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Ellie and Me-T5 travels. Lingfield - Sheffield - Dent

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Ellie and Me-T5 travels. Lingfield - Sheffield - Dent

Postby Mary » Tue Feb 08, 2022 1:53 pm

5 weeks away - Major Road Trip: Lingfield - Sheffield - Dent

I have to admit that the first 2.5 weeks of this trip were spent with some of my lovely friends and my cousin Jan, all of whom refused to let me sleep in the van, insisting that I sleep in a 'proper bed'. Who was I to complain? (I've suffered some 'stick' from mates who say that it's 'cheating', but .... it was still travelling (close on 2,000 miles in total) and all good experience.)

One of my absolutely favourite, and most unexpected, adventures during these 5 weeks (and 2 days), was to be allowed to interact with a wolf. Yep - a wolf. 'Tame' but still wild, she wouldn't deign to come when called, but approached me, slinky, casual, almost sly, in a way only a wolf could, and twined herself around my legs, making sure that her scent was on me as much as possible. Then, slowly, she looked up at me with her eyes as amber as bright jewels and allowed me to stroke her. Later, when I was sitting drinking coffee with my host, she came and placed her head - so gently - on my lap and I fussed and stroked her head and tickled her ears, much to her delight. And mine. I can't think of a way of truly expressing the delight (and slight fear) I felt at this meeting. I'll never forget it.

Her name is Angeni. It means 'spirit' in native American, and suits her perfectly.
Angeni.png

Her companions are a slightly bonkers Lakeland Terrier and a feral dog rescued from Romania. I was more worried about the feral dog than I was of the wolf - weird?

Making (more) memories in Sheffield:
(Easy journey up to Sheffield. Ellie not sick. Remembered not to park under the bird-poo tree outside the house.)
Visited two cherished friends, Steve and Vicky, in Sheffield, who have recently had an addition to their family - little Vanessa. Now, I'm, not overly keen on babies, but she is a little sweetheart :-)
Steve took Ellie and I on a lovely walk on Loxley Common, with his/their two dogs, Tilly (Bloody Border Collie (BBC)) and Lister. What a lovely place! Steve took some lovely photos of the dogs, but I can't find the memory stick he put them on, so a few will have to do for now:
Dogs.png
Ellie, Lister and Tilly
Credit: Steve Allen

Ellie.png
Ellie, rock-climbing. Loxley Common, Sheffield
Credit: Steve Allen

Ellie, Lister and Tilly, bounding around. Loxley Common, Sheffield..png
Ellie, Lister and Tilly, bounding around. Loxley Common, Sheffield.
Credit: Steve Allen

Then - we all went (3 humans + three dogs) on a pub-crawl - yay! :thunbsup
Vicky and I , do we look like we're up to no good. Probably. Kelham Island Tavern, Sheffield..png
Vicky and I – do we look like we're up to no good? Probably. Kelham Island Tavern, Sheffield.
Credit: Steve Allen

Steve Allen and I. Can't remember which pub.png
Steve Allen and I. Can't remember which pub *hic*
Credit: Vicky Allen

After a visit to 5 or 6 pubs, we indulged in that compulsory closing-time snack – kebab (can't remember the time I had one previously). With garlic sauce. And chillies, naturally.

Leaving Sheffield (reluctantly), I headed for one of my favourite places - Dent, Cumbria (or Yorkshire - depends ;-) )

There, the weather threw everything it could at us - snow, sleet, hailstones, wild winds and sunshine. Four seasons in one day, for sure!

Another first for Ellie - I took her to a funeral service. Little Mick, gentleman, intelligent and interesting being and all-round good egg, died unexpectedly, having lived in Dent for 20-odd years. The church was packed. To the gills. As I walked in with Ellie, one of the ladies who was handing out the order of service, looked at her and expressed her surprise that I was taking a dog in. I answered, "The God we are told about loved all creatures, so why shouldn't I bring her in?". She nodded, we found a seat at the side of the aisle and Ellie behaved impeccably though out the service. Not a whimper, not a growl or a bark - even when one of Mick's friends played his washboard tie in tribute - she just looked at him for a bit with a, "What the heck are you doing?" and lay down again on the pew.

The wake was a real good craic - Little Mick would have heartily approved - halves of Guinness with whisky chasers all round. A good day to see a true gent off in style.
Here's a little tale I was told by one of the Dent locals (Audrey) at the wake:

A lady was hanging her knickers/bloomers out to dry on her washing line, when a cow came into her yard, pulled them off the line and ate them!! She went to the farmer to complain:, "Old Mottley, your cow has eaten my bloomers off my washing line - I demand that you replace them!". "Surely enough, my dear," replied the farmer, "if you'll come into the farmhouse and let me measure you for the new ones." Tehehe. :lol:

Lessons learned:
Don't leave the rear end of the van hanging over the tram tracks (fortunately, a tram didn't come along before the traffic ahead moved – phew);
Sheffield is, indeed, the Capital of Real Ale;
Wolves MAY not be as scary as first thought.

More soon (oh, so much more :-) ) ….


Last bumped by Mary on Tue Feb 08, 2022 1:53 pm.

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