What are you all up to
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Interesting to see where you are staying Heddlo, hope you are all enjoying seeing each other again.
B2 hope the cold doesn't get a grip, I have given up on doing anything, too much coughing at the moment, very tiring. Might try a short round the block walk today, just to get some fresh air.
Fingers crossed the NZ storm will lessen B2.
Deliveries are generally good here as we have a local Evri driver who we all know and other deliveries seem to be OK too.
OH is tackling a gate at the moment, the wrong e bay screws were at least delivered....looks like a B&Q outing for him.
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Can't compete with Macau, but we are on our hotel break in Ilfracombe, a place which, if one was being extremely charitable, you might say had seen better days! But the dog friendly hotel is very welcoming, a comfortable bed and great food so what more could you ask for. Some great walks too - for those who know the area, we stopped of at Velator Quay for a walk around Crow Point on the way down and yesterday did the Torrs walk to Lee with some very steep stretches along the coastal path. Grey yesterday but a lovely sunny day today so we drove up to Woolacombe and gave the dogs a good run on the beach. Although Ilfracombe itself is a bit run down it has some interesting features, the Landmark Theatre, known locally as " Madonna's Bra" and Damian Hirst's sculpture " Verity" down by the harbour. On the sea front there is a ground level mosaic as attribute to Jonathan Edward's World triple jump record (he is a native of the town). The picture doesn't really show the true distance which is absolutely staggering. Heading along the coast to Combe Martin for a wander tomorrow and then back home for a while.
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So you are in our neck of the woods Moulesy, well you certainly have the weather a lovely day today. And grey but not too cold yesterday. Also set fine for tomorrow and Tuesday. Ilfracombe always looks a little better in the summer despite the crowds. Except for that Damian Hurst monstrosity, but strangely many here actually like it, including our daughter. Our son worked on ‘Madonna’s Bra’ when it was being built and when he still lived at home. For a very short time many moons ago I worked as a temp for the Highways Dept, while there I saw drawings and a plan for a lovely circular mosaic with the words ‘ Time and Tide wait for no man’ running around the edge. Sadly some members of the then Council decided that the words would be too depressing for older visitors to Ilfracombe, so now the circle is on the ground near the front, but minus the words. I love walking at Crow Point or on ‘our’ opposite side of the estuary.
I’m now forcibly sat with a rug over me on the sofa, half watching the rugby, was all set to go for my daily walk when I had a, now thankfully quite rare, angina episode. OH worries about them far more than me but the walk is now probably best left til tomorrow. Not sure I really need the rug and sofa though, might quietly make my escape to getting on with other things soon.
A lovely smelling pork and apple casserole bubbling away in the slow cooker, so only some mash or roasties to do. Need to ‘escape’ now to put some washing on while he is engrossed in watching England winning.
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We are waiting for our son and grandson to arrive from NI. We have a long wait though as they have come across by ferry this time to Stranraer and driving down from there so probably not until about 10.00 this evening. I have spent the afternoon getting the bedrooms ready. The Cathedral have an exhibition on at the moment called 'Made in 2022' so we had a look round this morning. Some of the exhibits are amazing, especially a dress made by a friend of our daughter. She is a nurse and collected bottle tops from the vaccine bottles and made the dress from them. I will try and put a photo up later.
Lovely photos of HK Heddlo. I hope you are having a wonderful time with your grandchildren and the rest of the family. We visited HK a few years before the handover. Such an amazing and vibrant place. We had a wonderful time. I expect a lot has changed since then though.
Yes Ilfracombe is a bit run down moulesy. We had many happy holidays in the area when our children were young with friends and their children. It was run down even then but the children loved a visit there. We stayed in the Sterridge Valley near Berrynarbor in between Ilfracombe and Combe Martin. It was beautiful. We spent most of the time (in good weather and bad!) on Putsborough beach the other end of the bay to Woolacombe. Glad you like the hotel.
lovely photos Bakers2. Are you going to give 'garden tours' when it is finished
.Hope you feel better soon brue.
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The dress made by a friend of our daughter.
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Glad you've enjoyed your time here Moulesy. We walked Woolacombe beach to Puttsborough this morning, went back this afternoon and it was pretty busy, I think half term has started for some. Stopped in for a chat with a friend who runs Funder Island crazy golf thing in Woolacombe, he says this weekend has been profitable.
The wife loves "verity", we often grab some chips and park near the books and watch the waves. You missed a visit to the yacht club. It's an upstairs bar overlooking the harbour run by the friendliest folk you could hope to meet. Food and drink at spoons prices
JK
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Well, JK, you might have been one of the seemingly hundreds of folks that Ralph decided might give him more attention than us on the beach this morning!
We walked all the way to Puttsborough, stopped for a coffee, then walked all the way back. It was lovely.
Did consider a bacon roll at the yacht club yesterday, but had already had the "full English" at the hotel so might have been a bit over the top. Did go to Maddys last night for fish & chips - and a sausage each for the dogs thrown in foc!
Brue - didn't spot that cafe yesterday, but just googled it and apparently it closed in 2018!
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Peterborough Cathedral has some fantastic exhibitions. That dress look stunning.
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Arrived home at lunchtime from our 8 day trip. Washing all done and spread around the house drying. Two days of appointments and then we are away again for a slightly longer time, 10 days, before another dental appointment.!😁
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I don’t know Nellie, these folks that only do short trips!🤣 Glad to hear you are still getting away👍
More gardening for me, at Mums, and then a couple of hours at home. We have one day of decent weather promised, then rain from Weds, but it’s so dry, I am actually watering some pots and containers. Even beat the frogs to it this year, cleaned out the big pond before “lurve” and the mass spawning takes over🤣
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Pictures of old Macau with much more Portuguese influence than today. Our granddaughter learns basic Portuguese at nursery. The main tourist attraction is the Ruins of St Paul’s, it was absolutely rammed (no social distancing but masks are mandatory’ish!). We passed on the very popular street food, very long queues for various bits of animal organs and intestines which are freshly boiled for you to take away.
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Such a cultural mix Heddlo! I hear you can find the custard tarts still at least they would be edible?
Nice sunny day here, battling on with horrible cough which seems worse at night time. Might go out with OH later, just for a change of scenery.
Enjoy your day folks.
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We were once browsing an “antique” furniture shop in Macao and saw a sideboard we liked - nicer than this one, so jokingly asked if they delivered to Cornwall. They said it would be loaded on the next day’s container ship. The price was a bargain - until we paid shipping costs, import duty, VAT, fumigation costs and transport from Felixstowe to us . But still one of the best souvenirs we ever bought.
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Nice to read posts and see photos. Not much to report here. Hard landscaping continuing.
Not quite tanks on the lawn this morning. I suspect front grassed area will need to be restored before they leave!
Back patio coming on, side area been lifted this morning so beginning of the end for back area. One more area after that's done. End is beginning to come into view
Brue sorry to hear your cough not going.
Had to ring GP this morning. 0815, we had double telephone consultation before 0900. Happy to prescribe antibiotics for both of us, OH has chest infection and I've a water infection if it was a faff to go to the surgery later today. Collected pills before noon and have both had our 1st dose 🤞. Any further worries call back. Brilliant service.
Freezing fog finally cleared to a beautifully sunny afternoon.
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Life is gradually returning to normal here. After months of pain, a new hip and a few weeks recuperation, my husband Henry is more or less working full time. He started with a couple of afternoon milkngs last week, then on Saturday switched the early alarm on. I think he’s doing too much too soon (but it’s 6 weeks since the operation and there’s no hip pain and he’s adamant). He is sort of being sensible - no hedging etc - but he finds the long days tiring.
But what do I know? I just have to do the books and cook!
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It could have been different Goldie so it sounds like good progress! Hope it continues.
B2 sorry you've both had to have some help to get better, I think we should have had some too but we thought we could battle on. Hope you start seeing improvements!
Heddlo such interesting photos, one of my grandfathers spent nine years (a long time ago) on the China Station, unfortunately the Navy didn't let him bring back any furniture!
I managed an hours walk around Abbotsbury Sub Tropical gardens today, then had a good sleep when I got back, it was nice to breath in some of the fresh air around all the greenery, lots of camellias out etc. We were feeling a bit sad about the loss of a neighbour this morning, unexpected although suffering a long illness. I thought things would be busy on the Dorset coast due to local half term but it was quiet. OH is cooking the tea tonight, I have escaped from the kitchen!
Here's a view across the Fleet towards Portland with St Catherine's Chapel just visible, Abbotsbury at the bottom of the hill.
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Cooler day today but dry and not windy.
Managed a couple of hours in the garden again, did 3 hours yesterday. Back must be getting used to it again as not so sore as last week. Back garden almost done.
OH and number one son have been busy the last 3 days at sons house up here. New boiler was fitted almost 2 weeks ago, they are now fitting the kitchen, worktop collection and fitting tomorrow. New front and back doors getting delivered on Thursday. House was valued today so they can start the process of getting it up for sale. They have already had someone interested in it so hopefully it will go quickly. Son only has this week as he's started his new job, big change for him after 27 years in the army.
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Sorry to read of your cough, brue, Hope you manage to get rid of it soon, as it has been dragging on for a while.
Fingers crossed that the antibiotics do the business B2 and that both you and your OH are soon clear of your infection.
Good to hear that your OH's surgery has been a success, Goldie, and that he is able to take part in the farm's activities once again without pain.
It looks as if others have had decent enough weather to get out in the garden, something we must do when we get back from our next trip.
Woke to frost on the cars out in the open but it soon melted, although the day has been dull, with the odd spot of rain, till mid afternoon when the sun came out. Dental visit for both of us early this morning, with the result that I have to get a small cavity filled in two week's time. Managed to get the car cleaned before lunch.
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Had all the bathroom stuff delivered today, three separate deliveries! Most of it comes from the depot but the radiator and the shower cubicle came direct from their respective manufacturers. Got a bit worried with the shower cubicle as driver said they only deliver to the front door. He obviously took pity on me and put it in the conservatory thank goodness. Margaret and I wouldn't have been able to move it ourselves. Just under two weeks to start of work! Spent some time to day in the front garden tidying it up. Not quite sure what has happened but my outdoor Yucca and a couple of pot grown cordylines have died this winter. I have cut them back in the hope that new growth will appear in the Spring?
David
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Swapped out the original tyres yesterday for some Continental Vanco Camper All Seasons, including a spare for the garage. The plastic has had a good workout. I've just gone for a tyre to save weight. It replaces the unused steel spare (225/75 R16)that I bought just 2 years ago and has sat in the motorhome garage ever since complete with its sticky specification label. If anyone wants a spare rather than the "goo machine" that most motorhomes have in lieu of a proper wheel, make me an offer I can't refuse.
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My Yucca and newish Cordyline have suffered in the frost this winter as well David and the Yucca was just starting to recover last year, I had a Yucca when we lived in Somerset and that survived all the frosts over the year and this one here is the same and our friends who live about 40 minutes from us and much higher up here have 2 huge Yuccas so will look at them when we go up there to check things out before they come back next month.
Had a couple of very warm days at 18C and just above so have had coffee and tea outside even caught the sun yesterday on my face, been sorting a few chores out with the caravan and garden jobs and will do some more gardening this morning and then out after lunch for OH to sort a friend of a friend's computer out hope it will not take to long at least it is an Apple PC.
Off shopping for some concrete blocks tomorrow and a bit of grocery shopping, only need 8 blocks so they will fit in boot of OH's car.
Good luck with all bathroom refurbs.
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Haven't checked the outside temp but it seems very mild today and didn't notice I hadn't switched the heating on, maybe we've got some warm air coming up from your way RedKite? That sounds like hard work shopping for concrete blocks!
DK. We've lost cordylines this winter, -9C must have been too cold, they were "Torbay Dazzlers" and now look like Torbay Droopers...we haven't cut off the dead bits in case these are protecting new bits underneath and undoubtedly we'll get more cold weather at some point. We wrap a tree fern to protect it but don't normally have to wrap anything else, the Echiums haven't done very well either.
I slept through last night, wonderful after a week of coughing. I completely forgot I should have been at the hairdressers today but I think she was relieved I hadn't turned up with this bug.
OH is back on the bathroom work at daughter's home, thankfully everything can be turned off as they are still away,( having a nice time in North Devon, near Hartland, it looks very quiet over there, empty beaches and nice weather.)
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Very cold first thing here as the cars had to be de-iced but the sun is out so hopefully it will warm up as the days wears on.
brue so pleased to hear that you have had a good nights sleep at last. I hope your recovery continues. Perhaps the walk round Abbotsbury and the fresh air helped.
bakers2 sorry to hear that you and your OH are not well but I hope the antibiotics are working. Sounds like brilliant service for your GP surgery. I had a UTI last year (on Mother's Day). It wasn't pleasant and as it was on a Sunday I had to go the the Urgent Care Centre. That wasn't a pleasant experience either
All the family came round for a family get together last night (15 of us) luckily youngest son did all the catering but we now have the clearing up! son and grandson have gone out so I must crack on before they come back.
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Our latest project has started today - solar panels.
Last month we put a new roof over the Collecting Yard and another old building. It's ideally positioned to capture the sun so we are going for it big time - 65 panels (25kw). The scafolders are here today, and the panels go onnext week. I don't undertand the technology, but I'm assured it will help with the large amount of electricity used by the milking parlour etc
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Hi Goldie do you get a farming subsidy towards the panels as over here a lot have gone up in the last few years as the farmers get a subsidy towards them and if a big area is covered then extra goes back to the grid and again they get paid for that.
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