A good week in Southampton, punctuated by the trips to Salisbury, Sandbanks and Bosham. Weather has been sunny, but rainy today, zzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
Oooh I am reading such a great great book right now. 'The Blade Itself' is it's name, and it is by a young British author called Joe Abercrombie. I picked up the book from a local charity shop and there are 2 more to finish the trilogy and I actually had to make a special trip into West Quay this morning just to go to Waterstones and buy the next two. Yes yes I know, I am a literary geek, but the thing is that I am going to be on the continent (not incontinent) rather soon, Thursday in fact, and who knows when I might find a good reliable bookstore in the future??! It is a worry.
I have also been amusing myself by watching Dr Horribles Sing-A-Long Blog (a musical masterpiece), Heroes Series 2 (booooooo! First was miles better and I'm upset about who they killed off in the final episode. I hope they bring him back to life in S3.), Gavin & Stacey (utter genius) and that's about it really. We have Pushing Daisies to watch but I haven't really got into that yet.
I am feeling a little chubby, although I have good hair at the moment. The one cancels out the other which is good.
Aparentely I am wanted in the van so must go. Off to Dunkerque on Thursday folks!!
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Rah Rah Rah
I am currently sat in the study of Nick's parents house in Southampton, enjoying the shade and the view out of the window. It has been a scorcher of a day and Nick, Den & I took the Punto with the roof down to Sandbanks in Poole for a lovely lunch at the Haven Hotel and a trip across the chain ferry to the long beaches. There is a nudist beach there but we didn't walk that far, I was very disappointed not to see it! >>>
Flash forward, as I was writing the above I heard the shout that dinner was ready so I've just consumed a half bottle of white wine and some quite tasty coronation chicken with rice and salad. As it's such a sunny evening we ate in the garden sat under the tree with the last of the sunshine on our backs. I've had a couple of menthols as well which is a bit naughty but there you go.
So to catch up again then, I think I let off when we were in Swansea which was the last time I had access to internet gubbins. We spent a week there and witnessed Ralph & Rowan's first birthday which was great, they loved the wrapping paper way more than the toys and were so full of beans it was wonderful. We left Wales on Friday 11th July and headed that night to a campsite known as "Old Down Touring Park", just south of Bath on the way to Glastonbury. We spent 2 nights there and on the Saturday went to our friends Marc & Gabie's wedding in a little village called Litton at the King's Arms pub. It was just the reception and didn't start until 5pm as they had a very private wedding and it turned out to be a great night. We caught up with Bob, Keely, Claire & James plus Helena & Matt, all really lovely people that Nick knew back in Exeter when we were at Uni. We had a geriatric taxi driver, Brian, who got utterly lost on the way there AND on the way back from our campsite to the pub and insisted on playing the Wurzels at full volume and getting maps out every five minutes.
On Sunday 13th July we left our gorgeous friendly campsite and headed a bit south to Clarks village in Street for some retail outlet action and then on to a little village called Somerton to stay in the field of someones house. It was just south of Glastonbury and we could actually see the Tor from our site. It was very peaceful, we had a barbecue and the whole site to ourselves, apart from the chickens. There was a white fluffy bantam that resembled a large cotton ball, quite something.
On the Monday we drove down to my Dad's cottage in Kennerleigh, mid Devon and spent a week there chilling out with the folks. We popped into Exeter a couple of times, went to the rather marvellous House of Marbles at Bovey Tracey (think massive marble runs with snooker balls instead of marbles), Trago Mills (for old times sake! Only bought a saop dish - very restrained)) and some great old school country pubs like the Black Dog and the Beer Engine. Met up with Shirley & John a couple of times as well. Nick had man flu for a couple of days and was laid up in bed so I went through a load of old boxes in the garage which contained my old school work and various other things from my childhood. I was thrilled to find my old recorder plus a couple of ocarinas and I have kept the ocarinas for the journey with the intent to improve my skills and also to teach Nick, who is not musically inclined. I also bought some Poi from a shop in Exeter, but they broke and I ended up taking them back so I will not be learning how to do Poi just yet until I find some more.
Now we are back in Southampton where we will be staying for a week or so until we head off to Europe. We popped to Salisbury last night to catch up with our old friends Alex & Jess at their new house and we met their doggie Matravers, or Matty who is a very exciteable 8 month old springer/pointer cross.
And that's about it. Since we've been back in Soton we've been to Bosham and Sandbanks (today obviously) and the weather is really really lovely for once. Life is going well, I have rediscovered cider as a drink and am getting very brown. I have also discovered Reggae Reggae sauce which you have to marinade chicken kebabs in before barbecueing! Very tastysome., om yom yom. I realise I am droning on about nothing now so am off. xxxxx
Flash forward, as I was writing the above I heard the shout that dinner was ready so I've just consumed a half bottle of white wine and some quite tasty coronation chicken with rice and salad. As it's such a sunny evening we ate in the garden sat under the tree with the last of the sunshine on our backs. I've had a couple of menthols as well which is a bit naughty but there you go.
So to catch up again then, I think I let off when we were in Swansea which was the last time I had access to internet gubbins. We spent a week there and witnessed Ralph & Rowan's first birthday which was great, they loved the wrapping paper way more than the toys and were so full of beans it was wonderful. We left Wales on Friday 11th July and headed that night to a campsite known as "Old Down Touring Park", just south of Bath on the way to Glastonbury. We spent 2 nights there and on the Saturday went to our friends Marc & Gabie's wedding in a little village called Litton at the King's Arms pub. It was just the reception and didn't start until 5pm as they had a very private wedding and it turned out to be a great night. We caught up with Bob, Keely, Claire & James plus Helena & Matt, all really lovely people that Nick knew back in Exeter when we were at Uni. We had a geriatric taxi driver, Brian, who got utterly lost on the way there AND on the way back from our campsite to the pub and insisted on playing the Wurzels at full volume and getting maps out every five minutes.
On Sunday 13th July we left our gorgeous friendly campsite and headed a bit south to Clarks village in Street for some retail outlet action and then on to a little village called Somerton to stay in the field of someones house. It was just south of Glastonbury and we could actually see the Tor from our site. It was very peaceful, we had a barbecue and the whole site to ourselves, apart from the chickens. There was a white fluffy bantam that resembled a large cotton ball, quite something.
On the Monday we drove down to my Dad's cottage in Kennerleigh, mid Devon and spent a week there chilling out with the folks. We popped into Exeter a couple of times, went to the rather marvellous House of Marbles at Bovey Tracey (think massive marble runs with snooker balls instead of marbles), Trago Mills (for old times sake! Only bought a saop dish - very restrained)) and some great old school country pubs like the Black Dog and the Beer Engine. Met up with Shirley & John a couple of times as well. Nick had man flu for a couple of days and was laid up in bed so I went through a load of old boxes in the garage which contained my old school work and various other things from my childhood. I was thrilled to find my old recorder plus a couple of ocarinas and I have kept the ocarinas for the journey with the intent to improve my skills and also to teach Nick, who is not musically inclined. I also bought some Poi from a shop in Exeter, but they broke and I ended up taking them back so I will not be learning how to do Poi just yet until I find some more.
Now we are back in Southampton where we will be staying for a week or so until we head off to Europe. We popped to Salisbury last night to catch up with our old friends Alex & Jess at their new house and we met their doggie Matravers, or Matty who is a very exciteable 8 month old springer/pointer cross.
And that's about it. Since we've been back in Soton we've been to Bosham and Sandbanks (today obviously) and the weather is really really lovely for once. Life is going well, I have rediscovered cider as a drink and am getting very brown. I have also discovered Reggae Reggae sauce which you have to marinade chicken kebabs in before barbecueing! Very tastysome., om yom yom. I realise I am droning on about nothing now so am off. xxxxx
Saturday, July 05, 2008
RRAAAAAAhhhglebloeaoitelakneltjb
Due to lack of internet access this blog has not been updated for a ridiculously long time. We are both alive and well, however, and loving the travelling.
Florida was awesome, just warm, sunny, beautiful and themepark-tastic. We checked out Seaworld on my birthday (feeding dolphins, stroking stingways, seeing Shamu the killer whale and some really amazing fireworks), plus Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, and we also had a once in a lifetime experiece hearing the sonic boom of the Discovery Space Shuttle land at the Kennedy Space Centre. All in all an amazing time. We ate loads of grossly fattening All American food but also walked loads which hopefully balances it out. We met an astronaut from the Apollo 15 mission, he was cool. We shopped, and also went on a Gentle Ben style airboat ride to spot Alligators. Orlando is undeniably tacky and those Americans are huge gas guzzling mega consumers but you just have to love it.
After Florida we spent a couple of jet lagged days in York, then bombed it up to Berwick Upon Tweed for a glorious week with Bob & Miles. There was lots of music, Victorian parlour games, long long walks along the river and a trip to the epic Bamburgh castle.
We then went up to Edinburgh for a cool night out with Bob & Miles on her birthday, then we left them there and went up to the Scottish Highlands - Loch Lomond, Glen Coe, Ben Nevis and all that malarky while we stayed in a village called Onich on Loch Linnhe.
After that we drove down to the Lake District, saw the Ullswater and went for a bike ride in the rain around Windemere, before a random trip to Blackpool for one night, and now we are in Swansea with my sister, her husband and the twins. Blackpool is really nasty, I fully intend to not visit it again!
All in all a fantastic few weeks, the camper is doing great, we are very chilled out and happy.
Florida was awesome, just warm, sunny, beautiful and themepark-tastic. We checked out Seaworld on my birthday (feeding dolphins, stroking stingways, seeing Shamu the killer whale and some really amazing fireworks), plus Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, and we also had a once in a lifetime experiece hearing the sonic boom of the Discovery Space Shuttle land at the Kennedy Space Centre. All in all an amazing time. We ate loads of grossly fattening All American food but also walked loads which hopefully balances it out. We met an astronaut from the Apollo 15 mission, he was cool. We shopped, and also went on a Gentle Ben style airboat ride to spot Alligators. Orlando is undeniably tacky and those Americans are huge gas guzzling mega consumers but you just have to love it.
After Florida we spent a couple of jet lagged days in York, then bombed it up to Berwick Upon Tweed for a glorious week with Bob & Miles. There was lots of music, Victorian parlour games, long long walks along the river and a trip to the epic Bamburgh castle.
We then went up to Edinburgh for a cool night out with Bob & Miles on her birthday, then we left them there and went up to the Scottish Highlands - Loch Lomond, Glen Coe, Ben Nevis and all that malarky while we stayed in a village called Onich on Loch Linnhe.
After that we drove down to the Lake District, saw the Ullswater and went for a bike ride in the rain around Windemere, before a random trip to Blackpool for one night, and now we are in Swansea with my sister, her husband and the twins. Blackpool is really nasty, I fully intend to not visit it again!
All in all a fantastic few weeks, the camper is doing great, we are very chilled out and happy.
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