Just got back from a lovely 10 mile walk around York and entering the house there was the sound of cutting and scuffling in the kitchen as Fiona was manically baking a carrot cake and the pounding of my eldest math whiz Miles coming down stairs to excitedly tell me aboiut the 98% he got for his last assignment; " It was really difficult stuff Dad" he said just to magnify the moment and then my wife chundered in with a passion for carrot cake at the moment and how when she retires she is going "to be doing a lot more of this! "Well did you have a nice walk Daddy " nobody asked , that's why I blog my walks I'm unappreciated in a hiking sense amongst my gang but I had a great walk in York. Got there at 8.30 , absolutely loads of people walking down to Bootham Bar and past there it was really quiet . I thought "Is this one of thosae York moments , magical and mysterious where people really do disappear into thin air". Apparently so: just another day in the 'Ol Yorke and it was all blowy and fresh just as I like it . I trundled over to the University which was super quiet, well it was 9:30 am and I felt like shouting under the windows of a residential block "Get up and get going you sleepy brainworkers" but then I realized it was to nice and peaceful an atmosphere to do that . By Derwent College lake I saw a pair of nesting Pochards which was great because I haven't seen them for a couple of years and joy of joys along the banks of the lake were loads of Yellow Irises really prettying the place up . Yellow was the color of the moment because as I looked out over Walmgate Stray there were thousands of Buttercups which as they stretched to the distance all swishy and swaying looked as if they were thickly covering the stray a nice optical illusion which I more or less understood how it was happening from a mathematical point of view but when I told Fiona about it at home she understood the effect immediately from her artists way of thinking . Magical. Had a great laugh in Rowntrees Park although I didn't show it because all these elderly people and a couple of youngies were learning how to walk with walking poles which is great way to exercise but stood in a circle in the middle of the park wiggling their legs about and more was a hoot . Then off they went purposefully determined to walk with walking poles. I love 'em and I'm with them all the way . well I went off in the other direction , but I'm sure I understand what I'm on about. " Do you know what your on about Paul ?" "No". In the center of York was a handy Farmers Market , handy because I could buy some cheese to put myself in Fo's good graces for a couple of days but best of all was it was Richmond Cheese made in Richmond! When I told the guy I came from Richmond he thought it was quite funny as well . And yet another first : in a fit of doggie passion I woofed my first ostrich burger down. Well I'd seen them on telly so I wondered what they tasted like, bit of Northern class consciousness there "I'm white and I'm proud " sort of moment : pretty good but had instant worries about these monsters rampaging around the Northern Pennines ! Fortunately they do not farm them open range but if the Tories remain in power YOU NEVER KNOW! Anyway when I'm up in the hills this week I will keep my eye out! A great morning out and nice to be back to domestic mayhem , my wife is all lovely and radiant from baking , what is it about baking that makes her look so totally gorgeous? and my two lads are enjoying the start of their holiday . A lot of walking to do ! Whoopee!