Tuesday in Yorkshire

Yesterday dear readers of Wear and Dao, we drove South on the A1 then West over to Yorkshire to discover a new National Trust venue to visit, East Riddlestone Hall, on a gorgeous warm sunny day. The joys of retirement again ... a 2 hour + drive via Bolton village to Keithly and East Riddlestone Hall, bought and remodelled by a prosperous wool merchant during the English Civil War between the Cavaliers and the Roundheads, epitomized by King Charles who lost his head to an axe through his neck and Oliver Cromwell leader of the Republicans or Parliamentarians and insurrectionists.

Now clearly this caused problems since the wealthy wool merchant hedged his bets since the outcome of the Civil War was by no means assured!  Anyway that's history for you folks and taking sides too. Personally your old blogger was never a royalist and in fact spent some years as a communist before studying Buddhism and meditating with different Buddhist sects before trying Daoism then took up J. Krishnamurti's philosophy to avoid any gurus or organised religion of any kind ... how to sum up my philosophy here and now? Well dear readers you could do worse than follow the Dalai  Lama's simple teaching: Just be kind to all you meet ... that's it ... how simple Life can be ...

On Monday afternoon  we went to find a mobility scooter to make life easier for the kind caring friend and found one perfectly suited to both our needs ... such is Life in Stanhope in the Sun! 

Monday Drizzle

Today, Monday, dawns drizzly and looks set to drizzle all day, refreshing the greenery of Mother Nature. It's one of the joys of living in a temperate climate dear readers of Wear and Dao ... anyhow, if we require a holiday in the Sun, we can fly off to the Sahara, Turkey, Tenerife, Greece etc.
Here in Great Britain the farmers love the occasional drizzly day, though not the thunderstorms that flatten the corn and from the music of the  fledgling  trying their wings outside it appears that drizzle is not going to hinder them.

There's not much planned for today although obviously it doesnt follow that nothing will occur and the opportunity to read brings its own rewards. Tomorrow we plan to drive to Wensleydale to a National Trust place  ... more later maybe dear readers of Wear and Dao.

Weekend Wondering

On a rather cold weekend dear readers of Wear and Dao your old blogger with chauffeur in tow decided to join with others in Durham City market place. Not as you might think to toast the Queen on the occasion of her platinum anniversary but to voice our dismay that her prime minister was still on his throne.  

Using the excellent park and ride system we had time to have coffee , a browse amongst one or two book shops and a visit to the indoor market to buy some excellant cheeses before onto the market square in time for an early lunch of fish chips and mushy peas. The view of the square from the fish shop allowed us to observe a rather over enthusiastic police presence which soon dispersed allowing the demonstrators to take their place.

The cold winds blowing in the square , not least from the mouth  of the first speaker soon took its toll on your old bloggers friend and whilst the second speaker at least had some helpful points for the audience to ponder it was decided to seek climates warmer . And so back to Stanhope were the Sun decided to warm up the air allowing a picnic supper on the newly acquired seats and table and conversations with passing locals.

And so to today, Sunday, dear readers of Wear and Dao, when our philosopher friend Bill arrived for lunch to discuss The Meaning of Life and The Nature of Reality yet again ... Tomorrow nothing much is planned and Tuesday maybe a drive to Yorkshire for more National Trust fun in the sun! 

Friday Bank Holiday Fun

Good morning dear readers of Wear and Dao the blog still enjoying the company of friends sharing philosophical insights into the Nature of Reality  and the Meaning of Life. Yesterday was a relaxing day with nothing much planned except relaxing before today's demo against Johnson in Durham Market Place at midday. It's hard to understand how on earth the awful PM survives in the job when anyone with half a brain sees he's serving the plutocracy and not the common people. Like Tony Blair of "New Labour" infamy of course.

Anyway dear readers, this is politics and not strictly speaking philosophy and yesterday we set off early to Bishop Auckland to see our W eardale friend, magistrate and confirmed royalist as well as vocal opponent of injustice and our unlikely MP Richard Holden. As it happens Anita's Pop-up- royal tea shop was fully booked so instead we went over the way to the coffee shop opposite then to see Gordon at his amazing 2nd hand bookshop where we found five hardbacks for just £60 to add to the library ...

Nearby was our dear friend Tom from Weardale, who trained at Durham University in theology and spent a few years vicaring in the Church of England before losing his faith in God and becoming an atheist. Now he owns the Pineapple Fine Art shop in Bishop Auckland!

What a life we lead eh dear readers? The life of retirees is not bad in this country where pensions are paid and this life sustained in the brief lives we spend on earth between births and deaths. Still, that's all philosophy dear readers and as said many times here on Wear and Dao it basically boils down to being kind to all we meet and usually finding kindness in return. Life's an echo chamber you see, what you emit returns!

Thursday Fun in the Sun

Today was glorious dear readers of Wear and Dao,  as the kind caring friend  and your ancient blogger set off early on the Bank Holiday with 2 grandchildren aboard. Dan aged 9 and Harvey 8 ,to visit the local outdoor museum of Beamish.

Of course at 63 and 71 we two were living history to them! We rode the trams and buses, checked out the places of historical interest and generally had fun in the Sun before the Bank Holiday queues built up.

Apart from the old fashioned fun fair the ice cream and the sweet shop the most amusing thing for the boys was attempting to help your old blogger disembark from the wheelchair,luckily the cobbled streets of the old pit village and the 1930-s  main street proved too much for them.

As usual there were many offers of help to push your old blogger up the steeper parts of the museum,  a sign perhaps that kindness still lives on in today's world.

Naturally there were gift shops for pocket money which was spent along the way plus the main gift shop at the entry and exit, keeping Beamish going ...
Having arrived early we left early too, before the Bank Holiday queues went crazy! Back home tired and happy, Dan and Harvey were delighted to see their Mam and tell her their adventures. As for their father, well, being self-employed means a weekend is a luxury and Bank Holidays virtually unknown.

Tomorrow's another day free to do what we like, but you'll have to wait to hear that story dear readers of Wear and Dao! 

Thursday at Beamish Museum Again

Yesterday at Samye Ling Tibetan Buddhist Monastery was quite a surprise dear readers of Wear and Dao as we arrived there to discover visitors were not welcome in contrast to the Theravadan Buddists from Harnham! Not only were visitors not met with joy and happiness but a distinct lack of occupants were observed , 2 practitioners , a rather anxious workman and a lady from the village happy at being allowed to weed the verges in the knowledge that her husband's ashes were nearby in the monastery. It appears dear readers that Buddist minds are not exempt from the mysterious illness that has infiltrated the world.

Luckily  the Community Shop and Cafe nearby was open for business ... delicious soup plus dessert of sticky toffee pudding with custard for the kind caring friend  and rhubarb crumble and custard for your old blogger! Of course the Community hub being built on togetherness and kindness the portion sizes were far too big for my friend and your kind caring blogger was called on to help with the sticky toffee pudding . The wonderful pudding resulted in a wonderful snooze for ye Olde blogger, lucky are we that have chauffeurs! .

Today we head over to Beamish Museum with the grandchildren for fun in the Sun and Showers. .. what a blessed life we old folks live eh?

Wednesday Worshipping

Good morning dear readers of Wear and Dao the blog!

Today we head across the border from England to Scotland and Samye Ling Tibetan Monastery for a visit to see the ornate style of Mahayana Buddhism, rather rich for my taste dear readers ... I prefer the simple style of Theravadan Buddhists  like Harnham.

However whatever style of Buddhism we choose all Buddhists see HHDL The Dalai Lama as leader ... except for a weird sect prominent hereabouts denying the authority of His Holiness.

So why you may ask dear readers does your old blogger and his kind caring nurse choose to set off on a rather dull damp Wednesday to a monastery some way away . Perhaps to seek , perhaps to honour, perhaps to remember or perhaps dear readers to continue to live this Life as fully as one or two can .
Namaste dear readers !