Monday 13 July 2015

UK Travels June-July

   Arrived to 12 C temperatures! Drove to Kent to visit mum but also saw my brother with his family, Uncle Edwin Aunty Joy and Fiona then Edwina and Richard who have a new dog.
We also made side trips to Malcolms’ sister to pick up post and his black suit. To Maria in Streatham and Ikea shopping with her plus Denise & Anton in Postling for a yummy lunch.
    We left for our cottage a week later and the fun began!
First stop was for coffee at Shirley and Davids’ with time to hear their news. Then the long drive to Cornwall.
  Yet again the loo seat and the Jacuzzi plug are wrecked.  My new phone was ordered by next day delivery and arrived a week later, I fitted the micro sim but failed to activate it, so when we took a break to hike along the Coastal path from Mousehole to Lamorna

 we couldn’t access any of the help which I had found out at home with wi-fi. (not that there was any phone coverage in the area anyway) We get better phone coverage in the Caribbean! The icing on the cake was a handful of memos at the Merry Maidens site to ask for objections for the placement of a wi-fi aerial near Boleigh Farm.  When I tried to use the site I needed to sign in to post but it wasn’t worth it since all the others had objected (on the grounds of it being in a Site of Outstanding Natural Beauty )


Wednesday and Thursday saw us stripping the small window in the master bedroom.

 This needed more reconstruction to the outer sill (Malcolm) and much paint removal and sanding (Sue)
Friday 12th saw the start of Falmouth International Sea Shanty Festival, proceeds in aid of the RNLI.  It coincided with Falmouth Classics. so went to Pendennis Point to watch the sail past plus the starts of most of the races. Sunday we sang along with more of the Sea Shanties in a packed Falmouth. and later.

The Grapevine Falmouth

Shared a meal with our dear friends John and Val
 Amongst the renovations a team arrived on the waterfront below to track a blocked drain in the Waterfront properties, after finding it solid with soil and leaves they decided this wasn’t the offending drain and set off to look at some more.  All in the area are equally blocked!  Later dashed to Truro to get stuff for Piano.
Recycling is in full flow with all that has been ordered.
Jenny and Ray are as happy as ever in the pink house opposite, Bizzy at 32 is still there she hasn’t moved and parking is still a nightmare.
    The last weekend and more sailing friends Susan and Andrew S/Y Andromeda arrived to visit. As with all encounters I shall suffice to say blah blah and you will surely appreciated all the talking which was done! We took them to see the ‘J’ Class Classics Racing in the Harbour. Susan also helped me with my new phone and I managed to post from Pendennis Point!  Incidentally I met our next door neighbour Charles , who does long lets with his cottage. he is an engineer on one of the J Class boats, so we will look out for him next year and maybe even get a tour included?
  After saying toodle pip to Bohill we drove up to Loughborough to visit with Kerri and John (S/Y ‘Folly’). Almost there and the cottage manager phoned to say we had left our overnight bag upstairs– eek. Malcolm then dropped me off and made a return trip to retrieve said bag,(600 miles more travel)
We had a delightful stay with KP and JP visiting Charnwood Forest, Melton Mowbray Market, Loughborough town center, and much more. Plenty to catch up on since we haven’t seen them since we crossed the pond.  ‘Folly’ was caught in Hurricane Sandy and has had much work done to sort her out.  They have also had a few problems letting their house hence the time at home.  We hope to see them in the Caribbean again too.  The weather was glorious with many meals taken outside in their GARDEN, with the tinckle of water from the pond and the scent of flowers in the air.

   The next stop was in Underbarrow, Cumbria. To visit Elaine and Steve.  A blissful few days of true holiday.  Plenty of chat, real ale, a hot tub,

and a hike. Steve has cut his work time down so fingers crossed we may get a visit next year? Elaine meanwhile has taken up acting so will probably be hard at work in Hollywood.
  After we departed Cumbria we travelled to Cleverly, where my second cousin Angela greeted us.  Never having been to this part of England before we were enraptured. There were crowds who like us think it’s worth a visit. Angelas’ husband John had just had an op so couldn’t make it along the seafront.

Yet more chatting to catch up. We had lunch at Knott End a haunt of Malcolms while at Uni on a sailing trip, then continued to Alderly Edge to surprise Uncle Ian and Aunty June. Oops no picture for this –sorry. They recommended the De Trafford to eat (tick Trip Advisor) and a wonderful Guest House to stay the night, (another tick for hospitality here too).
   Almost home and we dropped by to visit my college friend Jeanette, who has 2 more days before she retires.

 She too asked if the offer was still open to visit us in the Caribbean next year– smile.
Last stop Margaret and Roger ( who helped with the sail from Antwerp to Dover back in 2008), they live in Bracknell and have so many grandchildren! Margarets’ brother (another Malcolm) took us all out to eat at Lock Fyne Yummy! More Chat …
But they always say manyana so we live in hope they will get time off for good behaviour, and the bench to visit us.

OK back to Sandwich and what a surprise only more parcels for ‘Piano’. I did manage to contact Cathy and Robert Brooke (S/Y Veritas friends) who invited us to lunch.

 Needless to say there was much to chat through , having not seen them since 2008 in Dover.
 We ended up accompanying them to Dormansland Carnival which will be their last (they move to Dartmouth soon) then a quick cup of T before returning to Sandwich.  Folk & Ale Festival in the Town. Wow!

Wimbledon is over so the rain began to cool us from exceptional summer weather, all in all a fitting end to our brief visit home.