Time for a Breather

 We are still coming to terms with this house, it is such an amazing place to stay. There is a little library full of books to do with local history of the surrounding villages and cities as well as notable people who grew up around the district. It gives a good idea of what is available to visit. There is also an information book that provides everything you need to know for a comfortable stay, like how to operate the heating, where to find the switch that turns on the heated towel rail and addresses for local amenities, all sorts of stuff like that. But first we desperately needed to find a Laundromat and the information log provided the answer, there is one in the next village, Farsley.  After breakfast we set about sorting out our washing, there was a lot! We also took the opportunity to make a pile of stuff to post home, as our cases are starting to bulge a bit. The bed linen and towels we bought in Paris we could definitely send home and against all advice, we still put in more clothes than we need so culled things we hadn’t yet worn, if there’s a post office in Farsley we’d get a box to pack it all in to ship home.

view from the window beside our bed.

This funny little 3/4 bed is in one of the other bedrooms

The window latch, main bedroom

We borrowed one of the little booklets with a local map in it and found our way, after a few scenic detours, to Farnsey and the Laundromat. The lady there asked if we wanted to use their service or do it ourselves, are you kidding? It was quite obvious that people mostly dropped their washing in and picked it up when it was done, so that’s the way we did it. Michael wanted to have his black pants dry cleaned so we were directed to the dry cleaners “just up at top of t’road.” There was a very light mist of rain as we set out. Bloody hell, how long is this road? We eventually made it to a T intersection and just around the corner found Pudsey Dry Cleaners, the pants would be ready tomorrow pay when you pick up. The walk back to Farsley village was easier as it was downhill! The villiage is all stone two story cottages and the gardens are a bit dead looking from the cold weather but most are neat and would look very pretty in more sympathetic weather. I found some variegated Holly with red berries and had to have a photo.

varigated holly

Cottages in Farsley

Looking through the front gate to the front door of one of Farsley's grander homes.

Pretty little succulents in a tiny front garden

succulent beds in a tiny front garden, Farsley

Yuk House, tickled Michael's fancy!

 We past a funny little Chinese take away called Yuk House Chinese Food, it tickled Michael’s funny bone and he wanted a photo. We had whiled away the morning on our domestic tasks and seeing as it was now after one o’clock and we couldn’t pick up the washing until 4, we decided to go into one of the three village pubs we’d seen for lunch. The first, The Old Hall Hotel was just down from the laundry, off the main street and slightly behind the shops. They were not serving lunch because their kitchen was temporarily out of order.  The New Inn was the next one along and we decided to go in there as the last one, The White Horse was right down at the end of the village. The New Inn was only serving “Pie and Peas” as they only have basic Kitchen facilities, we were ok with that and settled down for a serve of pork pie served with mushy peas on top and a pint of shandy. I must say the mushy peas were delicious, I have had them before and been unimpressed but these were good.

The pub with no food!

We were getting hungry, the New Inn looked promising...

all they could offer was pork pie and mushy peas. It tasted better than it looked!

There was a little garden next to the New Inn and it had a commemorative wall to one of Farsley’s sons, Samuel Marsden, born in Farsley in 1764, he died in Paramatta NSW in 1838. Marsden brought wool from Australia in 1807 for commercial use and in 1809 took 5 Spanish Merinos back to Australia, he did a lot to foster wool growing in Australia. So I guess us Aussies have a tie with this little village that has benefitted us all in one way or another.

The commemorative garden beside the New Inn

The village church

Dedication to Samuel Marsden, a link to Australia.

 We did a little food shopping, some fruit and basics like salt pepper and cornflour in the local grocer and some sausages at the local butcher. We also found a Post Office and bought a box to send our excess baggage home. The washing was ready about quarter to four and we were home by just after 4.  Snags and vegies for tea, it was good, with some yogurt and blueberries for desert.