Hello folks!

For this past week I’ve felt so poorly, I could have happily stayed in bed every day, but any mother of a young child knows, that’s never possible. It’s not usual that something knocks me off my feet so completely, but the cold that is doing the rounds at the moment is certainly a nasty one. Either that, or turning 40 has eradicated my defences, who knows?

Anyway, before taking unwell, me and the chap had a little trip out to Rievaulx Abbey up at Helmsley. It’s a National Trust property, and one that I wanted to visit all summer but never got around to, so obviously far better to wait for an Autumn day when the rain is falling. The sunny intervals were well worth being around for though.

Rievaulx Abbey is set in a valley in the North Yorkshire Moors, as soon as you start the descent down the hill you know that you won’t be posting to your instagram stories until you’re back up, which is no bad thing. I think I should probably try to detox from my Instagram stories to be honest, I might get more done. Anyway this vast monastery was founded in 1132, and by 1160 was home to over 600 monks. Quite devastating then that by the end of the Black Plague, only 15 residents remained.

Many of the Abbey’s buildings date from the period 1147 – 1167 during which time Saint Aelred was abbot. As with so many of the beautiful religious buildings of the time, it was destroyed during the reformation, but what an astounding place.

In such grand surroundings, and bordered all around by some of the most beautiful North Yorkshire moorland and countryside, I think it could be quite easy to be saintly here. It was beautiful and I definitely want a return visit in better weather.

For much of the week ever since I’ve just loafed about trying to get rid of what felt like a brick in my head, so much congestion and a sore throat. The fella sent me some flowers to cheer me up too, which was nice.

Typical that today, when I’m actually feeling a little bit more human we’re dealing with storm Arwen and there is no way I am venturing out in that. I’ve pottered around with Little Miss this morning, doing a session of Yoga with Adrienne, a bit of knitting and ordering some groceries to be delivered tomorrow. I think I’m just going to hunker down until it passes, do some more knitting, sewing and maybe even do my nails, who knows.

I hope that you’re having a lovely weekend whatever you are up to, and don’t fall foul of the nasty cold.