It’s about four weeks since my operation to remove my ovaries. Physically I am healing well, the scars are healing over well, I’ve not had any infections. I am still extremely exhausted/fatigued, so although the surgeon only signed me off work fro four weeks, the oncologist added another few weeks so I don’t return to work til 10th February (this was expected). Mentally, I have given myself no space to stop, try and adjust to what is happening, that this cancer (and it’s treatment/side effects) is for life. This extra time therefore is for mental health recovery (not that it’s magically going to be sorted in 4 weeks!), a bit more sorting.
I have been very fortunate, with a lot of support from friends, and from work, and my friend Suzanne – who has come to many appointments with me – gifted me 4 nights in Rosie’s Barn, the luxury retreat she has created in the Lake District. I ended up doing A LOT more than I had expected. It may be winter in the Lake District, but there’s still plenty to do there… and due to social media I connected with friends old and new, when I’d thought I’d maybe be snuggled with Netflix – but it was about the right balance.
Monday
I drove up to the Barn, and arrived into a rather wet Lake District (well, that water has to come from somewhere):
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and then explored the property:
I also experimented with video, not my top skill:
Downstairs:
Upstairs:
After a quick unpack, and with a break in the rain, I headed over the road for a walk across the field opposite to the river:
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whilst playing with video 1 and video 2, before snuggling down with facemask, mood lighting, some wine and Netflix (just remember to log yourself out at the end)
Tuesday
A late brunch was made with the incredibly tasty ingredients:
left in the well equipped kitchen:
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A quick tour of the kitchen cupboards in @rosiesbarn1 #RosiesBarn … Well equipped for your stay …
I then headed into Penrith, and thanks to social media, was able to meet up with a friend for a nice hot chocolate in Booths, before heading across to Brunswick Yard:
before a wander around more of Penrith:
and back via Cranston’s Food Hall to chill out with Anne with an E on Netflix!
Wednesday
I was glad to wake to better weather today, as I had connected with a new friend to go for an Open Water swim at Crummock Water:
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then watch the video (2 minutes of our 8+ minutes)
A few more photos:
and returned via a stop in Braithwaite and Keswick, before heading back for a bath, some hot chocolate with marshmallows, and more Netflix!
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More amazing videography from #RosiesBarn – post swim warm up bath. #LakeDistrict
Thursday
Thanks to social media, I was able to connect with another friend, and we met at Haweswater for a gentle walk … just watch out for the lack of signal in many areas of the Lake District – I followed the postcode to the car park, but needed to drive another couple of miles for the Mardale Head carpark (and with no signal to ring Jo and say I was nearby, but a bit lost) – but we found each other and had a beautiful walk, before heading for award winning fish and chips and Shnapple Juice for the Shap Chippy (regular portion was plenty!)!
Friday
The last morning 🙁 Made sure I was packed up, and then met up with Suzanne/Jeremy – and we went for a walk – with the three dogs, at Lowther Castle, along with some lunch (the chips were AMAZING), before heading back through more fantastic scenery and Tebay services:
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Goodbye @rosiesbarn1 #RosiesBarn #LakeDistrict with @suzannestohlberg #LowtherCastle
I think my brain is finally starting to think about what life is going to look like – it’s still feeling pretty overwhelmed, but a change of scene away from my own sofa, was great … and if you catch up with me expect some external processing conversations!
Want to Book?
You’ll get the best price if you book direct with Suzanne on Rosie’s Barn website (see more on Facebook, Instagram), but if you want to see reviews (or want to pay a little more in booking fees), you can also book via AirBnB, Booking.com and TripAdvisor.