Lunch at Juliot’s Well

Now we’re no longer MX-5 owners we won’t be renewing our membership of the Owners Club on 1st January.   Today there was a run which was stopping for lunch at a not too distant place and we thought it would be nice to surprise everyone and turn up to join them.  Juliot’s Well Holiday Park near Camelford had been used by the Club as a venue for a Christmas Party which we hadn’t attended so it somewhere new for us.  We arrived before the 5’s and parked facing the entrance.  As they drove in I waved and slowly people began to realise who the mad person in the Mini was who was waving frantically!  It was lovely with hugs all round and people saying how nice it was to see us there.  We joined them for a fantastic roast which was the bargain price of £5.95!  There were several new members who we didn’t know but also loads of our old friends and we had a good natter and catch up. 

Spectacular Waves

Both yesterday and today we’ve had large waves and spectacular sights at the harbour.  The surfers have had a great few days and Hamish has had extra walks as I wanted to take some photos of the waves breaking on the breakwater …

I think he was hoping we’d be on the move soon but he was very good and sat patiently waiting!

Westie Walk

It’s Westie Walk day again and as the sun is shining we decided to join the fun on Perranporth beach.  After gathering on the car park …

we set off along the beach …

All the dogs had a great time and money was raised for Westie Rescue.

The Honeymooners Visit Cornwall

The boys hired a motorhome for their honeymoon and after a couple of days staying at the Chichester Camping and Caravanning Club Site so they could ‘do’ Portsmouth, they made their way to the Tavistock Club Site where they stayed for the rest of the week.  They came down to Portreath today mainly to see Pam and bring her some ‘goodies’ from the day and to show her their photographs.   She had no idea they were visiting and it was a lovely surprise for her.

After the four of us had lunch at the Arms they took us for a drive to Perranporth in the motorhome.  We parked on the hill overlooking the beach …

and then walked down to the town and beach…

The plan was to have a cream tea back at the van but we were all so full after our lunch that we just had a biscuit with a cuppa while we watched the surfers.  The cream tea was saved for later …

On the dashboard they had Micky and Mickey plus a stiletto shoe!

We hadn’t had a proper look at their rings before, so now had a chance to read the writing on them …

They dropped us back home, popped round to say goodbye to Pam and then drove back to Tavistock.  

Ed’s Return to Harbour

When I looked out this morning I noticed that Ed’s boat was missing from its mooring which meant that he had gone to sea on a fishing trip.  Nothing strange in that except that it’s now November and the weather can change dramatically at this time of year.

Hamish was fidgeting this afternoon and needed to go for a walk so I took him around the harbour.  Once his task was complete I just thought I’d pop up the steps to the look-out and I spotted a very small boat making its way back to the harbour.  Ed was returning home.  The problem was a huge great  wave that was building behind him and I had no idea if he knew it was there.  I whipped out my phone to take some photos and I had a terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach that this was going to have a bad ending.  I seriously thought I was about to photograph a disaster but thankfully it had a happy ending.  As Ed approached I heard him gun his outboard and he managed to keep ahead of the wave and keep the boat in a straight line.  Any slight turn and he would have been flipped over.

I made my way back to his mooring and had a chat with him.  Apparently he is a non-swimmer and his life jacket was in the cuddy!!!!!!  I couldn’t believe that he was so stupid to be at sea alone with no life jacket on and he had no flares either.  Amazing!!!  A very lucky man.

Hamish Comes Home

Last night we had the annual firework display in Portreath and for once I was able to watch without worrying about Hamish as he is petrified by them.  I watched from our back bedroom window and it was a fantastic show …

First thing on the agenda for this morning was a trip over to the kennels to fetch Hamish and Fred.  Jo and Paul picked us up as the plan was to give the boys a run on the beach as rewards for hopefully (!) being good while away.  Apparently they both behaved themselves – phew – and although pleased to see us they were also happy to say goodbye to Helen before leaving.  We had a lovely walk on the beach …

and we saw a cormorant quite close to the beach which swallowed a fish …

Goodbye to The Barns

After breakfast and sorting out the bill for the weekend it was time to say goodbye to everyone and get on the road for home. 

I didn’t mention it yesterday but there had been the most horrific crash on the M5 on   Friday night.  We had learned of it on Saturday morning while watching the News on television.  We had to change our plans for the return journey as the motorway was still closed and so we set off for the M1, M25, M3 and A303.  We stopped at Fleet Services on the M3 and as we went in we saw Pudsey collecting money for Children in Need …

We bought sandwiches and drinks for lunch and then parked in a lay-by on the A303 to eat them.  It was a good trip home to Cornwall with plenty of chat about the weekend and what a fantastic time we’d had.  Lesley dropped us in Portreath and then she popped round to see Pam and tell her all about it.  Phill had set up a Skype connecttion so that she and Lesley’s husband Steve could watch the proceedings but unfortunately it had dropped out just as they got to the signing of the register.  Pam said it really didn’t matter too much because they’d seen all the important bits.

What a fab weekend.  Thanks boys for all the pressies we received and for giving us such a wonderful time.  We both wish you a long and happy life together xxxxxx

Civil Partnership Day

After breakfast this morning we went for a wander around the hotel.  We were in the downstairs room in the middle and Jo was above us …

This is round the back overlooking the river so once round the front we saw Phill looking out of his window along with Mark his right-hand man and then we went past the Riverside Room  to look at the river …

The back entrance and the inside of the restaurant …

Back to our rooms and the titivating began!  We all met up in the Riverside …

and then I was told that Jamie had arrived …

He was in a Land Rover which had been dressed up with pink ribbons, balloons and stiletto heels!  For part of the Bucks Weekend they’d gone to see Priscilla, Queen of the Desert – hence the shoes!

The Groom and his Best Man …

The arch had been decorated with flowers that had lights amongst them and on each side was a cage with a dove in it …

Everyone was gathering outside …

Jack and Cameron were ushers and Ellie was a ‘groomsmaid’ along with Abigail – Phill’s niece …

 

It was now time to enter the Barn which looked stunning …

The groomsmaids entered and then the boys walked in with Phill in floods of tears! 

No photography was allowed during the ceremony but cameras were back on for the signing of the register …

Then it was time to leave the barn and mingle outside before the releasing of the doves …

Ellie and her flowers …

Then the photographer began the job of getting group photos of the guests …

While everyone went back to the Riverside for coffee Jo and I followed the lads as they  made their way to the river …

and Jo managed to get herself a job as photographer’s assistant!

The Barn had been set up for the meal and so it was now line-up time …

and then after checking the board to see where we were all sitting, it was time to go in …

After a fabulous meal Jamie was given a very unusual cake which sat amongst all the Disney characters! 

and then there was the cutting of the cake …

After that there were the speeches …

followed by a presentation of flowers to various people who had helped to make their day – Jo had made all the invitations …

With the meal and presentations over the boys made their way over to the Riverside room where they began opening all their cards and presents …

It’s tiring work!

After a short break we were back in the Barn for the evening Disco.  The boys had been practising a first dance and when the theme tune to Strictly Come Dancing started we all watched in awe as they cha cha’d to ‘Firework’ by Katy Perry – so apt as it was Bonfire Night!!

Then it was a free-for-all and we all had a boogie or two during the evening.

At midnight, after a last dance, we all staggered off to our rooms.  It had been a most fabulous day – very emotional but oh so enjoyable.

I must thank Jo and Lesley for some of the photos I’ve used.