A gentle aside.
I don’t ever remember celebrating my Father on any special day way back when I was a child, though I did make lots of fuss of him as he crept into old age before it was too late. He died in 2005 and I paid homage to him more recently here, where you will hear some good music.
The idea of a special day to honor fathers was probably introduced from the United States where it has been celebrated for a century or so.
Mothering Sunday on the other hand was an existing Christian celebration dating from medieval traditions. Commercialisation has taken over and both days are now largely a shopping excuse.
Putting that aside I am pleased when my two sons plan to visit me, along with some of their progeny and partners. They do offer to bring food but I am happy to prepare a feast and get in the drinks to celebrate the day. They normally eat me out of house and home but today grandson J is mountain biking in the Peak and A is bouldering out in Fontainebleau. So we are down to six and two dogs, Gizmo always wants to be centre of attraction, as can be seen from my header photo.
My cat Seth senses the arrival of their two dogs and disappears upstairs for the day. After tea and cakes we take the opportunity to get up the fell whilst the sun is shining and develop an appetite for the curries to follow. The dogs love the freedom of the planation and charge off through the bracken after some unknown scents. We walk sedately around. Gizmo the larger dog can’t wait to get into the water of the little becks which have been swelled by all the recent rain, the more refined Phoebe is not so sure. The gap over one side stream seems to have widened and the party use different techniques crossing it with only the odd wet foot or paw.
On the way home we call in at Craig Y bouldering venue so S can show L the hidden pleasures. What a good photo opportunity of us all on the rock.
Three generation ‘bowlandclimbers’
The meal is a success and they all depart in time for me to watch the first England game of the European Cup whilst I wash up.
Thanks lads.
