Friday 19 June

We start the day at Grasmere (sic) - where Wordsworth lived and died. Visit his grave and Tina falls in love with Beatrix Potter shop.

On the way the tour director recites Wordsworth’s “Daffodils” and then this poem, written by his cat. Enjoy.

Cottontails
By William Wordsworth’s Cat

I wandered hungry as a hawk
That floats on high o’er hills and dales
When all at once I stopped to stalk
A clutch of little cottontails.
Beside the lake, among the reeds
Quavering and squealing in the woods.

As featherbrained as the bugs that land
And dally in my dinner bowl
They clung together in a band
Around the bottom of a hole.
A dozen saw I at a glance
Frozen with fear in terror’s trance.

And though they did not dance or play
But simply sat and stared at me
A kitten could not be but gay
In such delicious company.
I ate … and ate … the whole sweet pack
Oh, what a tasty rabbit snack!

And oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood
They flash upon that inward eye
That conjures up a favourite food.
And then into a ball I scrunch
And dream about that bunny lunch.

Evidently there is a book of poems, written by the cats of famous poems. Does anyone have it, know of it? I know two people (Tina and Helen) who would love to read it!

See the smallest house in Britain at Ambleside.

Go to Bowness where Tina powers away to visit The World Of Beatrix Potter - comes back euphoric! I have lunch and the wine list is interesting. It lists French wines (reds and whites). It then lists Italian wines (reds and whites). The last category is “New World” which is NZ, Australia, South Africa, California ad Chile!

We have a cruise on Lake Windermere in the Teal. It stops raining! Still a very cold wind but the views are lovely.

When we land we go on an old steam train ride. Very excellent optional excursion.

Leave Lake District and go down to the outskirts of Warrington to a good hotel (35th bed) in Daresbury Park (room 128) - a business park. Nothing to do but with free internet who cares!

Musing: why are virtually all the waiters/waitresses East European?