One Year as a Mrs.

To celebrate our first wedding anniversary we decided to escape to the countryside for a weekend. We stayed in Gawthrop, in a little bolthole, Hazel Cottage. The cottage was beautiful, stylish and cosy, and was within walking distance of Dent. Dent itself is a teeny little village with a couple of pubs, a church, and a village shop.

We broke up our journey there with a delicious lunch at The Plough at Lupton. We were really impressed with this restaurant and we will definitely return if we're in that area again. Our SatNav took us down a few muddy wrong turns, but finally, after meeting a few woolly residents (welcome party pictured above), we settled into our little hideaway. Later, we decided to go into Dent where we sampled the locally brewed Dent ales with a generous portion of fish and chips at The George & Dragon pub. With the gorgeous Yorkshire Dales countryside around us, we enjoyed long, though rather soggy, walks followed by pints in front of buring fires. It was so nice to be in such a different landscape and be at a slower pace of life for a while.

Not satisfied in walking boots and raincoats for too long, on our actually wedding anniversary we put on our finery and journeyed across to Windermere in the Lake District. It was another wet and windy day but the setting of Holbeck Ghyll Country House Hotel was stunning, despite the grey clouds. We had one of the most amazing meals I think I have ever eaten/ will eat for a long time. The George and Dragon's fish and chip dish was forgotten as we sipped Champagne and enjoyed an incredible Michelin star meal in the impressive  dining room, with views over Lake Windermere. Fine dining isn't a regular thing for us and Holbeck Ghyll was a real treat. The food was delicious, service was great, and the setting really was was stunning. We went back to our bolthole and stayed up talking in front of the crackling log burner. It was the perfect way to celebrate the year we've shared as Mr. and Mrs.

On the way home, we decided to stop in at Wensleydale, home to Wallace & Gromit's favourite cheese. There is a cheese factory, where you can see how the cheese is made and there's a cheese tasting room. I know; another weekend highlight! Lots and lots of cheese to try. It was cheese and crackers for supper for a while after that!

 

We also visited Aysgarth Falls and sat watching the waterfalls flow for a good couple of hours with root beer floats and a cream tea. 

 

All in all, an excellent anniversary weekend to complete an excellent first year of marriage!

 

The Little (Big) Pieces

I would describe myself as a positive person. Having said that, when I do have a rough day or a rubbish week, I don't always do a good job at remembering how lucky I am. Mostly I want to use this space to remind myself of the things that I see or do week to week, month to month, that really make me smile/ laugh/ crytearsofjoyintoatissue etc. However, these little things are made a whole lot better because of the big 'pieces of happy' I have around me and I sometimes need a reminder of this, too.

August 2011

This was photograph taken by a friend on our wedding day. 374 days later, I can still remember the big fat smile that wouldn't, and didn't need to, leave my face all day. So, little (big) piece of happy number 1: My husband.
 

The lovable mouse killer

Our cat. Another of my little (big) pieces of happy. Having never had a cat until this little mister, I've been surprised at how much I love this bundle of (ever malting) fluff/ catcher of innocent little mice. He provides hours of entertainment in our household! I also have amazing family and friends who show me lots of love. We've been through an awful lot together and they are most definitely in my little (big) pieces of happy list. So, there you are. An introduction to the people that maintain the happy behind the scenes.