first quarter of the year fly's by - and what have we done
Most of our time seems to have been spent in travelling the motorways between Dover and Innellan. Fortunately Gwen seems to be back to her normal self, worts and all. Although her legs are playing her up, mainly due to the arthritis. But she is bloody minded and wont take the painkillers the doctor has prescribed her. When it is too bad, we tend to pop in a couple of the tablets into her tea and it helps without her knowing. Gives her some relief.
One good thing has come out of her illness, in fact there is more than one improvement. She now uses her chairlift, only taken six years in the trying and also a walking stick to give her confidence when she is heading out an about. Plus she has accepted to having more assistance in the home.
Feel so much happier now that we have extra assistance going in. Heather is ensuring that she is up in the morning and eating a proper lunch instead of cream cakes, Worthers sweets and biscuits. Plus the hairdresser visits every week, along with the pharmacist to check her bloods are at the right level for her warfarin, two gardeners who keep the place tidy on a fortnightly basis and the chiropodists who is calling in every six weeks. That's what l cal a result.
Nevertheless, l think that she will have to come and live with us this winter. She is finding it more and more difficult to cope, and realistically we cant keep driving down to Dover every few weeks to sort things out.
She has started coming out for lunch, in fact we seem to be out most days, The Kitiwake up at whitfield, Canterbury Bell in Ramsgate, Harvester in Ashford, Smokehouse in Folkestone, Eastwell manor, The Compasses Inn, Sole Street,Lydden Bell and The Walnut Tree, Yalding. Everyone's waistband is needing to be expanded.
Some are excellent others are so so, its amazing how they change as time goes by. We used to love the Kitiwake for a quick inexpensive lunch, two mains for a tenner. But these days the service quality of food has declined. The same can be said with the Harvester in Ashford. Greasy fish, dirty carpets and toilet. Won't be going there again.
Enjoyed the The Compasses, Lydden Bell, Walnut Tree and Eastwell Manor, but they are not cheapies. As they say, you get what you pay for. But The Canterbury Bell in Ramsgate is modern, inexpensive and the food is well cooked and served with a real smile.
Back in Innellan we spend most of time trying to get the best prices from building suppliers as well as constantly pushing to get the building warrant passed. But we have different blog pages that specifically cover the build, its progress or lack of it at the moment.
The weather has been mixed, but we tend to do at least 10,000 steps a day, walking down to the post office and shop. (plenty of ebay sales recently), the beach and of course up into the hills.
(Presently sat in Dover listening to Dover against Brighton on Live 5, but its not an inspiring game. My Derby are not really up to getting into the Premiership. The players don't have the skill or the team spirit necessary. they need to have a chat to Leicester to see what secret pill they take to make them so positive.)
They will get into the play-offs, but they dont seem to have the will to win!
But we will wait and hope! After all its worth so much money for the club.
Back to Innellan for a couple of days before heading south again. (although still listening to the game. And they were winning at 90+4minutes. Then they equalised)
Had to go to Chester and attend a training session at TATA steel, Colorcoat Urban to be precise, the roofing people.
Billy was coming with me, but he had staff shortages and cried off, so Judith decided to come down with me.
Good night sleep, up early and drop Judith at the park and ride for a days shopping. I shoot off to Shotton for my one day course.
Had a great day being taught how to fix the steel roof along side another 15 builders who had come along to be certified.
Come away with all my instructions and the certificate, along with high hopes and new friends.
Collect Judith and we head off to Llandudno to see Chris and Lesley in there new home. We were only an hour away, so it was worth taking the time to pop in. Initially for a cuppa and a chat, but we easily succumbed to their invitation of dinner and an overnight stay.
as always, great crack, food, champagne and wine, followed by a great nights sleep and a fond farewell. My favourite roast Welsh Lamb. Yummy.
It all ends too quick. But it was a great opportunity to see them before they head out to France.
Back home, and the suns shining.
First day back and we did the full circuit of the hill, just under 400m in height, 4.5 hours in duration. Very enjoyable, especially as it was dry (most of the time) and the sun was trying to come out.
Round the toward side, we found that a massive amount of forest had been cut down. Masses of timber was stacked high on the side of the path. In fact we see signs closing off the area due to the logging activity. Its a good job its a Sunday.
The machinery is amazing. It cuts and strips in one easy motion and then it stacks. Fantastic thing, but what is left is just a mountain of timber off cuts making the side of the hill look like a WW2 war scene.
Later in the week we head into Dunoon and walk up into the hills. Another good walk round the hills and through the forest.
Plenty of people using the various paths including off road'ers on their bikes. One of them tells us that there are championship races this weekend. Pity we are not around.
Trying to get some vegetables in the garden, so sowing seeds. Turn the downstairs bedroom into a greenhouse. But not with any real success.
Order plenty of plugs from the net, but we are away and the postman puts them through the letterbox, even though there is a note saying, please leave next door.
We find them seven days later rather sorry for themselves.
Manage to nurture most of them back to life. But odd ones just didn't make it.
Make a cold frame using odd bits of wood. Gives us the opportunity to put out some of the plugs to harden off. But the temperature is way down at the moment. The winds are blowing from the North East and it feels so much colder than the temperature suggests.
Whilst waiting for the build to start, l make up some bird feeders using chipped china cups and saucers glues onto steel bars. They look quite different swinging in the wind.
But its not only the birds who seem to enjoy the new bird feeders.
On the Wednesday we catch the six thirty sailing from Dunoon to the mainland. We wanted to catch the 6am crossing, but we missed it due to slow traffic. Tried to push it as we went down the deserted sea front. Had a cold damp shudder at one point. 40mph in a 30 area and two police are standing with a radar. Fortunately for me, he was on the phone. Phew. Let that be a lesson Parker.
Minus one degree as we drive along the seafront in Gourock. Traffic is mad at this time of day. Everyone heading into Glasgow. In fact it wasn't that bad, just two hold ups near the airport and the turn off to the city centre.
As we headed up into the hills you could see the snow covered mountain caps. It wasn't until we reached Carlisle that the temperature warmed up and the snow disappeared.
the following day Dunoon was a white out. Nothing other than 4x4 where going anywhere.
Good job we left when we did.
One good thing has come out of her illness, in fact there is more than one improvement. She now uses her chairlift, only taken six years in the trying and also a walking stick to give her confidence when she is heading out an about. Plus she has accepted to having more assistance in the home.
Feel so much happier now that we have extra assistance going in. Heather is ensuring that she is up in the morning and eating a proper lunch instead of cream cakes, Worthers sweets and biscuits. Plus the hairdresser visits every week, along with the pharmacist to check her bloods are at the right level for her warfarin, two gardeners who keep the place tidy on a fortnightly basis and the chiropodists who is calling in every six weeks. That's what l cal a result.
Nevertheless, l think that she will have to come and live with us this winter. She is finding it more and more difficult to cope, and realistically we cant keep driving down to Dover every few weeks to sort things out.
She has started coming out for lunch, in fact we seem to be out most days, The Kitiwake up at whitfield, Canterbury Bell in Ramsgate, Harvester in Ashford, Smokehouse in Folkestone, Eastwell manor, The Compasses Inn, Sole Street,Lydden Bell and The Walnut Tree, Yalding. Everyone's waistband is needing to be expanded.
Some are excellent others are so so, its amazing how they change as time goes by. We used to love the Kitiwake for a quick inexpensive lunch, two mains for a tenner. But these days the service quality of food has declined. The same can be said with the Harvester in Ashford. Greasy fish, dirty carpets and toilet. Won't be going there again.
Enjoyed the The Compasses, Lydden Bell, Walnut Tree and Eastwell Manor, but they are not cheapies. As they say, you get what you pay for. But The Canterbury Bell in Ramsgate is modern, inexpensive and the food is well cooked and served with a real smile.
 |
| Canterbury Bell, Ramsgate - top of the cheapies in South Kent |
Back in Innellan we spend most of time trying to get the best prices from building suppliers as well as constantly pushing to get the building warrant passed. But we have different blog pages that specifically cover the build, its progress or lack of it at the moment.
The weather has been mixed, but we tend to do at least 10,000 steps a day, walking down to the post office and shop. (plenty of ebay sales recently), the beach and of course up into the hills.
 |
| Isle of Bute in the distance |
(Presently sat in Dover listening to Dover against Brighton on Live 5, but its not an inspiring game. My Derby are not really up to getting into the Premiership. The players don't have the skill or the team spirit necessary. they need to have a chat to Leicester to see what secret pill they take to make them so positive.)
They will get into the play-offs, but they dont seem to have the will to win!
But we will wait and hope! After all its worth so much money for the club.
Back to Innellan for a couple of days before heading south again. (although still listening to the game. And they were winning at 90+4minutes. Then they equalised)
Had to go to Chester and attend a training session at TATA steel, Colorcoat Urban to be precise, the roofing people.
Billy was coming with me, but he had staff shortages and cried off, so Judith decided to come down with me.
Had dinner at The Chimney at Hooton, Very popular
place just outside of Chester not far from the Liverpool tunnels and very
close, in fact walking distance from the Travel lodge at Wirral Eastham.
Beer and wine were good value. Proper real ale and some good
selections to choose from. Chose the burger topped with bacon and cheese.
Nothing special from the description, but what arrived was amazing. The 2cm
thick cured bacon that laid over the burger was tremendous. The taste! and it just
melted in the mouth. The barbecued burger was also superb. And there is more.
The chips. Hot, crispy outside and lovely and soft on the inside.
All in all a superb non gourmet meal, just a great
burger in a comfortable old fashioned pub atmosphere. Good night sleep, up early and drop Judith at the park and ride for a days shopping. I shoot off to Shotton for my one day course.
Had a great day being taught how to fix the steel roof along side another 15 builders who had come along to be certified.
Come away with all my instructions and the certificate, along with high hopes and new friends.
Collect Judith and we head off to Llandudno to see Chris and Lesley in there new home. We were only an hour away, so it was worth taking the time to pop in. Initially for a cuppa and a chat, but we easily succumbed to their invitation of dinner and an overnight stay.
as always, great crack, food, champagne and wine, followed by a great nights sleep and a fond farewell. My favourite roast Welsh Lamb. Yummy.
It all ends too quick. But it was a great opportunity to see them before they head out to France.
Back home, and the suns shining.
First day back and we did the full circuit of the hill, just under 400m in height, 4.5 hours in duration. Very enjoyable, especially as it was dry (most of the time) and the sun was trying to come out.
Round the toward side, we found that a massive amount of forest had been cut down. Masses of timber was stacked high on the side of the path. In fact we see signs closing off the area due to the logging activity. Its a good job its a Sunday.
The machinery is amazing. It cuts and strips in one easy motion and then it stacks. Fantastic thing, but what is left is just a mountain of timber off cuts making the side of the hill look like a WW2 war scene.
Later in the week we head into Dunoon and walk up into the hills. Another good walk round the hills and through the forest.
Plenty of people using the various paths including off road'ers on their bikes. One of them tells us that there are championship races this weekend. Pity we are not around.
Trying to get some vegetables in the garden, so sowing seeds. Turn the downstairs bedroom into a greenhouse. But not with any real success.
Order plenty of plugs from the net, but we are away and the postman puts them through the letterbox, even though there is a note saying, please leave next door.
We find them seven days later rather sorry for themselves.
Manage to nurture most of them back to life. But odd ones just didn't make it.
Make a cold frame using odd bits of wood. Gives us the opportunity to put out some of the plugs to harden off. But the temperature is way down at the moment. The winds are blowing from the North East and it feels so much colder than the temperature suggests.
Whilst waiting for the build to start, l make up some bird feeders using chipped china cups and saucers glues onto steel bars. They look quite different swinging in the wind.
But its not only the birds who seem to enjoy the new bird feeders.
Minus one degree as we drive along the seafront in Gourock. Traffic is mad at this time of day. Everyone heading into Glasgow. In fact it wasn't that bad, just two hold ups near the airport and the turn off to the city centre.
As we headed up into the hills you could see the snow covered mountain caps. It wasn't until we reached Carlisle that the temperature warmed up and the snow disappeared.
the following day Dunoon was a white out. Nothing other than 4x4 where going anywhere.
Good job we left when we did.
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