Another 'Wet' Weekend

The boys are back again but it's very much a flying visit as they arrived late last night and we're all going up to Luton this evening. It is setting up day for the Art Exhibition and we'd all promised to help Pam get her paintings down to the Millenium Hall and hang them for her. Her spot was soon organised by Jamie and Phill and I took the opportunity to have a mooch around and look at the other work which would be on show. It's a great shame that we won't be around this week as we love popping in and seeing what has sold and what has been hung in its place. Fingers crossed that Pam has a good week and manages to sell some of her paintings. As she was out on her scooter we carried on down to the beach as there was quite a big event on this weekend. It was the Surf Life Saving Cornwall Region Championships and 21 clubs would be attending so you can imagine how busy it was with loads of competitions for all ages. We had been down to the beach earlier in the morning and watched a couple of races and wanted Pam to see what was going on.

We then made our way back to the Arms where we'd booked a table for lunch. Afterwards Pam sped off on her scooter (there's no stoppong her now!) and we headed for home and getting ready for our trip away. The boys were determined to get in the sea again and I fully intended to join them this time but at the last minute I decided against it. I couldn't face all the changing and washing of wetsuit and sand! So once again I became official photographer and Jo and Paul joined the boys in the water. It looked great fun and I was very jealous!

As we strolled back home we saw more races taking place but this time on the sand.

After saying our farewells to the Lucases we packed the car and set off for Luton and Mike's major eye surgery.

A Wetsuit Weekend

When the boys first said they were coming down for Pam's birthday they also said that they would be bringing their wetsuits. There was no way that they were coming to Cornwall and not going in the sea! So yesterday afternoon I was asked if I cared to join them and as the sun had disappeared I declined their offer but decided to go as photographer instead along with Jo and Paul. They were already in the water when we arrived and so they came out to give Jo a big wet kiss ...

then it was back in again for a bit of a play as unfortunately there were no waves for surfing ...

I'm so glad I refused their offer as they looked pretty cold when they came out ...

Today the tides were right for about midday so once again the wetsuits were donned but this time they had company in the shape of Paul ...

He had brought his board down and tried very hard to catch a wave ...

finally succeeding on this one ...

In the meantime the boys were larking about as usual!

I think they all enjoyed themselves and there should be a repeat performance next Saturday as they're back down to collect us and take us to Luton as it's Mike's eye operation next week at Moorfields.

Pam's Birthday Surprise

It was Pam's birthday yesterday and as a surprise for her Jamie and Phill drove down during the afternoon. They arrived at ours and we all walked round armed with pressies and card. When Jamie knocked on her door and she answered her face was a picture! After hugs and hellos we sat down to decide where we were going to take her for a birthday treat. She has recently ordered a mobility scooter but it is stuck in Customs somewhere so the Centre have lent her one until they can deliver the new one. We wanted to take her out somewhere that she could use it and she had requested a trip to Tehidy Country Park. She fancies going there by taxi to do some painting and then be collected and taken home so this was to be a trial run to see if she could manage the tracks. We picked her up early morning and decided on a drive to Falmouth first for a coffee and toasted teacake at our usual haunt ...

Phill and I then hit Trago while the others had another coffee and then we went round to the harbour for a few shots.

People were going onboard the Orca Sea Safari just below us ...

and after crossing the square with its lovely little huts ...

we met up with the others and drove up to Pendennis Point. This is normally a place for ice-creams but today we just took photos ...

I spotted the Safari making its way out to sea - bet they were enjoying it!

Back to the car and off to Tehidy ...

The scooter came out of the car and with Pam settled on it ...

she was off like a shot! We couldn't keep up with her!

It's a lovely walk around the lake with novelty carvings on tree stumps ...

and plenty of wildlife on the water ...

Pam was enjoying herself crossing bridges and stopping by the lake to take a photo ...

Look out for this as a picture on her blog one day soon! We ended the trip at the little cafe where she could park her scooter and eat her ice-cream while we all had coffees.

It was then time to take her home and Jamie drove the scooter round and parked it outside her flat!

Stroll around Trelissick

Another day and another trip out. This time we went to Trelissick which is one of our favourite walks and somewhere that Jo and Paul hadn't visited. It also meant that we could take the dogs as they'd been so good all week being left at home. We set off across the large field with the river ahead of us ...

and once in the woods with the sun shining it was pleasantly warm with plenty of shade ...

As you walk along there are glimpses of the water ...

and quite a handy seat to take a photo from ...

We could hear the commentary and spotted the Enterprise full of visitors on the water ...

and the dogs sniffed just about every tree and widdled on most of them!

The King Harry ferry was just approaching the far side of the river ...

and there was already a queue waiting for its return ...

On reaching the road we turned left up it and made for the side entrance by the Water Tower passing this beautiful hydrangea on the way ...

There were an abundance of Westies at the Gardens today and these two are related to ours!

Hamish was more interested in the fact that they were girls than of posing for the camera! Jo and I had planned to go into the formal gardens but it was so hot by now that we just had lunch and then made tracks for home ...

St Michael's Mount

We were due to have another day out yesterday but unfortunately when we got home on Tuesday Hamish had been poorly so we thought we'd better stay at home with him just in case he needed a walk during the day. Typical of him - he was fine! Still it gave me a chance to get some housework done as we've got the boys coming down for the weekend.

So this morning we set off for Jo and Paul's thinking we were going to Heligan Gardens only to hear that we were going to St Michael's Mount instead. They had both joined the National Trust and wanted to make use of their passes. It was a lovely morning and after parking we set off across the cobbled causeway ...

Jo had worked out the tide times and it was perfect for us - walk over and boat back. The first place we saw was the Dairy ...

and then we went up the Pilgrims' Steps ...

On and on up past the Giant's Well and Giant's Heart ...

Stopping for a breather on the way ...

We reached a level bit where the cannons were ...

and there was a lovely view back down ...

Not much further to go!

After entering the Castle we went through a couple of rooms before reaching the Library ...

It was then on into Chevy Chase ...

The name of the room comes from the plaster frieze running around the walls depicting hunting scenes and refers to the medieval 'Ballad of Chevy Chase'. The furniture was beautiful and the stained glass windows were so pretty ...

On into the Smoking Room which had this lovely window ...

and then we were out onto the Terraces. I had to hold my camera over the edge as it made me feel quite sick trying to look!

When you go through the gaps either side of this building ...

this is what you see ...

There was also a good sight of the causeway from up here and we could see that the tide was well over it by now with people paddling across ...

We went up these steps ...

and looked down again ...

This is the view from the North Terrace ...

The next place was the Priory Church ...

and then the Blue Drawing Room ...

with large Italian vases which were specially commissioned for the places they stand ...

On further and into the Map Room where there is a mummified cat!! Apparently it came from Egypt.

There is also a model of the Mount made entirely out of champagne corks ...

We then walked along the Long Passage and Kitchen Stairs to the Garrison Room. One more corridor and room with the list of St Aubyns ...

and a saddle from Buffalo Bill's circus which was gifted to the family when he visited Cornwall in 1904 ...

We then made the long trek back down to water level where we saw the amphibious vehicle which is not in service at the moment ...

This is what stores for the Mount are put in and sent up to the Castle ...

We then made our way over to the entrance for the Gardens and had a lovely walk along the Avenue looking up at the Castle ...

past the Pill Box ...

and the Gun Emplacement ...

and into part of the walled garden ...

We then set off up the west terraces ...

and up to the well ...

Down to the tortoise lawn ...

then through the east terraces and back past the cemetery ...

Lunch was next on the agenda at the island cafe and then a mooch around the shop before going to the ferry for the return trip. On our way we passed the entrance to the causeway which we had earlier walked along and which was now completely covered ...

Not long to wait for a boat and we were off on the short hop to the mainland ...

It was a lovely day and I highly recommend visitors to take the time to go over and see it for themselves.