The Book of Na'Lon

You need electricity for it...

Went for our walk as planned and thought of beckyc up a fell!

Marxist, the Marquis and I went on a really nice walk today. We drove to Buttermere (which had the unpleasant side-effect of making me and Marxist think of going first to work at Lancaster while bombing down the M6 and then to work in Ambleside, while heading down the A66 to Keswick -- fortunately this wore off quickly). At Buttermere, we parked the care and then wandered around the mere, with a little detour up a fell and back down, because none of us felt fit enough to do more than that. But it was enough to enjoy the beautiful winter sunlight, the little waterfalls and a bit of time away from the city and all.

After we got back to the car at about 1 o'clock, we wanted to go for a pub lunch, but since the tourists are on the whole still in their little cubby holes, then pubs were mostly closed. We found a place to eat at in Cockermouth: nice veggie food, huge portions and all. Unfortunately, there was no room left for puddings... Then we drove back home to Carlisle and Marxist headed home after we'd agreed to go for another walk in a fortnight.

Completely exhausted when we got back -- and feeling pathetic at my level of unfitness -- I napped on the sheepskin in the livingroom, while the Marquis did similarly in the bedroom. We both woke right on time for Time Team, one of our favourite TV programs, which promised to be particularly good, but... there was a powercut! One of the amusingly long variety, which lasted for about two hours. It really brought home how much we depend on 'lectricity in our little house here: can't cook without it, or update lj or email friends or watch DVDs... [grins].

Out came the candles, and I used the time to update my paper journal which I hadn't written since last weekend. Then I read some LotR to the Marquis -- the bit where Aragorn rides back to Dunharrow to take the Paths of the Dead and speaks there with Eowyn.

Before we got to that bit there's a bit in the first edition (which we are reading) that always makes me think of Society T's dramatic reading. I had borrowed the copy of RotK from my college library, not realising that it was a first edition. Skordh (I think) was reading Aragorn and he borrowed my copy as his turn came around. He started to read and there is this bit where Aragorn says: 'What do you fear that I should say [to Sauron via Palantir]: that I had a rascal of a rebel dwarf here that I would gladly exchange for a serviceable orc?' Now this has been cut from later editions, and so the appearance of the line caused great merriment and confusion around the room. Does anyone else remember this scene? Did we end up using the first ed. line, foradan?

Anyway, since we've got power back now, it's time to sort out some sort of dinner, do some ironing and go to watch Midsomer Murders on TV -- today's guess on body count: 3. Will tell you after if I got it right... :-)