sunsets - and an announcement

It seems fitting to use a post full of beautiful holiday sunsets to announce that I'm winding up this cheery little blog. This will be the last post here.

It's been nearly 3 years of jolly fun for me, and hopefully a little light entertainment for those of you who've read some of it too. I've read and appreciated every single comment made, and it's lovely feeling there's others out there sharing your life, so thank you.

The good news is that I'm not disappearing, just moving down the way slightly, to a new virtual home!

Please do pop over and join me, I'd love it if you would!

I'll be heading off on a cheerful living adventure...

Orkney in august - the sea

orkney in august - the home life

Please just indulge me while I stick up a few photos of our lovely holidays. This is the 'at home and eating' set mostly...

That up there at the top is my attempt to sunbathe on our first day - *under* a blanket as well as on top of one... I do so much love being outside! (wasn't a big fan of the midges though). Then we have the lovely Peedie, cheerful dog extraordinaire, who we're missing very much.

Couldn't resist a photo of my washing, blowing in the breeze, something it sadly doesn't get to do much of round here! And it got a nice view of the sea too - also sadly lacking round these landlocked parts.

And oh! chickens! How I love opening the back door and being set upon by a pack of marauding chickens, sticking their beaks into anything and everything. I even spotted one in the car one day... We did carefully check before we left...

Of course, there was plenty of sitting around in cafes drinking tea and eating scones, although bizarrely I seem to have only taken one photo of that in the whole fortnight I was there. Still, a mightily cosy cup of tea it was too.

Hmm, a bit of a mixed bunch now I've put them all here! But plenty colourful, I'm sure you'll agree. You'll have to bear with me, I've still got a sunsets post, and a beaches post, and a flowers post (oops, some little flowers sneakily sneaked in this one too...). And then we'll get back to normal, although there might be a few changes around this little blog too, you'll have to wait and see..

back home

Goodness me, that was a lovely long break!

We've spent the last couple of weeks staying with the lovely Fay and had such a marvellous time that I never wanted it to end. Do you think she would have noticed if we'd have sneakily moved into her house, hiding amongst the chickens and the flowers? We could have been very quiet...

Anyway, we weren't quick enough, so we had to come home (after being housebound by some very rickety gales indeed). And it appears the tomato elves have been very busy while we've been away, turning a whole little pile of tomatoes red for us - how delightful! And there was me expecting the garden to wither and die every time I turn my back - seems it does rather better when I'm not here interfering...

So September (September!) means back to work, which I'd best do in a second. And a whole raft of projects and exciting things to do. I'll be back later with some lovely holiday photos for you to see.

toddling off (and then back again)

I'd love to tell you this is where I've been all week, lounging in a field in the sunshine, drinking tea and taking photos of my own reflection in the camping kettle.

Sadly not, although I was there for a short while yesterday evening, and it was ever so good. Lots more of it required I say.

Not this weekend, however. The rest of our 'weekend' away mostly looked like this:

... which kind of explains why we're home less than 36 hours after we set off.

We're also warm and dry, and not stuck on a bank holiday camping site with (what feels like) 500 raucous children and drunk people.

Still, a cheery time was had while it lasted, boiling up the tea on the picnic stove, and eating breakfast from a mug having forgotten to take the bowls.

We did try a little cycle ride, but, er, well, it was a tad windy (that's my stop-taking-photos-of-me-now-please face - I don't always look like that).

It was a very pretty reservoir we were meant to be cycling round, but since it's not that far from home, I reckon we can save it for another day.

Unsurprisingly, the sun came out on the way home, so we stopped for a picnic in Matlock Bath, which, despite being right in the middle of the country, and nowhere near the seaside, has a proper seasidey feel to it, with amusement arcades, chip shops, and 24 (yes, we did count) large plastic ice cream cones.

It's a haven for motorcyclists, and we escaped to the other side of the river to have lunch.

Now we're home, I'm feeling a little bit daft for having abandoned a weekend away half way through - that's really not the kind of behaviour I expect from myself! But I'm warm, dry, about to get in a nice hot bath and eat a tasty risotto, and nobody is going to be throwing footballs at us, or playing bad pop music late into the night, so I'm really feeling rather justified. Ah, bank holiday camping, I'd forgotten all about it....

Might even get out in the garden with the spare day I've acquired tomorrow!

Holidays!

We've been on holiday! 

Apparently I looked like I needed a rest... Our destination was a secret until the last minute, oh how I love a surprise! 

We drove to Lincoln, a beautiful city that neither of us has visited before. I love exploring hidden corners of Britain (not that Lincolnshire is really hidden). I also love my holidays to be peppered with tea and cake in cafes - and this one certainly was. 

After more tea and cake with friends on Saturday, we cycled along the Water Rail Way. A beautiful stretch of off road track, a water way on either side, and endless views over the Lincolnshire countryside. Today we cycled round a few more Lincolnshire lanes.

We also saw a film in the beautiful 'Kinema in the Woods'. A fabulous building, and a wonderful experience, including an intermission and a pianist. It was nice to sit on something other than a bike seat too.

I find that I'm enjoying being at home more and more, especially at the minute while writing and work are occupying so much of the space in my mind. But this simple weekend away was just what I needed. 

We kept it fairly frugal too. We camped in our van, baked bread and scones to take with us, and cooked curry and casserole before we left to eat cold with bread and cheese. We shared fish and chips at the seaside, but other than that and a couple of rock cakes, we didn't eat out.

After only two days away I feel like I've been on holiday for a week - and am completely exhausted! A good exhausted though, from exercise and fresh air and adventurising, not that insipid exhaustion that comes from a day staring at a computer screen. 

I must remember to get out on my bike again soon (although I admit it was much easier on the flat than our hills!)