A Boxing Day Walk

Boxing Day dawned with bright blue skies and weak sunshine.  What a beautiful day.  Perfect for a post Christmas walk.  Fresh air.  Burn off a few calories.  Great.

After a leisurely breakfast, we prepared ourselves for a long walk.  Coats, scarves, hats, gloves. The blue sky and sunshine was very deceptive.  It was very cold outside.

The day was calm, with hardly a breathe of wind.  Perfect for photographing reflections.

A very large mushroom, or maybe it was a toadstool.  I don't think I will take it home for lunch.

A quick stop at the playground,   Luckily no one fell off the zip wire into the mud.

Obviously they have a mole problem here too.  Lots of juicy worms in the moist rich soil.

The bicycle path, deserted, due to everyone resting or having family get togethers.

Mia and Abi trying to see how far they can walk without getting water in their wellingtons.  How I used to love doing that as a child.  And then regretting it, once the water poured in, and I ended up with soggy cold socks.

Running off surplus energy.  Perhaps that is what I should have been doing instead of ambling along the path.

Birds lining the bridge, soaking up the weak sunshine.

A climb up, and now posing at the top.

A glympse of Aaron and Kylie's house, through the trees.  Nearly home.

Walter and I hugging each for warmth.  Now what am I saying to Walter?  'Stop pinching me', I think I said.  A new scarf for me.  Thank you Margaret.

Back home again, to the warmth of the house and a nice cup of coffee, and a Boxing Day snooze on the couch.

Christmas Day

Christmas Day.   Always an exciting time for children, and for adults too.  A time for being together.  For family and friends.  Even though in our family, we are thousands of kilometres apart.  Skyping, and Facetime, mean we can see each other, and be part of the day, even though we are not together in one place.

This year we spent Christmas with Aaron, Kylie, Mia, Abi and Raphy in the Netherlands.  

And the day did not begin too early, as can happen on Christmas Day, due to it not getting light until about 8.30.  Raphy was told not to get up until it was light.  And as he cannot yet tell the time, he was happy to oblige.  Then it was all go downstairs, with plenty of presents for everyone to open. 

And the day continued, with children playing happily with their new toys and the adults reading their new books.

Christmas dinner was superbly cooked, turkey breast stuffed with the most delicious filling plus perfectly roasted vegetables. The Christmas pudding was eaten in the evening.  We needed to rest our stomachs a bit.

And finally after playing a few card games with the children we all fell happily into bed.

Lunch out. And plenty of food.

Abi, Raphy and I decided to go into the railway station in Utrecht for lunch.  Yes lunch at the railway station.  A little bit bleak, I know and not altogether comfortable.  But delicious chips, freshly cooked, hot, and with lashings of mayonnaise.   And eaten with a little plastic fork.

We then shared a frickandel, a long skinless dark-coloured meat sausage, deep fried. And best not to know how it is made.   I would like to say that it is a Dutch delicacy.  But many people here will disagree.  But Raphy and Abi love them.

After our lunch, which we ate while sitting on the large box that held a very large Christmas tree,  we went to a comfortable cafe for cake, which we shared between the three of us.  Plus coffee for me and apple juice for Abi and Raphy.  Delicious.

After a visit to a couple of toy shops, and a play on the slide at Vroom and Dreesman. For Abi and Raphy, of course.   I think I would get stuck somewhere in the tunnel on the way down.

Then home again, in time to get the pillowcases ready for a visit from Father Christmas.  Such excitement.

A quick drive to the Netherlands. And no phone.

Our trip to get to the Netherlands seems ages ago, five days in fact. And we are now post Christmas, and getting close to Raphy's birthday and New Year. 

Our trip was uneventful, car wise.  In fact our Skoda purred along the motorway,  while we sat comfortably inside, listening to our music, and making sure we kept our eye on the traffic.  We kept well clear of the mad drivers on the road, not mentioning their nationality, in case of repercussions. 

The morning started well, as the bicycles had been loaded the previous day, when it was light.  We are past loading them onto the towbar at 5am on a freezing cold and windy morning.  

When we approached Rochester, Walter admitted leaving his mobile phone on the coffee table.   There was no turning back.  At least we had our passports.

The car, with bicycles, sitting in the rain at one of the services in Belguim.  

Once on board the ferry to Dunkerque, I decided it was time to top up the credit on the spare mobile. A small task to while away the hours whilst on board.  Once I had had my coffee of course.   The task should have been easy but the account was in Walter's name and he had forgotten the password.   And to change the password I needed to use the number on the sim card which was in the telephone.   No problems.  Take the card out, write the number down, and re-insert the card.

Well to cut a long story short.  The sim card would no longer work afterwards.  We tried everything, and no luck.  We now had no mobile telephone.  We reminded ourselves that once upon a time, in another lifetime,  we travelled without a mobile phone, and it was fine.   But now panic sets in if we are without, sad but true.

As soon as we arrived in Houten we set off to find the telephone shop.  We did greet our family first.  And unpacked the car.  At the mobile phone shop I was told the mobile was broken.   So the most obvious choice, was to purchase another phone.   A Samsung Galaxy Trend Plus. 

This now makes two phones purchased during the past month.  The Huawei and the Samsung, plus the cost of the new glass for the Huawei, currently being repaired in the UK.   This is all getting a little expensive, or maybe a trifle silly.   Am I the only person who panics when they do not have a mobile phone handy? 

On a positive note.  I have a small bag of boiled sweets, which came as part of my purchase of the new mobile phone, see above photograph, courtesy of the phone shop.  A gesture that probably only happens in the Netherlands.

At least I can eat my boiled sweets as I ponder on my costly telephone purchases.

A family pre Christmas gathering.

First of all I would like to show that the sun does shine here in the winter, and it actually warmed the conservatory up yesterday.

 Setting the scene.  Christmas presents all ready to open last night.  And our minimalist Christmas tree glowing brightly. No mess, no baubles.  Just spread out the twiggy branches and turn on the switch.  My sort of tree.

 Then the family arrived,  Donna, Patrick and Lucy, and Emma, Steve, Jackson and Isabel.   And the dogs.   Yes plural.  Not just Poppy, but also the new additions, Jezzie and Bobbie.    Two Chinese Crested dogs, eight years old and sisters.  They now belong to the Palmer family.

Poppy took it quite well, really.  After sniffing them, she realised they were not going to play with her, so she retreated onto the couch and took up her rightful position between Patrick and Donna.

This is Jezzie, the fatter and quieter of the two.

Emma holding Bobbie, who is the thinner of the two, and very assertive.  She kept an eye on Poppy all the time.   And the few times Poppy got down from the couch she made a run at her.   Poppy would then quickly jump back onto the couch again.  She is such a softie.

Poppy believes she is a lap dog, and is happily stretched out, in Patrick's arms.  

 A typical Poppy pose.  We made sure she was not baring all in this photo.  Poppy has no modesty.

 Now where is Poppy?  She would not like this.  Definitely not.  I think that Jezzie took advantage of Poppy's toilet break in the back garden, in order to hop on the couch with Patrick.

 Jezzie getting some attention from Steve.   We all agreed that Jezzie and Bobbie need some urgent care from the dog grooming salon.

Isabel talking to Bobbie, who appears to be listening, or keeping an eye on Poppy.

 Two exhausted dogs, and smiles from Jackson, Isabel and Emma.  They had collected Jezzie and Bobbie from Battersea Dogs Home that morning, so a long day for all, and new experiences for the dogs.

As well as watching dog antics, we also had time to eat a three course dinner, and open all our presents.  A really lovely family get together.

A varied blog, from the very annoying, to the annoying and then to the fun times.

Guess what?   The motorhome has been returned to the repairers. And if it was not for the fact that our house is on a hill overlooking the road, we may never have been aware of the poor workmanship.   Interestingly at the front and the back of the van, the fiberglass looks smooth, but it is only when you look down on the van that one realises the fiberglass sheet is buckled on the rest of the roof.   Something a buyer would notice of course, when they checked the van out.  

 It looks as if the edge of the sheet of fiberglass was not straight when it was put on, and the repairers tried to straighten it out as they worked along the roof.  They must have realised it was not right, but no doubt thought they could get away with it.   We emailed the two photographs to the owner of the motorhome repairers, and he tried to convince Walter that this was how fiberglass sheets looked, when on a van.   No way.   Walter persisted and in the end the guy told him to bring the van down to be looked at, and it was then they admitted that there was a problem with the roof.  At the moment I will not name and shame this motorhome repair company, but I am getting close, very close.

 On Tuesday, the weather was perfect, beautiful blue skies and a day to be outside, as long as one wore a warm coat of course.   A perfect day for hitching up the caravan, and driving to the caravan dealers, in order for them to put another set of screws in the gas inlet pipe, ones that will not block the gas nozzle.   But alas, we did not get far.   There was an accident near the M11 turnoff and our side of the M25 motorway was closed.   Consequently by the time we tried to get onto the motorway, before the Dartford crossing, the M25 was gridlocked, about 14 miles in total.  

After waiting for about half an hour, we managed to drive between the two trucks on the left, and make our getaway through Dartford, and back home.   The squeezing between the two trucks was quite a feat, as we were towing a caravan, but Walter managed perfectly.   We then unhitched the caravan, closed all the blinds, and will now wait until January to have the screws replaced.

This is the second time we have tried to get to the caravan dealers, the first was on the day we were returning home from Brighton.  The battery in the car was flat, and we were certainly not going anywhere in a hurry.  So after sitting in the car, in the caravan park, with the caravan hitched behind us, we were eventually rescued by the Green Flag man.   But too late to drive all the way to the caravan dealers.

And onto pleasant and happy times, namely Christmas dinner at Emma and Steve's church.   We were invited to join them, an occasion which we enjoyed very much.   It was great meeting up with people, and the food was delicious.   It was one of those days that one never wants to end.

Eileen, who is Steve's aunt, and I, both looking very happy in our Christmas hats.  Eileen has just returned from holiday in a sunnier and warmer climate, and looks very tanned.   Jackie, please note.   I am wearing my fur stole/scarf.   Very snug.      

 Walter, Emma and Steve presenting charming smiles for the camera.   I realise it is a bit incongruous, I am in a fur stole, Emma has a scarf on, and Steve is wearing a T shirt.  One of those days.

And now, ever onwards towards the rest of the festive season.   Looking forward to it.

A few hours in Brighton

We woke to a heavy frost this morning, and my side of the bed, closest to the wall, was very cold.   When I looked out of the window the side of the caravan was covered in a thin layer of ice.   Luckily we had covered the water barrel with a few sheets of bubble wrap.  We had water in the caravan. Great. 

Once we were up, with the heater on circulation, the caravan quickly heated up, and we ate our breakfast in warmth.   I thought I would try the shower out in the caravan which worked exceedingly well, and the water went straight down the drain instead of pooling on the floor opposite the drainhole.  This always happened in both our motor homes.

Then it was off to the centre of Brighton, in our luxury car.  We should have taken the bus, as we have free bus passes, but we were too lazy.  Of course we paid an exhorbitant fee to park in the centre of Brighton.  

We first visited North Laine, which is full of quirky shops selling vintage clothes, furniture and bric-a-brac.  The area also contained some interesting and unusual shoppers.

Now what is this.  A boutique named after me.

A very lively street, with an amazing array of goods for sale, and health food cafes. Plenty of atmosphere.

This very large and rambling shop was full of bric-a-brac, antiques and preloved clothes.  I could have spent hours in there.  I took this photograph before I noticed a sign that said 'Photographs only when pre-arranged'.  Too late.  Hope they do not mind.

The Brighton Pavilion, the ostentatious palace built for the Prince Regent, later King George IV, between 1787 and 1823.  So very expensive to build, but certainly put Brighton on the map.

The Brighton Pier, which we did not walk on, due to needing to eat lunch at that point.

'Pensioner's Special', consisting of one piece of fish and some chips, followed by bread pudding with either cream, ice cream or custard.  We ended our meal with an espresso rather than the usual pot of tea.   All very nice for £8 each.  I like being a pensioner at times like this.

Walter looking very pleased with his meal.

The famous fish restaurant,  Harry Ramsden, where we ate our lunch.

There always seems to be 'an eye' lurking somewhere.  The Brighton Eye.

After walking along the seafront, where it was very cold, we headed into The Lanes, which are very narrow lanes, described in our brochure as 'A wonderland of jewellery and specialist antique shops.'   I am not sure that it was a 'wonderland' but there were certainly plenty of jewellery shops.  And plenty of upmarket restaurants and coffee shops too.

We decided to head back to the car, before we spent any more of our hard earned money on parking fees.  Next time, it will be the bus.

It is extremely windy outside.  And raining too.

Beachy Head and the Seven Sisters

After a peaceful sleep in our comfortable double bed, with the cut off side at the end, we set out to explore the area around Beachy Head.   A fascinating place, due to its popularity with suicide jumpers, sadly, but also with film units who use the area as a backdrop for many films.   

And we were so lucky with the weather.   The drive there was interesting too, along the coastal road.  And made easier in our lovely car, with heated seats.

We arrived at Birling Gap, which is at the end of the Seven Sisters, an undulating stretch of the South Downs in East Sussex.  Birling Gap and the surrounding area is owned and managed by the National Trust.

Of course the coast is unprotected so the sea is constantly eroding the cliffs.   It is not possible to walk down the steps to the stoney beach due to the unstable cliff edges.

Walter, walking pole in hand, all ready for our walk, and well rugged up due to the icy wind blowing from the east.

A row of cottages, minus two at the end, which started to fall into the sea at some point.

A view of the National Trust restaurant and tea rooms, plus gift shop and information office.   We had a lovely lunch there.  No motor home to have lunch in and no packed lunch either, due to poor organisation.  Good excuse.

The building was once a hotel, and there was a carpark in front of it, and also a large camping ground beside it.  All taken away by the sea, during the last seventy or so years.

We started our walk along part of the South Downs Walk.  A steady, but easy climb uphill, with fantastic views of Birling Gap and the Seven Sisters.   There are meant to be seven rolling hills with white cliffs jutting out.  We did not count them to make sure.

A group of fluffy ponies grazing on the cliff tops.  They had an electric fence around their paddock.  No danger of them going over the edge of the cliff.  I must admit we stayed close to the electric fence so that we did not stray too close to the edge.  

The Belle Tout lighthouse, now decommissioned, and quite a landmark in the area.   It was built in 1834, but was not very successful due to being often shrouded in mist.  It is now a very expensive Bed and Breakfast venue.  

In 1999 the lighthouse was put onto rail lines, and moved to its present position, due to the risk of it toppling into the sea.  It is still on the rail lines in case they have to move it again.  Looking at the slope, it would only need a nudge to make it roll down into the valley.  Remind me to not stay in this B and B.

Looking north to the nearest village, name forgotten.  In England one is never far from civilization.

We tried to walk around the lighthouse on the ocean side but realised in time, that the path was no more.  Scary.

We could see the buildings of Beachy Head in the distance, but decided to retrace our footsteps and return to Birling Gap, where lunch was beckoning us.  Easier to drive around.

On the drive around, we stopped, and I got out of the car, and walked through a gate in order to get this photograph.   This was as close as I was going to get to the edge.  As you can see there are no fences along the edge of the cliffs, and when walking on the grass the edge just looks like the brow of a hill.  There is a person looking over the edge in this photograph.

I think the top of this hill is about the highest point, as the new red and white striped lighthouse is just below this cliff.

Beachy Head, at long last.  The name Beachy Head is a corruption of the French word, Beauchef or Beauchief (13th Century) meaning 'beautiful headland'.   There is also a memorial further around the headland, to commemorate the pilots who flew on missions to Germany during WW2.  Apparently they always flew over Beachy Head.

Of course I needed a photograph of myself to prove I had visited Beachy Head.

We were rather surprised to see a steep grassy slope rising above the cliffs way below.

However the slope became steeper as we walked around on the circular path.  I think the lighthouse is below the cliff face in a previous photo.   At some point along here the headland is 162 metres above sea level.

From Beachy Head it is easy to get a good view of Eastbourne, and Pevensey Bay.

We reluctantly drove back to Hove, where we parked in the marina for a spot of shopping at Brighton Marina.   After purchasing three pairs of shoes, two pairs for me and one pair for Walter, we decided we must go back to the caravan, before we parted with any more money.

A view of a building, rising above the marina.  The blue sky was very impressive in the late afternoon sunshine.

 Jobs were carried out easily this afternoon,  water container filled up and waste water container emptied, although it did release dirty water all the way to the waste water dumping area.  Now everyone will know it was us, as the water mark leads to the side of our caravan.   And it is not going to dry either.  No doubt we will be criticised.  Oh dear, I must learn to check that the lid is screwed on properly.

And now we are lying comfortably on our couches, listening to music, in our lovely warm caravan.

A really great day out.