Birthday Boys!

Last week it was my eldest boy's birthday and today it is the turn of my youngest boy. I thought I'd look out their photos which were taken in hospital all those years ago!

Simon in 1973 ...
Jamie in 1977 ...

Cornish Alps Run

After the grotty weather that we've had over the last few days I was very relieved to wake this morning and find that the sun was shining. We'd lost an hour as the clocks had changed but we were still up bright and early and ready for the Cornish Alps Run with our fellow MX-5ers.

Sixteen cars arrived at the car park at Fraddon ...

where after a good catch-up with friends we hadn't seen for ages, we set off in the general direction of St Austell.

We were soon off the main road and going down a really narrow lane ...

where we met a tractor ...

and some bikers out for a Sunday Scramble plus some farm dogs who insisted on chasing all the cars as we passed!

The general comment on the walkie-talkies was 'all we need now are some horses'. We were not disappointed ...

We must have seen about 10 riders who were out for what they thought was to be a quiet Sunday hack!

Another hold up!

First signs of the Alps!

It was soon time for a coffee stop in a car park at Roche ...

and then back on our way and deep into Clay Country. We were taken along so many roads we'd never have found if we'd been out on our own and the landscape was amazing ...

One minute we were passing spoil heaps (called White Alps) and then looking down into valleys with water filling the pits ...

The view was great as we came over a hill ...

and then it was time to leave the area behind and passing through villages ...

and the Lappa Valley Railway ...

we made our way over to the North Coast. After a spell on a main road we left it for a lovely minor road ...

where the sun was shining and it felt just like summer!

Lunch was to be at the St Pirans Inn at Holywell Bay ...

but as we'd taken Hamish with us we hadn't booked in and were going to find a spot for a picnic. We ended up staying in the pub car park ...

and having a drink while we ate our lunch and nobody seemed to mind. Hamish was as inquisitive as ever ...

and after lunch he was taken for a walk down to the beach ...

The afternoon run took us through Crantock and on to Newquay where several cars went the wrong way and we had major problems with the convoy! However we all got back together again on the far side of Newquay and drove on up the North Coast to Watergate Bay - what a view!

It was then time to leave the coast and head inland passing Newquay Airport and make our way back to Fraddon. It's hard to believe that this was the old A30 that we used to drive down on our way to Cornwall for holidays ...

Finally with a very tired little chap ...

we arrived back at the car park where we had started the day.

Man of the Match

Well done Cameron. What a star!

First Ducklings!

Whilst out walking with Hamish this morning I saw the first family of ducklings that have hatched this year.

Aren't they cute?

Saturday Matinee

I went to the theatre this afternoon with Jo and it was great!

The Redruth Amateur Operatic Society Trust (RAOST) are in their Centenary year and put on a show called 100 Stars for 100 Years. It was very entertaining with songs and dances from all the musicals and they had such fantastic voices.

We've decided to go and see Singing in the Rain which will be on in April and is performed by the Redruth Amateur Musical and Pantomime Society (RAMPS) but this time we're making our husbands come along with us! Should be fun!

The Three Buccaneers

Another beautiful morning - is Spring really here?

The crane arrived for 9am and the first of the three Buccaneers - Cosmo's Mariner - began to lift from her winter hardstanding ...

She was loaded onto the trailer and taken down to the far end of the harbour ...

where she was lowered into the water ...

It was now the turn of Lily's Pride to be raised ...

and over into the harbour ...

Finally it was Fanta-Si being lifted ...

and swung over ...

and into the water ...

A big cheer went up as this was her first time afloat and there were several comments about where was the champagne??!!

She was taken for a short spin and then returned to take up a mooring ...

followed by the Good Fortune which had been out on the tide this morning ...

Unfortunately Cosmo's Mariner had snagged a line and so the owner had to don a wet suit and diving gear ...

and as we left he was still underwater and trying to clear his propellor ...

Carriage Driving

Just look what Jamie gets up to in his spare time!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtF6H7rAF00

He's the one standing with the number 13 on his back!

They were really pleased because they won and ended the indoor season as South West champions which means they've qualified for the Championships which are held at Keysoe, Bedfordshire over the first weekend of April.

Well done and good luck Jamie and Sue!

One Year Today!

I can't believe it is a year since I began blogging. How time flies!

It's been a strange day today with brilliant sunshine one minute and then black skies and pouring rain the next. It's also blowing a hooley and freezing cold - not a bit like last year which was lovely and sunny all day.

This year's photo shows that the sea is quite rough today and there are only two boats on moorings ...

I'm just thankful that we don't live in East Cornwall as they had snow overnight and the A30 was once again closed between Bodmin and Exeter. Oh joy!