Bank Holiday Gaddings Around

Another Bank Holiday weekend, but this one was better planned than my last, also helped by the fact that JC was around.  

On Saturday we went down to Sidmouth for their jazz and blues festival.  We rendezvoused with my old friends in Blackmore Gardens, sat in the sun and listened to some fabulous (and then not so fabulous) jazz.  This is what Saturdays are for. 

On Sunday we met with my friends at Exeter Quayside coinciding with Exeter Heritage Harbour Festival.  Plenty of sea shanties to listen to, although the cannon firing was a bit alarming if you weren't expecting it.   Lunch in the sun and a lovely long walk around the river.  This is what Sundays are for.

On Monday it was JC's turn to pick a trip.  For those who know him, it is of no surprise that it centred around photography but he does try to accommodate me by sneaking in a coastal location if he can. So we headed off to Exmoor which is somewhere I tend not to visit much, but should as it's beautiful.

We drove over Dunkery Hill waving at Wales -"hi Riona!"  

Then we stopped at Horner, just south of Porlock, as there was a packhorse bridge JC wanted to photograph.  Horner is actually a National Trust site and had a lovely marked path past Horner Water, through Horner Woods and up over Ley Hill which we enjoyed.

Next up was Robbers Bridge, a few km west.  This was beautiful but it didn't take me long to get my one shot, and JC a lot longer as there were numerous tripod set ups.  I entertained myself by playing spot the tadpole and tried to educate myself in wild flowers using the book I'd bought JC for his birthday.

It was a bit sad when a landrover eschewed the bridge and drove through the ford at full pelt - oh the baby frogs! :-(

We drove down to Porlock Weir via a weird toll road.  All we knew is it was a toll, but it was only when we arrived at the gate did we discover the price, £2.  No major dramas but it was very much an honesty box system and a bit odd overall.

Porlock Weir was a Ruthy fest.  As soon as I saw the harbour I went looking for the tidal marks and it didn't take me long to see them carved into the harbour walls.  

I enjoyed the sea defence with its smiley face.

We had supper in a local pub as the sunset was pretty late, then we wandered over the shingle eastwards of the groynes to capture the sunset.  This is what Bank Holidays are for.

Totnes Therapy

This weekend, I planned a trip to Totnes to ensure that I didn't mentally nose dive like the beginning of May.  As I was in Plymouth on Friday seeing my team, my mini-holiday started with drinks with a dear friend sitting in the sun overlooking Plymouth Sound.  He was amused as his granddaughter was sending him jokes from her new joke book, and the one she sent Friday evening was "how do you make a pirate cross?" (answer at end of the blog). He was very excited when HMS DIAMOND came past as he had been at its inauguration.

I then took the train to Totnes, checked into my AirBnB and had supper at the wonderful Tamarind Tree.

On Saturday my treat was a Round Robin with the Dartmouth Steam Railway and Riverboat company.  I set off in Totnes and had a wonderful cruise down the Dart.  I do so need to get on the water at times and the pilot's commentary was hilarious!  I'd found a map in advance so used this to check our route as we headed south.

It was so lovely!

As we neared Dartmouth we saw the Britannia Royal Navy College Dartmouth, and then and Dartmouth itself.

I managed to coincide with Dartmouth's music festival so, once I'd found a Ruth-scrummy lunch of frittata and salad, sat and listened to live jazz in the sun reading the Guardian.  Not too shabby at all.

I was also fascinated by the Dartmouth to Kingswear car ferry.   I hadn't realised that the ferry is propelled by tugs.  What amazing skill to drive a boat that pushes a ferry - hats off to those pilots.

My Round Robin was a river boat to Dartmouth, then a foot ferry to Kingswear, steam train to Paignton and bus to Totnes.  This was the ferry to Kingswear (another boat - how exciting!).

When I got to Kingswear I found old ground, as I'd passed by here on the South West Coast Path.  

However, last time I walked out of here - so taking the train was a treat. I'd never been on this line before and there was lots of nostalgia with the old train compartments. I fully expected Poirot to stroll past at one stage.

We arrived in Paignton and any nostalgia swiftly vanished.  I wandered around briefly, tried to find a benchmark, then waited for the bus.  This turned out to be an open topped bus - how exciting! I sat at the back as we trundled our way through beautiful South Hams back to Totnes.

Walking up from the bus stop through Totnes gave me a chance to enjoy the wonderful architecture.  Apparently, Totnes has the highest percentage of listed buildings in any town in the UK, and I can see why.

Supper was at Ben's Wine and Tapas bar which was super lovely but, yet another business succumbing to high bills and lack of staff availability - I caught it on its last night.

On Sunday I found an amazing egg/spinach fest breakfast at the wonderful Lighthouse Cafe then made my way home via Exeter St Davids.  A really lovely weekend, very salad filled (which makes me realise that's all I need to eat in life!) and, no doubt, very much helped by the sun. I am also grateful for those friends and family who make an effort to keep in touch with me - I appreciate you!

By the way, answer is "irate".  Go on, you did at least smile a bit...

Cardiff Therapy

I went up to see Riona today for some motherly tlc (think it was from her to me?) plus lots of handy things that parents do like drive around and pay for things...

It was a prompt start as Riona's car needed a brake check and the garage wanted it delivered by 0900, which meant Riona favoured being collected about then. I didn't manage 0900, but 20 minutes after wasn't too shabby.  We happily rendezvoused in B&Q where I found her sitting on a garden swing reading a book (oh honestly) then we trundled off to a new beach she'd found, Ogmore-on-Sea.  

Once we'd had a little potter, and discovered a coffee shack, we popped up to Ogmore Castle, just to the north of the beach.  It is an interesting site and I was half expecting to see Wainwright easeled up to paint the rural peace he saw.  What he would have missed was the person falling into the river from trying to walk the slippery stepping stones (we tried not to laugh, but we did) and the stupid sheep bleating at each other.  A lamb would wander off 20 metres and the ewe would stand looking in the opposite direction and bleat forlornly or vice versa. 

We then headed back to Cardiff, getting stuck in traffic schlep caused by an M4 accident [Riona will be in A&E next year so receiving the outcomes of such things].  After lunch we strolled down to Cardiff Bay whereupon I organised the queue for the ice cream van - honestly, it was blocking the walkway and no-one else was doing it!  The Pier Head building is beautiful so we popped inside to have a look.  Gorgeous staircase and even more exciting to find a benchmark outside ;-)

We wandered over to the nature reserve then back to Riona's pad via the Welsh Cake shop with its extra special Ruth treat of gluten free ones.  By then we knew that Riona's car was fixed, so we hopped in my car and drove to the garage.  It was all working so well until Riona tapped her address into the Mazda's satnav and drove off in her Clio.  I didn't check the directions, but it became apparent after a while that the satnav didn't know Cardiff very well and, when Riona had tapped in her road, it had acknowledged that but then sent me on a direct course for the city centre.  I realised this when I drove past Cardiff Castle!  I tried to stop, but couldn't as everywhere is double yellows, and realised I couldn't ring her for directions as I'd left my phone in her flat, so I decide to follow signs for Cardiff Bay.  My sense of direction is pretty well tuned (fancy that) and I made it back with a 20 minute delay to see Riona standing waiting for me on the corner of her street.

I left her about 2015 and it didn't take me long to realise that the Mazda sat nat is hopeless in Cardiff, so I followed my nose (and signed for M4 East) and was soon trundling back. A swift trip home.  And, as ever, very happy memories. 

The Kindness of Strangers and the RAC

I went to Plymouth today to see my team and had to drive as the trains were non existent.  Coming back didn't go to plan as, about 1/3rd of the way back, the car misfired and an alarming warning popped up on the dashboard.  I considered ignoring it, after all the spanner was 'only' in amber, but the red words STOP were not easily ignorable.

Fortunately I was about 1 km from a fuel station so stopped at Shell South Brent service station and opened the car manual.  The handbook was telling me, very clearly, not to drive the car anywhere so I rang the RAC.  Once I was in their queue - it looked to be a 90 minute wait - I got myself organised.  I had coffee, water and two phones (both work and personal), a charger, and a laptop.   I had a magazine to read, toilets and a Costas machine in the service station.  I was sorted.

I stuck my head into the service station to tell them I was settling in for a while, and the lady was lovely saying it was a 24/7 station so I could stay all night.  It didn't look hopeful for fixing the car (said the RAC text which popped up on my phone).  But I had company in the form of a motorcyclist having a coffee break.  During our chat he asked me how far I had to go, "about 60 km," I responded. "Hmmm, you're not English are you?" he mused.  Admittedly I don't have a Devon accent but I was curious why he thought that, "it's just that you said kilometres," he answered!

I popped into the service station for the toilet and to grab a coffee which the lovely cashier wouldn't let me pay for ;-)  As I returned an RAC van had turned up.  He pointed out that he wasn't the van due to rescue me, but he was closer so popped over.  Then a couple of minutes later 'my' RAC van turned up so I had a double whammy of RAC assistance, and I only had an hour's wait. 

They diagnosed a misfiring cylinder (or so they think) and deemed me "probably OK' to drive home. 

 

 

However, to make sure I got back OK, I was shadowed by one of the guys all the way back to the Ottery turn off from the A303.  If I was losing power I'd have pulled off and he'd have moved onto his Plan B.  As it was, the car was a little edgy, and misfired a few times, but not so much that I needed to stop.  I'll certainly admit that when driving a slightly dodgy car, having an RAC van trailing you is certainly a great feeling!  I was mighty pleased to get back, though, and realise I'd been clenching my jaw all the way back.

Anyway, car is parked up and will only be going as far as the garage on its next outing.  I'm off to Cardiff tomorrow but fortunately I too have a Plan B in the form of JC's Mazda.  Thanks to everyone.

Coronation Blues

In the run up to the Coronation weekend I had a lovely visit from the Caitlin.  We played games (she won as expected) and had a scrummy lunch out in Sidmouth where she captured me wiping the table and looking exactly like my mother.  We had a super yummy roast supper - thank you KK.  

Thanks for the phone memories Caitlin!

JC left for Florida on Tuesday 02 May for a 3 week NATO trial.  I worked in my work office on Wednesday, and on Thursday was on full blown duty as Presiding Officer for one of the council polling stations.  I got there at 0615, did a full day and left at 2230 to drive the ballot box to the counting station.  I eventually dropped into bed at midnight.  

Friday 05 May I worked from home, did pilates and had a lovely supper out at friends.  Saturday was not so great.  In fact Sunday wasn't either.  And in fact Monday wasn't.  My brain decided that Ruth was no-go all weekend: the loneliness and depression kicked in fast and hard and it was all I could do on Monday to drive out to a nearby garden and view their azaleas.  Admittedly Metcombe does has have awesome azaleas and their fairy garden was cute too.

Because my brain had shut down on helping myself - when you have a depressive episode the last thing you do is ask people for help, it's like a mental paralytic attack and you go from functional to not even able to tell anyone you're sad - I avoided the tea gazebo and scuttled home.

Help was on hand by the fact that I knew I may be struggling (it's not as if depression is new for me) so I'd pre-committed to turning up in the council offices on Tuesday.  I dragged myself in and had a bit of a weep on a safe colleague.  Part of me thinks this is super embarrassing, and I told her so, but part of me knows it's not bad, as my brain is ill and I need support.  Once distracted by work I function like a lean mean professional machine, but it's the down time hours that floor me constantly.

So now I've a plan. This Saturday Cardiff calls. It actually calls earlier than I'd like (!) as Riona needs collecting from a garage at 0900: but we've a full day of fun before I head back, and Sunday is just a day so survivable.  The following weekend I have now booked a Totnes weekend plan including river cruise to Dartmouth and a steam train. As I said to JC the other day, I'll commit to something if I've paid in advance so after a Cardiff blog it'll be Totnes fest dear readers (reader).  Thank you for getting this far.