Category: Miscellany

Visiting Cas and Taffy for the weekend, set off this morning Nash Point for a walk along the cliffs. Parked up and headed along the cliff path. On the way plenty of Pipits, Skylarks, and a couple of Peregrine Falcons. Got to a bay where Helen and Cas went for a paddle. Taffy was suffering from bad hay fever. We decided to head back over the cliffs as the tide was not out enough to go the beach route. Saw some Rock Pipits. On the way back Taffy dropped us off at the Museum of Welsh life at Fangans. Strange place where they are preserving Welsh buildings which have been

dismantled shipped and rebuilt on the site. It is a large site and the buildings look as if they have been in place for years. The best ones are a set of terraced houses which show the way they would have changed over the years from 1805 through to 1985. Taffy picked us and we popped to Asda! Cas is cooking pasta for dinner. Two new birds for year list.

Hi I’m Bruce and Neil has asked me to do a guest blog entry. In the week I live at Ben and Hayleigh’s nursery but at the weekends I get to visit the children in turn, and this week it was Ben. As he was off to Honley Show he kindly invited me to join the party. I was slighly concerned that one of the show mice might try to make a nest in my tummy but fortunately they were all secure in their boxes. I sat on a tractor and saw a steam engine.

When I got a bit peckish Neil shared a sandwich, cheese rather than honey unfortunately. The highlight of the afternoon was a spin on a roundabout with Hayleigh. When we got home I demonstrated my drainpipe climbing skills and then, after a full day bedded down for forty winks in Bens room.

Porridge for breakfast hopefully!

Off to Holmfirth for the weekend. Good journey up, under 3 hours despite missing the junction. Came in past Yorkshire sculpture park which is always good to visit.

On Saturday went to Honley show. Great weather and got there via the little backroads as you can see the showground from Kev n Rons. Luckily they had got prepaid tickets as people had to queue for ages to pay. Arrived for the bike display but their slot had been moved so watched the bird man instead. Saw the sheep, tractors and stationary engines, both Ben and Hayleigh and Bruce were allowed by a kind man to sit on a tractor. Then a picnic lunch before carefully scrutinising numerous chickens, ducks (no Aylesbury), rabbits and mice. There were also guinea pigs which seemed to be very en vogue with the gay fraternity.

Ron went to put in an hour of selling at her NCT cake stall. We had tried some earlier, just for moral support obviously, and can say they were excellent. Then we had some fab local Yorkshire ice cream, which was well worth the long queue. Ben and Hayleigh went on the little train, then a tricky decision had to made, what should be the last treat? Ben chose the bouncy castle whilst Hayleigh and Bruce decided on the roundabout. Then it was back to the car via the honey stall.

Surreally a childrens firemans helmet flew over a wall on the way back to the car and could not find the owner, so we took that home too. Kev and Ron cooked a great curry which we ate outside and was a perfect end to the day.

Helen is a natural gardener, she threw some seeds in a pot, watered them a few times and hey presto a few weeks later radishes. The loving care that Helen gifted to the plants resulted in a beautiful specimen see the picture.

Earilier today we went on a pinic with some freiend/relatives. I took my kite with the plan of sending an old camera up the string to take some aerial photos but the wind was not quite stromg enough the kite flew but I need a proper bracket and a stonger wind to pull it off. Watch this space.

Once a year on the 2nd Bank holiday weekend, the village hall in Buckland is turned into a pub by volunteers, to raise funds for charity, this year it is The Iain Rennie Hospice at home.

Despite the after effects of our walk today (see previous blog entry) Helen and I forwent the tempting soft sofa for a hard bench and a pint of Tribute straight from the barrel. It was worth the effort the amber liquid was clear and hit the spot nicely. It seemed that the whole village was there including ALL the children.

Anyway the pint was great so we decided to have another one……

Today I roded a drain! The next door neighbours told Helen that the drains were backing up. When Helen went and had a word because we thought we should help, it turn out that Eric had tried to phone a plumber, but he was on holiday. A bit of investigating and it turn out the blockage is between the neighbours on one side and the neighbours on the other. Eric and Gladys are up hill from us.

Off we went to borrow Helen’s dads rods, then from Eric and Gladys garden we started roding but did not seem to make any progress. In the end we had to use about 10 poles, without the plunger bit on the end to get the whole lot moving. We probably saved quite a bit of money for not much effort, although not a pleasant job.

Weather a bit pants, cold and showery. Decided to go to the Buire valley railway, Norfolks longest narrow gauge steam railway. Journey took three quarters of an hour to get to Wroxham where Roy has a few shops. There is not much to Wroxham apart from Roys and a busy bridge. Got train back to Aylsham after walking round the village. On the train back we passed a large house with an impressive garden and on a fence post at the edge of the garden has was perched a Barn Owl! By the time we got back to Aylsham the sun was out but it was still rather cool. We plan to go out for a walk to the sea later.