20 October 2023

We had a last breakfast with Teresa this morning, and I drove her to the Drigg train station. We were early, so we took a short walk on the beach near Drigg. The weather was a bit spitty, but still mild. The tide was at low ebb again, and the beach stretched far ahead of us, level and smooth as carpet, with the wind sending rivulets of sand blowing across our path like a wide, shallow river.



After a cup of tea at the station and a browse through the cluttered but fascinating gift shop, we said good-bye, and Teresa was on her way back to Kirkintilloch in Scotland.

The day promised more rain, so I returned home, had lunch, took a short nap, and then shared another big slice of Teresa’s fruitcake and a cup of tea with Ruth. It promised to be a quiet, restful afternoon. 

Until….

Teresa texted me with the news that she’d made it to Carlisle, but due to severe weather, storms in Scotland and central England, and an apparent failure of the internet or communication systems, ALL trains leaving Carlisle had been canceled. There was pandemonium in the station, with hundreds of stranded travelers trying to find alternate transportation.

The only logical thing to do was to leap into the car, drive as quickly as possible to Carlisle, pick up Teresa (and a young woman from north Wales who was trying to get to Edinburgh), and head up to Glasgow by car.

Which I did, gladly, and we made it to Glasgow just after dark. About 3 1/2 hours of driving—not bad. The young woman took off in a waiting taxi for Edinburgh, and Teresa and I had a cozy evening in her home in front of the fireplace, drinking tea and eating porridge. What a gift to be able to see her home and how she’s made it so elegant and welcoming. And to sleep in a warm, comfortable bed. So thankful.

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