England flooded over the next couple of weeks. Horrendous drive over the Pennines with only about 15 yards visiblity.
Now that was the real escape!
