In Keswick: A delivery from Directsight

July 25, 2022

Before getting on with today’s exciting inactivity, here are a few omissions from yesterday:

This little guy was hopping around near our shelter while we were waiting out the rain yesterday. I’ve only seen one a few times and am always surprised to look this guy up and rediscover it’s a European robin. Seems like I could remember that from one year to the next.

At Thyme Bistro, celebrating Hump Week with a Pinot noir from Limoux! Hump Week, because 2 days ago we passed the halfway point for the whole tour and in three days we’re at the halfway point of our tour of Britain.

After periodically reminding me for the last two weeks Rachael finally succeeded in slipping me into gear and I ordered new prescription glasses for myself to replace the ones that I lost somewhere in France maybe two months ago. I’ve ordered them from Directsight, a British mail order company. They’re remarkably inexpensive - roughly 30£, as long as I don’t want any customization such as tinting. And the frames I’ve ordered are in stock and available for two day delivery. Pretty amazing - the cost of the two day delivery is almost as much as the cost of the glasses themselves. They’re cheap enough that I order a second pair as a backup.

We gave our guesthouse here in Keswick as the delivery address, and they’re being delivered by DPD. Our host Deb says that DPD is extremely reliable and prompt, and will always deliver within the one hour slot they promise you. Mine are due between 11:06 and 12:06 (so specific!) and Deb will be gone before then, so I decide to sit at our breakfast table and wait for the package to arrive since she says if no one’s at home they’ll just take them back to the nearest depot in Carlisle 40 miles to the north, and try to deliver again the next day. Today’s the best day though because the weather is marginal anyway. I may as well wait.

No need for both halves of the team to wait though, so Rachael leaves about 10:30 for a walk I’ve mapped out for us. I plan to take at least part of the walk myself as soon as the delivery arrives, and I’m thinking I’ll just walk the loop backwards and meet up with her somewhere along the way.

She says goodbye and heads for the door, and I wait with the phone camera to snag a photo of her when she leaves. The door closes, and I wait - and wait. My arm is starting to get tired from holding the phone at the ready when I finally notice a hand protruding from under the porch.

Rachael’s going on a walk, but first she sticks a finger out to test the waters.

Yup. Dry for the moment. Now where am I going exactly?

One last map check, and she’s off. She’s sure now.

11:06 comes, and the excitement builds. I’m really looking forward to having glasses again, and I’m getting antsy to start the hike because the weather is starting to look promising. But I wait; and wait; and wait. Noon comes and I’m starting to get anxious; and also by now I have to go to the bathroom but I can’t afford to leave my post.

12:06 comes and goes, so I check the delivery email again and see I’ve been daft. I’ve gotten the delivery time wrong - it’s due between 12:06 and 1:06. So I settle back into waiting, feeling optimistic again but frustrated by having to go to the bathroom now and irked at myself for having missed my chance.

I wait, and wait, and wait. Now 1:06 comes and goes, and I’m feeling seriously discouraged. Do I give up and just go to the bathroom, maybe missing them if they’re just late in arriving? I check the tracking information again and see it’s been updated with the message that there’s been a problem with the delivery and now delivery is promised for sometime today between now and 9:59 PM.

Drat. At least now I can go to the bathroom. But what’s the plan for receiving the delivery now? There’s a tracking option to request that the package just be left on the front porch if no one’s home, so I check that. It’s pretty insecure though since anyone walking by could just snatch it and by now it’s 1:30 so now it’s late enough in the day that I scrap the idea of the walk and continue watching the front door until about 3:30 when Deb returns and can keep an eye out.

Finally it feels like I can at least grab the camera and go look around Keswick and take a few shots; which I do, until about a half hour later it starts raining so I take shelter and solace in front of an IPA.

Later, Rachael and I return from dinner and find the package has still not arrived. We check the tracking email and see the information has changed yet again. Sorry, we’re informed now; but there’s been a problem. The delivery scheduled for today has been cancelled and they’ll come back tomorrow. They’ll give us a specific hour in which to expect it.

Frustrating.

Keswick is really a striking place, its streets lined with stately homes built of green slate and red sandstone, and neighboring hills and fells rising dramatically in the background.

In Keswick. I think that’s Latrigg behind, a low hill you could easily climb up on a short walk to get a great view over the town and basin.

Keswick has an idiosyncratic feel about it.

Saint John’s Church, built from pink sandstone from Eden Valley.

Still legible in spots, but perhaps not for much longer.

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Keith AdamsYou can distribute my "Like" to each and every photo. You've got a great eye, and I always enjoy the wry subtle humor you inject in some of the camptions.
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1 year ago

Scott AndersonTo Keith AdamsOh, right. Make me do all the work!
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1 year ago

Keith AdamsTo Scott AndersonWell, YEAH.
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1 year ago