Christmas at the Lake District

Christmas this year was wonderful. It seems to get better and better every year. Everyone but the Votaws and Lindsays (we missed you guys!) were there. We rented a cottage in Grasmere which is in the Lake District. It was a six hour drive and we got there at night in the pouring rain. We had lost the instructions that told us where the key was so we had to search in dark and wet. Eventually we found it and got all our stuff in. We were soaked but happy to have made it. Grasmere was beautiful. I can't describe it sufficiently so you are going to have to come out here and see for yourself. Every day we went on long hikes and walks and just enjoyed nature. Then we would spent the evenings playing games and relaxing. William Wordsworth is one of my favorite poets and lived in Grasmere when he wrote most of his best known poems. I got to go to his house there and learned more about his life. His poems are even more beautiful having seen his inspiration. I came away loving his poems more, but admiring his character less. I won't go on a rant, but all he did with his life was enjoy nature. He lived with three women (sister, wife, and sister in-law) to take care of the house and he even had them write his poems for him so he wouldn't have to strain his eyes. While he certainly lived a life doing no harm, he did not go out of his way to do any good. Or do anything (other than write poetry) for that matter. But, to the rest of the trip. Christmas eve was fun, we had a murder mystery dinner. Joe turned out to be the murderer, surprised? Christmas day was great, we had our traditional cinnamon toast for breakfast and opened presents. I got a beautiful Wordsworth book from 1858. It was actually given as a Christmas gift that year, and again 150 years later! Kinda cool! I love old books and it was so fitting for our trip too. After presents we went on another walk, made bread, and had a great dinner. It was so fun to have most of our family together. Joe and Ruth have already gone home, but Sariah is staying for another week! Hooray!



Egyptian murder mystery night




















Our cottage, Little Parrock















Grasmere












John and I climbed everything we could