Day Trippin' Yeah....

Today we actually had a plan.

Having poured over the map for a while, we decided on a little day trip, combining a place that Paul really wanted to see and a place that I really wanted to see, with an added bonus at the end.

The reason for this – we were able to do a loop from the caravan in a large clockwise rotation, incorporating all 3 sites and ending back up at the van, where we started.

We headed off to Bridgwater (normally a 40 minute drive from us) and promptly got stuck in a line of traffic, with the rain coming down threatening to spoil the day.

We finally got to Bridgwater after an hour, and had to do a stop at Halfords for a new wiper blade, and a loo stop at the Asda!

Success on the loo stop, disaster on the wiper blade front – they didn’t stock them. We tried 3 other companies and gave up – we were now an hour and a half into the journey a still a little way away from our first target.

As we arrived into Cheddar Gorge our luck changed. We managed to get a parking place in the heart of the village, and a chap gave us his parking ticket that was valid for the whole day – Bonus!


The weather had dried up and it started to get really warm.

We plodded around the beautiful village snapping away with the camera and soaking up the atmosphere. There were loads of lovely restaurants that we would have loved to use, but I am on a diet this week (needs must), and so we had bought along a picnic.


We headed back to the car and ate our lunch, and Fred enjoyed a bowl of lovely cold water, and then headed of to target number two.

Wells is a beautiful medieval cathedral city, and what we didn’t realise until we wandered up the main street was that we recognised it from one of our favourite films, Hot Fuzz! It was amazing just how well everything came across on camera, it all looked exactly as it does in the film.





We wandered around the Bishops Palace, sitting on the edge of the moat watching the ducks and swans. Fred found it very interesting.

As usual everyone fell in love with Fred and he made plenty of new friends, as you can see.

Once we had wandered around for a couple of hours, we headed off to the final destination, this one was only because it was on the way back and we had never stopped off there before.

Glastonbury – well what can I say about this place – we paid for an hours parking, spent 10 minutes there, and left. I apologise to everyone who thinks this is a magical place with wonderful vibes and happy feelings, but all we encountered were, well I don’t wish to be rude…. All I shall say is we wasted 10 minutes of our lives that we want back please!

We arrived home (at the van), and collapsed once more. Another very full, very warm day, that we thoroughly enjoyed (we choose to think that Glastonbury just did not happen!)

I wonder what tomorrow will have in store….

Mooching

We had a little mooch around Minehead this morning.

We want to do the Quantock Bell Dining Experience of the Steam Train. In the 9 and a half years that we have owned a van at Blue Anchor, we have never been able to match a holiday up to the dining events that they do, and we were hoping that this Summer was going to change that.

While we were in Minehead checking out the timetable, Paul took the opportunity to have a check over the steam train that had just pulled in.


While we were having a wander the coal was replaced in the engines bunker.

Anyway, getting back to the reason we were here – You guessed it our holiday does not match up with the nights that the dining evening are being held.

There is one in August, but that falls on the Saturday following the Falmouth Boat trip with the fivers, so is out of the question.

Better luck next year eh?

Talk about avid blogger.

Having written up Saturday’s blog on a word document, I found it imperative to find someone daft enough to have their broadband connection enabled to any user, so that I could download it onto my latest post.

The reason for this – you cannot get a signal by dongle at the caravan. We are in a dead zone.

We drove around Minehead for ages, just to see if I could find a connection – all in the aid of an updated blog!

We decided that this was rather cheeky and despite finding about 3 or 4 wireless connections that were enabled to anyone, I could not bring myself to do it!

I know what you are all thinking – you’re on holiday girl, you should be relaxing, not on the lap top all day, and certainly not trying to get a WiFi connection.

Well in actual fact I’ve only been on the laptop for about half an hour in total, and I miss it!!!!

Will update you again as soon as I can

XOXO

An Interesting Journey Up Country

We finally left home at 10.30 on our journey to BAH (Blue Anchor Hideaway). Unfortunately, despite living in Cornwall for over 2 and a half years now, we forgot the big big rule that all locals should always adhere to…… NEVER LEAVE CORNWALL ON A SATURDAY.

From the moment we left the house we sat in traffic – nose to tail holiday traffic! It took us 45 minutes to cover the 5 miles to Chiverton Cross roundabout, and after 4 hours we had still not reached Temple.

The car was moving a few feet every 15 minutes or so and there was no turning off for miles yet. I wanted to turn back home and try again tomorrow, but then a news flash came on stating that the west bound carriageway was also stationary, just like the East bound.

We were stuck.

I pulled the map and did what all good Cornish people do (yeah I know we aren’t Cornish, but our audition is going well!) – used the little known unmarked roads to weave across to the A39 Atlantic Highway. I knew that a turning was coming up for a small village called Helland, so we took the turn.
The road just allowed 1 car through, it was very tight but there was nothing ahead so we were able to make back some time with a heavy foot on the gas!

My map reading won out once more and we found the A39, it was empty of traffic and a joy to be on!

We then headed on towards Bude, Bideford, Barnstable and Lynton. Once at Bideford (about 5 and a half hours into the journey at this point) we stopped at the Atlantic Village shopping outlet, to allow Fred a walk and to grab some food for us.

Then it was onward toward Lynmouth. Here we stopped once more for a little walk with Fred, and then headed on towards Minehead.

We were pulling through Alcombe at 6pm, and decided to grab Fish and chips for supper, as the van was now only 10 minutes way.

We got in after 8 hours of travelling – the journey normally takes 2.5 hours – ate our supper and collapsed on the couch.

We definitely deserved the early night we gave ourselves after that day.

Funnily enough though, it was quite a nice day – this was the first traffic jam we have encountered in over 2 years, and we found that watching the people cooing over Fred being a tart on the back seat, watching them from his window, quite amusing.

The stop at Atlantic Village made us decide to go back again when we had the time, as we had not been there before, and the stop in Lynmouth was pleasant and unrushed as people were already leaving after having had their day there already.

So all in all, quite a tiring day, but not in the least bit as terrible as it sounded!

Especially for Jordiegirl.....

On My previous post Jordiegirl posted a lovely comment, for which I thank her, and asked me how to get your signature at the bottom of your post.

So here it is chick, your very own "How To..."

Take a little trip onto:

http://www.mylivesignature.com/

It's a really easy website to use and will generate your signature for free, all you have to do is follow the instructions. It will show you different typefaces and colours to choose from and once you are happy, it will ask if you want to generate that signature.

Once you have generated the signature you need to 'copy' the HTML code that is created. (I took a screen dump and saved it to my PC to refer to it later if I needed to).

You then need to open your blog up in another tab, if you want your signature to come up every time you blog you can set it permanently. Click on the Settings Tab. Then Formatting. Then paste the HTML code into post template (right at the bottom of the screen) Select update.

The next time you open "your create a post", your signature should come up at the top of the page. You just need to place your cursor in front of it and drop it down a couple of lines so that you can begin typing above it.

and VOILA! your very own personalised blog post.

Hope you can follow this and manage to set it up OK, as I have done this in a bit of a rush - On Holiday tomorrow avo for a couple of weeks, so I will have to play catch up on my postings when I return.

Meanwhile, don't work too hard everyone.... ! I'm on my jollies now LOL...

xoxo

BBQ Night

Every other month the Cornish Fives (MX-5 Owners Club) meet at the Hawkins Arms in Zelah, for a catch up and an exchange of knowledge and info about our cars, and occasionally have a quiz night.

This month Peter and Rhona offered to have a BBQ at their home, near Truro. All we had to do was bring our own meat!

As I knew pretty much where we were going, we arranged to meet Sally-Ann and Mike in the normal place.

While we waited for them to arrive (we got there far to early) we watched a couple on horse back enjoy the lovely sunny evening.

The others arrived and we headed off up the by-pass with them in close succession.

Upon arrival, we got our burgers on the Barbi, and settled down with our drinkie poos (I wasn't driving!) and watched the men at work....

Poor Peter - I don't think he wanted his piccie taken LOL!

The evening drew on, and we filled our bellies, and had plenty of laughs

and yes.... That is me on the picture below with Gin bottle in hand.... It was only my second one of the night HONEST!

We had a wonderful evening, it made a great change to the pub night (which Paul goes to alone as I normally don't bother to attend!)

It made us realise how little we have been able to do with the club this year, especially if you look back over the past couple of years of blogging that I have done. What with Paul having short hours at work, and all of the DIY projects still being tackled, it will be a little while yet before we can do our next Sunday club drive, but I know that we shall look forward to it, whenever it may end up being.

What is it with men?

So.... I've had a lovely day out with my Hubby. We went for a mooch around the shops in Truro. Had lunch in the Lounge (our favourite little spot behind the cathedral), and spent loads in our favourite surfy dude type clothes store sale.

However, before we left the house, I followed my new 1940's type grooming regime. I curled my hair. Did my eyes with eye liner, with the cute little outward 1940's flick at the ends and painted my lips a lovely vibrant red.

I was wearing my new bargain, high waisted trousers with a deep waistband holding 3 buttons (Deanna Durbin style) and a brightly coloured sleeveless top with a front ruffle.

I felt a million dollars.

We pulled up and parked at the park and ride - the only way to travel to Truro during the holiday season - and waited to get on the next bus into town - suddenly all of the men that worked there were very attentive and apologetic at having to make me wait - now at this point there were about 20 people waiting, but it was me that they all spoke to !!!

What do you reckon? -was it the lippy, and make-up that I had carefully put on before leaving the house or are all men just daft, for a lady that has bothered to doll herself up in this day and age?

I have to say - it did make a nice change to get some attention, even if it did only last as long as the ride into town - LOL

Pilates Perfect

When Mel suggested a one on one with her for our Pilate's we jumped at the chance - after all, what better way to make sure that we were doing all of these moves correctly...

Sally-Ann went first and I panicked a bit when I saw what we had to do - and balanced on a sausage of sponge too!

but amazing as it may seem - I did manage more than I thought....

until it all went horrible wrong and I went tipping off the side (thankfully SA did the same thing so I didn't feel so daft!)

then the items of torture came out, in the way of the ring, the band and the ball...

and all the time - Core girls, think about keeping your Core active...

we finished with a final stretch or two, and then came the good bit - tea and cakes YAY for the Pilate's chicks....

Go Girls!

Next it's the boys turn - I know that Mel already has her sights on Paul - in the whole pull your shoulders back sort of way - LOL!

We had a great time - thanks Mel