Hi Penny.
How nice to be so distracting! Yes the phrase I heard many times was indeed "little pigs have big ears". I found that sitting quietly and "reading" often meant that the grown ups dropped their guard and spoke a bit louder. Mind you I 'm not sure how much I actually understood what I heard. Christine

I try this every time as I forget it is not allowed and as  we are big pasta eaters it is common to us. Christine and David

Hi Penny
Mountain Goat Tours still exist and are seen around the Lakes most times we venture out. I think it is a popular way to get around. Currently there are offers on bus ticket prices too which are a great way to get to Keswick and Grasmere etc  from Kendal (or anywhere on that route) and as they are capped at only £2 they don't break the bank. I think there are other routes around the area too . Christine

me too

To  the poetry buffs.

As a young child I loved reading poems. Especially AA Milne. I also had an Anthology of Childrens Verse which I read many times ( I recently bought another vintage copy - an exact replica of the lost one) and think back fondly to happy hours reading them. Then came English Lit O and A level. The dreaded pulling poems apart lessons! I was predicted an A at A Level but got a B because I did very little revision of the poems! A love of poetry ruined. Thanks Mr Thompson.
However I have rallied to the call for contributions to the discussion and I present probably my favourite AA MIlne poem (close run thing with Their Changing Guard at Buckingham Palace -Says Alice !!)

 Daffodowndilly

She wore her yellow sun-bonnet,
She wore her greenest gown;
She turned to the Southwind
And curtsied up and down.
She turned to the sunlight
And shook her yellow head,
And whispered to her neighbour;
"Winter is dead."

I was asked to "do a party piece" once at a friend of my parents house and as a shy child I managed the first four lines of this poem. According to the analysis on the net this poem embodies the spirit of hope and renewal of the post First World War era.  I see that but I prefer the analysis of a child - simple and charming with a sing song rhythm that makes it easy to remember (well the first half anyway!)

Christine

In every "I want to live in a house I can't really afford " programme in the UK they aspire to bifold doors! Christine

Of course it could be said that the chatbots are justifying their own existence! Certainly the over friendly Bing chatbox never seems to give up trying to introduce itself to me, hence a tech thicko like me knowing a tiny bit about them. Christine

Here in Kendal we are enduring very long drawn out flood defence works (9 years after a very major flood). Walking around with the dog (as we do on a very regular basisof course) we marvel at the number of time the "Dave " cartoon from the 31st is acted out for our delight and frustration. The best one so far was 6 men watching a 7th in a digging machine make a large hole. A couple of days later a mere 3 of them watched the man with the vibrating machine finish off filling it in! GRR! Christine