Wold Diary: Road trip for new lodgings and multi-coloured needlework

On the Tuesday, however I’d been invited to meet a delightful couple, not in quite the first flush of youth, over at a village I’d never even heard of just south of Driffield. There is so much of the Wolds I have yet to discover.

This village, which is quite large and very lovely, is called Hutton Bank and I Initially went to see friends of theirs who then took me to the house, which overlooked a village green. I was greeted by this charming couple and their delightful little dog who initially regarded me with great suspicion but eventually accepted I was harmless and condescended to sit down on her mat close by. She even came up for a cuddle.

I was offered tea and a slice of the most delicious coffee cake, and the diet went out of the window for the day as I couldn’t resist. They gave me some ties that the gentleman no longer used, which were top quality and they explained that he had been a turkey farmer and we discussed turkeys for a while. One of the ties even had a handsome turkey stag on it, which I’ve already incorporated into an animal patchwork bedspread.

I returned home after a very pleasant afternoon, and the next day I completed a double sided bedspread made of ties which I then donated to St Leonard’s Hospice for them to try to raise some money with. I must admit I was pleased with it, being pink and purple on one side and multi-coloured on the other.

My young lodger is moving on, to become a teacher which he will be very good at. He has a place at Towcester and needed to find accommodation. He intended to ride down there on his none-too-reliable motorcycle, and as he is still a learner driver would have been unable to use a motorway.

I decided to drive him down, and we suffered the endless roadworks on the M1 where there seemed to be no-one actually working on them.

He’d arranged three viewings with estate agents for a rented flat or studio flat. We arrived at the first village, and were told the agent would be 15 minutes late. We waited for her outside the premises and when she arrived she showed us into a three-bedroom house, not the studio flat below it and when we assured her we’d booked to see the flat she said she didn’t have the keys for it, and anyway she thought it had already been taken but she would try .to fit us in later that evening if it was still free.

I rather acidly pointed out we had driven 160 miles and were not available then. I was quite disgusted at their attitude. We then went to see friends of my lodger and later that afternoon went to another flat where the agent was waiting for us and showed us round, explained everything and was totally professional and very helpful.

Then we went to yet another flat in Northampton, a city I’d never visited before. I’m sure that parts of it are wonderful and I know that it has an impressive history but the place we went to was awful. Very rundown and seedy. We viewed the flat and I hoped my lodger wouldn’t pick it even though it was cheaper.

Then we headed home, and the day had been fine and pleasant until we hit Yorkshire again when it promptly started to rain. We knew we were home!

I’m much relieved to say that my lodger has rented the nice flat, where I am sure he will be happy.

For a couple of days this week I’ve helped a friend who is a bit poorly, by picking fruit for her in her huge garden.

My arms are now scratched and my clothing was stained but has recovered after being washed. I was stung by a wasp, several times, which I thought was a bit unfair as I had only just rescued a wasp from drowning a few minutes earlier.

I am mildly allergic to wasp stings and had antihistamine with me. Hopefully the swelling will go down soon.

I’m rather admiring of wasps, and would never willingly harm them unless they were a danger.