All the news (good or bad) from Summerhill Stables

No really bad side effects yet and the third week in the cycle – the one during which no Velcade is injected - was very nearly nausea free although Pikey was very tired.

Last weekend Mark and Jan Sutherland-Harris (from Australia) came to stay for two nights. He is Pikey’s first cousin so they share grandparents and beyond. Their mutual great great grandfather, John Crossley was the chief engineer of the Midland Railway and was responsible for the construction of the Settle-Carlisle railway line. Among the notable building works on the line is the Smardale Viaduct with a height at its centre is 130 feet – the loftiest on the line. It took five years to build and when it was completed in 1875 the last stone was laid by Agnes Crossley (nee Combe) and all the guide books state that this stone bore an inscription commemorating the event. So Mark and Robert went off to find it - trespassing on the line which is still operational and nearly getting flattened by a steam hauled excursion train in the process. It was in the middle of the viaduct and the height was quite daunting.

Smardale Viaduct ......
........ and the plaque.

Curiously, Agnes was the sister of Dr Thomas Combe who ran the Oxford University Press and who was one of the main patrons of the Pre-Raphaelite painters. It seems odd that the brother was a major patron of the arts and his sister was married to a major railway builder – you wonder what they talked about when they met.

On Tuesday Robyn, Tony and Annie flew off to the States to see Edward and Susie in New York and are then going on to Niagara Falls and New England.

Elinor’s pregnancy is still on course.

Our old next door neighbour from Towersey days, Doris Hill, died last week and her funeral service was on Tuesday – we really should have been there - but Pikey is not up to doing long journeys nowadays unless there is a proper accommodation suitable for the disabled at the other end.

"Plute", our (4-star) painter ,has been working hard in between the showers and has nearly finished his task although we are still waiting for new doors to the "pigeon palace".

Robert went to see his knee surgeon today as it’s a year since his operation – all was well. The "bones" said it would last for at least 20 years which would make him 93 – some hope, some knee!!!

Another wave picture and another nature picture - note the surprised cat

Loads of love ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ from Robert and Pikey.