14 Oct 2023

 Met with Holly who is from Coniston and whose dad is putting on the concert. She took us for a walk up the hill to the site of an old copper mine and where slate is still 'mined'. The weather was glorious and the road/path wound up the hill alongside a babbling brook. There were those sheep we have been seeing - white with black heads / black with white heads - apparently they are viking sheep and the black-bodied ones are babies. They had long tails.

The hills were brown with bracken and on the way back after the rain they looked more red in the different light. At the tope there was a cave and we ended up sheltering in it when it started pouring with rain. Nancy even got some hail. At the back of the cave was a grated-off area where a mine-shaft drops (according to Holly) 2000 ft.

When we got back down we had some lunch and coffees at the little bakery then split up. I went to the little church and saw John Ruskin's grave then went back to my apartment and listened to my book for the afternoon. It was nice to have a relaxing afternoon.

I went up to Nancy and James's apartment for a pasta and garlic bread dinner then we went to their gig. It was so nice to see them play live after so long. The hall was lovely with fairy lights and cabaret-style seating. Holly played the last couple of song with them. She has a beautiful voice.
We hung out again afterwards for a bit with some wine and cheese and grapes at their place.

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