And many apologies for the missing blog post of last week,
The reason for that aberration is going to form the crux of this week’s offering and will, in effect, make up last weeks post, but posted this week (I think that makes sense).
So let’s get into it, yeah?
Missing Inaction
The reason for the missing entry in this mostly weekly detailing of my life (or what may pass for such), was yet another episode of MS fatigue, and that in turn was caused by what was a lovely and rather relaxing couple of days in nearby Harrogate.
I know, it’s counterintuitive, isn’t it? There I was, freshly returned from our little mini-break, and the result was a mental lethargy that lingered for the next 48 hours. I guess you pays your money, and you pays your price, but it really doesn’t make a huge amount of sense. Personally, I blame the hour’s drive there and back, and the amazing amount of hills that the small Yorkshire spa town seems to hold.
I’m getting ahead of myself.
I mentioned the reason for our little in a previous post I can't find, but to recap it was a Christmas present from my parents some 2 years ago. Since then the advent of Covid, and our (that’s myself and Tina, my spiffy spouse) own eventual contraction of said disease have conspired to make us delay, book, and then re-book our brief stay away. In the end, it was lucky we had a holiday waiting for us at the end of it all.
The Mysterious Affair At The Old Swan
So off we sped, on the morning of Tuesday last, through my native Leeds, on to the wilds of North Yorkshire, and the pretty and reportedly posh town of Harrogate.
We’d booked in at the Cairn hotel, an old building about halfway up a hill (this may become a theme) just as you leave the centre of Harrogate but, as we were too early to check-in, we settled for abandoning the car, and free-wheeling downhill toward the Turkish baths and, more importantly, possibly the nicest Wetherspoons I’ve ever been in. A place called The Winter Gardens for a spot of lunch (distinctly average) and a drop of booze (Mmm. Tasty, tasty bourbon).
I’m getting ahead of myself.
I mentioned the reason for our little in a previous post I can't find, but to recap it was a Christmas present from my parents some 2 years ago. Since then the advent of Covid, and our (that’s myself and Tina, my spiffy spouse) own eventual contraction of said disease have conspired to make us delay, book, and then re-book our brief stay away. In the end, it was lucky we had a holiday waiting for us at the end of it all.
The Mysterious Affair At The Old Swan
So off we sped, on the morning of Tuesday last, through my native Leeds, on to the wilds of North Yorkshire, and the pretty and reportedly posh town of Harrogate.
We’d booked in at the Cairn hotel, an old building about halfway up a hill (this may become a theme) just as you leave the centre of Harrogate but, as we were too early to check-in, we settled for abandoning the car, and free-wheeling downhill toward the Turkish baths and, more importantly, possibly the nicest Wetherspoons I’ve ever been in. A place called The Winter Gardens for a spot of lunch (distinctly average) and a drop of booze (Mmm. Tasty, tasty bourbon).
From there, we went to find The Old Swan, which is the hotel that Dame Agatha Christie was found in after her mysterious eleven day disappearance in 1926 (I’m a big Christie-ite, having read pretty much everything she ever wrote).
This proved to be a disappointment as, apart from a framed newspaper clipping and a murder mystery night, they had made nothing of this notoriety. I’m not saying it would attract crowds of baying fans, but a little more effort might have inspired me to buy a memento or two (I did pick up a paperback for Tina, but that was the next day, at Waterstones).
That done we returned to the hotel, checked, in, went to the wrong room, complained it wasn’t disabled friendly, were directed to the right room (which was), went back down to apologise and buy a couple of vastly over-priced drinks, and then headed out again to secure some more affordable booze and a few snacks to fuel our after-dinner entertainment (Naked attraction on the T.V. in our room. Yes, I know. Wild times), and got spectacularly lost in the process (It turns out having the sat-nav set to ‘car’ is not conducive to walking around a concentrated and hilly town.
The next day, we visited Fik (Feek), a Swedish coffee house we know the owner of, had a wander around town, failing to find the blues bar or pub/restaurant a mate had told us about, did a bit of shopping, and returned for the drive home. And that was it. All she wrote.
Exhausted
All in all, however, it was a hugely enjoyable stop-over. The hotel, although old-fashioned and a little, um, Saga-y (to say the least), was comfortable, reasonably accessible, and the meals it provided in the evening and morning were decent and plentiful.
Harrogate itself is pretty, but very hilly, seemingly with more up-hills than down (no, I know that doesn’t make sense), but with a combination of Tina pushing me and me dragging Tina along, we managed and probably both got some well-needed exercise in the process.
I’m not sure we’d return in a hurry, having pretty much exhausted what the town has to offer, but overall, I think we both enjoyed our stay in Harrogate. It’s just a shame the long drive and those never-ending hills took so much out of me.
Maybe I need to book a holiday to get over it?
Until next time
***
Hey, folks! If you would care to take a look at some of my more creative writing, then the links below will transport you to the magical worlds of two anthologies my short (and in one case, very short) stories have been included in. Feel free to check ’em out!
New Tales Of Old: Volume 2
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09TMVTX9H/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Death Ship
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/9198684140/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_TWEMTA3KWK7T89QEZPF6?fbclid=IwAR322Fx5nfgVUQAA62ZZ6CUsNnBm8pbSxPanzz6Qkjg3vAv4ESipq7iKKhs
https://www.waterstones.com/book/death-ship/david-green/s-o-green/9789198684148?fbclid=IwAR2gP4CXHSG7wTccO39wOqXFtI81k0259Ep8DUM48Ki6kTUdlKoF3yafojA
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/9198684140/ref=ewc_pr_img_1?smid=A2XZ7JICGUQ1CX&psc=1&fbclid=IwAR2Wa6sGxb82_VCsC7l1CGXwHjsSwTheqba6jDX_G8EDsywZoGpC93nXr2w
Reaperman
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Reaperman-Drabbles-3-Legends-Night-ebook/dp/B099NNPTQ1A
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