Good Day...Sunshine!

Keswick...The Lakes District

   This is our second time, while in England, that we have spent General Conference Weekend in the Lakes District.  It was extra special this year because it was Easter.  What a beautiful place to be reminded of our Savior's Creations and enjoying them to the fullest. We were able to watch all the sessions of General Conference on our computer and enjoy a lovely weekend at the same time.  The YSA's have two or three weeks off for Easter Holiday (It is not Spring break here-- It is EASTER break), so it was a perfect time to get away. 

The Easter Holiday Traffic Jam on the M6 where it seemed that everyone was going to the Lakes District
for their holiday.  Here, we were going about 15 mph.

                                          

Out our window in our room at the quaint Lyzzick Hall near Keswick.

We were served a lovely dinner followed by dessert.  This was Elder Pew's strawberries and cream.

Sitting outside enjoying the  Sunday Morning view in Keswick
(pronounced Kes-ick).  The English love to add letters to their words (Saviour rather than Savior) but then not say many letters when they pronounce the word.  

Lyzzick Hall is the site of an old farm house on what is called Lyzzick Woods. In the
mid 19th Century it was purchased by an artist named Joseph Flintoft who turned it into a Gentlemen's Residence.
Flintoft has some of his work in the Keswick Gallery. The home was purchased 35 years ago by the present owners and was
updated with 31 rooms and an indoor swimming pool.

The views were spectacular. 

The gardens were amazing. 

We took a walk around Derwentwater Lake

Posing...

Skipping Stones...

The Keswick Village market was fun and we bought cheese, chocolate and sweets.
Sweets are candy here and chocolate is different. 

The Bowling Lawn in Keswick...We see these all over England but we never see anyone playing
on them. 

Sister Pew thought she made this statement up but apparently not..
"There is no bad weather, only bad clothes."

Castlerigg Stone Circle is beautiful place to see the whole area of Keswick. It
is a circular area of large stones much like Stonehenge. They say it was built about 4500 years ago by
a prehistoric farming community. It was perhaps used for ceremonies or rituals. 

It was lambing season and we saw and heard so many lambs and loved seeing all the baby lambs.

On Sunday Morning we decided to take a morning walk to the village.
The hotel told us
it would take about 15 minutes, so we set off on the beautiful sunny day.
After an hour, we weren't
even close to the village.  We ARE NOT slow walkers but it took us 1 hour and 20 minutes
 each way.
We were tired when we returned.

On our walk we saw beautiful streams everywhere just
freely flowing down the mountain. 

On Monday we took the scenic route back to Manchester and went through the village of Grasmere, near Lake Windemere. The drive was sooo beautiful. It started out very foggy but the fog lifted to a beautiful blue sky.

The Daffodil Garden in Grasmere - Elder Pew is thinking, "you've seen one daffodil, you've seen them all"

William Wordsworth Poem 

Daffodils 

I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o'er vales and hills

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host of golden daffodils. 

Grasmere has a famous Gingerbread shop. There was a line
outside so of course we got in it and purchased
Gingerbread.  After tasting, we can attest that it definitely had ginger in it.  

It was packaged so cute but it tasted VERY bitter.

Taffy Thomas Tales, the Storyteller was closed.
We would have liked to see what happened in this little spot.

A little cool for patio dining but scenic.

Walking through the Village of Grasmere 

We had hot chocolate and cake. It's always best to go for "the Works".  Sister Pew's is the closest one, Elder Pew's is the plain one.

We were treated to these traditional Large English Chocolate Eggs. They are hollow but
have a place to open and put little chocolates inside. 

Missionary News

With the YSA's away during the long Holiday, we were busy with missionaries, transfers and 

new faces in the YSA Missionary Group. 

We had to say good-bye to these lovely girls. Sister Cristobal and
Sister Reed. We have grown to love these two; and it's possible they liked us!

Elder Ding stays in the YSA but Elder Curtis  and the Sisters are
transferred. Sister Crisobal is heading to Ashton Stake and Sister
Reed is a new Sister Training Leader in Newcastle.

We have been with Elder Curtis (from Logan) about as long as we have been with any Elder.
What a great Missionary!   He is now off to Preston.

We got to see Elder Suriyachan at Transfer Meeting.  He is excited that
a temple was announced close to his home in Bangkok, Thailand.

We met up with the Whitefield Elders, Elder Grant from Salt Lake City and Elder Judd.
They have a golf game scheduled in a week or so.

We had our YSA Missionaries for Sunday Dinner. Some are new to us
and some are still with us. Pictured from the left in front: Elder Mongie from Michigan, Elder Johnson from Las Vegas,
Our two Chinese Sisters, both from Hong Kong, Sister Lee and Sister Leung
In the back is Elder Gordon, Elder Maughan, Elder Ding and Elder Peterson
on Sister Pew's shoulder. in the back is Ismael Imbuqui a YSA (and returned missionary from Portugal) who also
came for dinner. Ismael is also in our BYU-I Pathway class.

PAY DAY A YSA Wedding

We are pleased to announce the Marriage of
Hope Fraser
to
Leon Aldred
Married civilly in Aberdeen,
 Scotland
and Sealed in the Preston LDS Temple

Hope and good friend Cinthya Abod

At the Reception afterward, lots of Shloer was poured.
Shloer is an English drink much like Martinelli's in the US
and is served at holidays and fancy functions.

Sandwiches and Cole slaw were also served
This is typical for an English Party as well

The head table where Leon's father and mother are seated with
Leon and Hope.

The YSA Table with Melody, Anatole, Brogan, Hannah Mee and Rachel on the left; with
Keya, Gayathri, Katie and Chantel on the right.  Elder Pew is conversing with Helen Smith, who is also engaged.

The other side of the YSA Table.
Elder Pew, Helen Smith on the left
Rachel, Jordan and Hannah on the right

Senior Couple Dinner at Puss In Boots

Pub names often pair random things together. Some around Manchester are: Boats and Horses,  Shovel and Boot, Slug and Lettuce, Crown and Anchor, Beef and Pudding, Hound and Hare and Puss In Boots.

We felt like we were in "Shrek"  but dinner was nice at Puss in Boots with the Senior Couples. We were all saying goodbye to 3 couples, the Hill's, the Shaw's and The Pew's...oh wait , that is US!  President and Sister Ulrich gave a little talk, then each of the departing missionaries said a few words. (We aren't going until end of May but the Shaw's leave in two weeks) 

Some of the Senior Couples of the Manchester Mission
Upper Left  Mission President and Sister Ulrich,  the Blunk's (serving in Preston), the Hills (Serving in the Swinton Ward),
the Shaw's and the Butler's (Serving in the Mission Office)  and the Lee's (Self Reliance Couple)
I didn't get pictures of the Stevenson's (Serving in Ashton Stake) the Johanson's (Serving in the Chester Stake)
The Steven's - the UK Mission MD
and two legal council missionary couples serving Europe but based here in Manchester

Other Bits and Bobs

Elder Pew and I showed up at Zone Meeting today matching...
Companion Unity.

We drive or walk over The Hulme Arch Bridge almost everyday.  it is where Stretford Road, which runs east/west crosses with Princess Parkway which runs from the M56 directly north into the center of Manchester. In the background is
the Hilton at Deansgate. At 47 Stories, it is the tallest building, by far, in Manchester.