Lymington and a Valentine Evening

We woke to glorious sunshine this morning. Well for everyone else except Mike it was a lovely sunny day but the brightness is not so good for his eyes. After breakfast we took Hamish for a walk into Lyndhurst so we could buy some sandwiches for lunch and I wanted to look at the garage selling Ferraris and Maseratis! A girl can dream can't she??

We'd decided to just have a short drive into Lymington this morning and so after walking back to collect the car we set off towards the coast. After parking up we wandered down to the water to look at the boats ...

and then back up the cobbled streets ...

There was a street market, the town was very busy and poor Hamish was not happy with so many feet trying to step on him! Mike bought himself a new chamois leather for the 5 and then we gave up and returned to the car. Heading back to the hotel I suggested that we cross one of the Forest roads and maybe find a spot to eat our lunch. I was visualising a picnic area and ponies wandering about but no such luck. There was nowhere to stop so we turned around and I only saw these ponies grazing by a house ...

before we were off the Forest road again and making for Lyndhurst. Very disappointing. We had lunch in our room watching the television and then while Mike watched the rugby I got the laptop out and did some blogging! It was freee wi-fi yay!! We were all due to gather for a 7pm meal again and I popped into the dining room to get a couple of photos while it was empty. It looked really pretty ...

The table in the corner had the raffle prizes on it ...

The food was just as good as last night and everyone had a lovely time ...

Our joint leader Mike was looking particularly fetching with hearts stuck to his face ...

After the meal the raffle was drawn and I won a red mug with hearts on it ...

Everyone had been asked to bring a themed wrapped prize and after someone else had picked their own prize I was very sneaky and did the same! I didn't let on it was the one I'd taken but I'd really liked the mug when I bought it and didn't want to risk picking something I wouldn't want. Naughty or what??!! We then went to see Hamish and took him for a walk while the others abandoned to the conservatory and lounge getting ready for the quiz. I came back to find I was with Mike (the hearts on the face one not my Mike), Dave and Linda and they'd decided to call our team the Hamishes as my boy was sitting with us. We did brilliantly!! No I lie - we came last and got the sponge ...

Still it was all good fun even if we were rubbish at answering the questions. It was now well past our bedtime and so we said our goodnights and headed for our room.

MX-5 Valentine Weekend

Today is the start of the MX-5 Valentine Weekend in the New Forest. The day began at 6.30am when the alarm woke me up. We had to be at Fraddon for 9.30am and with the car to pack and Hamish to walk we needed plenty of time. Five cars gathered and set off with a loo stop planned at Sourton Services. As I took a photo of the cars I missed the sight of Rhona exiting from the Gents!

Apparently she'd been chatting away on her mobile and had just gone in without realising where she was going. The sound of male voices was a bit of a giveaway but she came out quite oblivious! It was hilarious and she'll never live it down. Hamish settled down on the parcel shelf ...

The next stop was at Exeter Services where we met up with the group from the east of the county and then we drove to Lyme Regis where we were having lunch at The Cobb Arms ...

Hamish had had a bath for his holiday and so I was gutted to find him sitting next to the fireplace and getting a black tail and bottom from the soot on the grate! He was not Mr Popular. After lunch we went for a walk on the Cobb ...

I've been to Lyme several times but never made it down to the Cobb before. It was very foggy but still very impressive. Back to the cars and on to Lyndhurst in the middle of the New Forest. On the way we drove through Chideock where the protestors were crossing the road with their placards ...

They have been trying to get a bypass for many years without luck. We finally arrived at the Ormonde House Hotel ...

and were shown to our room ...

While I took photos Mike made us a very welcome cuppa ...

The group met for dinner at 7pm and we left Hamish on the bed (covered by a sheet we always take with us) and the television was on for him as company.

The food was fantastic and I ate far too much!

Dog-Sitting Fred

Yesterday Jo contacted me and asked if we could pop in to see Fred some time during the day as they were off to Somerset to view some cars. I immediately said yes of course that was no problem but why didn't we pick Fred up and he could spend the day with Hamish. So this morning after we'd done our Tesco shop we drove home via Jo's and collected one dog, dog bowl, food, towels and treats! It looked as if he was staying for a few days! Fred was very excited and jumped into our car - he seemed to know exactly where he was going.

When we got home Hamish was leaping about as his friend had come to play and with some difficulty I managed to get Hamish's harness on (Jo chose this very inopportune moment to ring and give me an update on the first car!) and then we set off for a walk round to see Pam. We then made our way home and the two pals settled down or should I say Hamish settled but Fred wanted to play ...

With Hamish ignoring him Fred decided to attack the toy-box and began looking for his favourite plaything - a ball ...

He sat himself up on the arm of the sofa and looked out the window in the hopes that his mum and dad might be coming ...

but he soon realised that he was here for a while and when it was lunchtime they both tucked in even if it was a case of swapping food - well the other person's lunch is always more interesting than your own!

A quick visit outside ...

then time to sit on the sofa with me and check to see what was happening in the harbour ...

They were such good boys and they look like little angels ...

The best news of the day came when Jo rang to say they'd found a car which was perfect for them. They arrived here late afternoon with all their news of the day to find two dogs very excited to see them ...

and to see Hamish looking at all his toys spread over the floor and thinking 'I don't make a mess like this!'

We had a great day and if you need us to dog-sit again Jo you only have to ask!

Birds and Building

Okay so there's no connection here with the birds and the building but there's so little happening at the moment and they don't really warrant a thread each!

We've had very active seagulls in the harbour for a couple of weeks now and it's all due apparently to herrings. Each day a shoal has come in the harbour and the birds think it's their birthday and Christmas all rolled into one. They feed non-stop and make a racket to boot! We have loads of dead fish on the seaweed when the tide recedes and they get caught in the pool at the pinch ...

When the tide comes in then they're milling around outside our house ...

Building work has started at Rose Villa farm which is just as you enter Portreath and opposite the Junior school. Planning took ages to be approved as the local residents were all very anti the new houses however they finally got it passed and so now we're seeing the work commence ...

It will be interesting to watch it progress.