Julia waves at traffic ...

I had great hopes of Blea Tarn - I had imagined sullen waters of immeasurable depth, perhaps lapping the shattered walls of an ill omened grange - 

Instead we saw a shallow pool, half choked with reeds - 

I consoled myself with reading quirky asides in our guidebook - muddy section with over powering smell of the country from the nearby farm - garden full of ornamental gnomes - 

Julia told me about her first job in a village school - I remembered my own desperate afternoons with baying boys and glowering girls - 

Our path took us over the M6 - we gazed down from the bridge at the furious violent traffic - 

Julia jumped up and down, waving her arms - 

This is exciting! she shouted - she's waving back!

For a second I saw a small figure waving through her windscreen - then the Audi vanished, whirled away like a leaf in a millrace -

July 13 2014

Linstock