An English Autumn...

Castle Combe Capers

Sunday saw a car journey into the Cotswolds to visit Castle Combe, the film location for a number of films, because it's a time stood still, chocolate box kinda place. On a unseasonably warm day we enjoyed the fresh air, the odd shop as well as more coffee and cake! The pace was quick to and from the car with Jean setting the early pace and Andrew finishing strongly!

Thanks to Andrew's detective work it is called "Castle Combe" because of a early Norman Castle and Combe which is Anglo Saxon for "Valley" ;0)

Saturday Sports Day

Saturday was greeted with the not too unexpected non arrival of Andrew (my brother!) by train - despite being given tickets and setting two alarm clocks! So missing one team member we all set off for the local bowling hall for a quick game with Dan (Beth's nephew) and his two cousins Matt and Will. I thought being considerably older and mature then them it would be best to let them win the bowling and at least a couple of games of pool so that they enjoyed the afternoon ;0) I also thought it wise to let Beth beat me at pool, her gracious victory was taken while standing on my back as I lay prone on the floor!

Andrew arrived later, just in time to salvage something of the Ivey name before we journeyed home. We then had a fantastic meal at Jean and Jon's local the Swan before the Ivey reputation sustained further damage during a game of Trivial Pursuits! On one positive Argyle won and Bristol Rovers lost - a single highlight of an undistinguished sporting day!

Coffee and Cakes

On a day out with the Walkers you are never more than two hours away from your next meal, and all that sitting around on a boat doing nothing had made us hungry ;0) Our first attempt at coffee and cake was in a hotel, although as soon as we realised the vital ingredient of cake would be missing we scuttled for the door. Sending the mums first, as Beth and I sneaked out the side door!

A Costa coffee bar was located (along with squashy brown leather chairs, newspapers and marshmallows - all very important apparently!) After the coffee and cake we made our way from the Quay up through town towards Park Street in the now pouring rain. There was only one more solution and that was to get out of the rain this time in a restaurant bar for more drinks and food!

Then it was home past Gingells the butchers on the bus!!!!! (For those not in the know Beth's mum will often include Gingells the butcher in her tales... :0) )

Later that evening a good time was had by all as the Walkers and the Ivey's got together for a good old Beetle drive, disappointingly not the VW driving version but the dice rolling draw legs on an oval variety. Was good fun.... give it a go!

Boat Trips in Bristol

Friday saw the usual warm Walker welcome extended to mum who came up to see us and the sights! After an ill fated trip to the local bingo hall in Bristol (yes twice in two weeks!!!) we rose early for a trip into Bristol on Friday. The bus journey in was a pleasant one, although was slightly spoilt by two unruly youths (see picture above)sitting at the back of the bus! Once safely in the city centre we headed to the Quay to catch the ferry for a trip around the harbour. We saw the S.S. Great Britain up close as well as the Matthew.

Jean was a perfect guide, and all were pleased that they listened as questions were asked on the way home!

Cat Nap!

Nobody said that it was easy baby (cat) sitting! The aftermath of a days childcare and a trip to the supermarket!

Downpour in Dawlish

Sunday morning sent us out into the persistent rain looking for a roast dinner, it was harder than you think as we left it late after watching a programme about how matches are made whilst eating bacon butties! We huddled in the car and made our way to the coast, and to the arcades to shoot zombies, drive large trucks and race those Star Wars pods. Before walking around Dawlish looking for a pub still serving food, during which time water soaked up our trouser legs.

Later in another part of town we found a pub still doing roasts and joined the end of a line and spent forty minutes thinking of the roast to come! We had some Snooker gravy .... because it was a ... wait for it .... "A long cue for a pot!!!!" (Stop talking and cut the meat man!) We were also treated to the conversation of the loudest table of people in the world, who just seemed so very over excited about the whole experience. Never has the word "divine" been used to describe sausage and mash, and there was really no need for all your friends to leave the carvery line to come and look was it!

Bingo -in Mad!

On a day of doing things you've "never done before but would give a go once" we slopped off to bingo. A beautiful building echoed to the voice of one bingo caller who rattled off a series of numbers "RRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrred 43 BBBBBllllue 23" It was actually quite intense and is a possible explanation for why old people move so slowly outside of the bingo hall, they are simply exhausted. The same people shouted "house" while we sat there drinking beer and attempting to eat chips and quiche between numbers!

Argyle 0 Burnley 0

No score bore it wasn't! Jon came to experience the Theatre of Greens while Beth and Helen went shopping and thankfully returned empty handed, if a little weighed down with cake and coffee! Basically Argyle played well throughout and with a little more luck, a Burnley keeper that didn't completely fill the goal and thinner posts we could have won easily. This performance follows a general upturn in fortunes for Argyle and will no doubt mark their meteoric rise to the Premiership and back to back Champions League wins... all while I'm in Australia! On the way home we saw several Policemen videoing yoofs before removing their helmets and assaulting one.... ah English Football!

Get out the Bath!

The Sunday was spent avoiding all conversations about camper vans! To take our mind off things we drove to Bath to have a wander and to play in the park! Bath itself was a bustling place (even on a Sunday) that I can't remember having visited before. Lloyd tried to convince us that a really nice place to have a bite to eat and a coffee had been transformed into a rugby shop .... mmmmMMMMMM! We did eventually find a nice little place to eat where we could listen to Michael Jackson whilst eating Paninis. Hannah entertained anyone who would watch by waving at them, something she had worked on perfecting in IKEA carpark on the Saturday night!

After a stroll around the city centre reminding Beth that we really don't need to be buying anything else before we fly out!!!! we made our way to a huge park where lots of children played on a huge variety of equipment under the watchful eyes of their seemingly exhausted parents! Toby got his first swing while Hannah continued to get stuck into wet sand, high slides and swings without any fear.

Again another fantastic weekend, with a tinge of sadness! It feels like that Hannah and Toby will probably be far to big for our laps by the time we return or they venture down under. Adults don't change much.... in the life of a child a week is a long time! In that time they can say a new word, crawl those few further inches and bring a smile to your face with something new and unexpected. We'll need to make every effort to stay in touch so we don't miss out!

Get in the Bath!

Bye Bye Stan

Saturday saw the sad farewell to a loyal friend of three years! Yes you guessed it Stan was collected by his new owners and started on the long long journey to Aberdeen! He was sold on eBay the previous weekend and his very excited new owner (having paid in full in advance!) couldn't wait to get down to pick him up. She was pleased even if he did play her up on the way home!

We were happy that he's gone to a good home, and if he gives her half as much fun and makes her as many friends as he made us then he'll be worth every penny.

So at the moment we are VW less which feels strange after so long! ... hopefully we can get something in Australia whatya say Beth????? It's gotta be better than a Ute!

We're going to the Zoo, Zoo, Zoo!

The Walkers gave a warm Bristol welcome at the weekend to the Evan's family and a scary amount of children/baby related equipment. A Friday night arrival and falling asleep on the carpet was followed by a Saturday trip to the Zoo. Beth started the Zoo experience by immediately saying that she would ask for her money back after the Tiger refused to roar, there were also no elephants and the Polar Bear was long gone!!!! She soon warmed up and we enjoyed pushing Hannah around while Toby caught on some much needed sleep. Lloyd and I amused ourselves with various Animal vrs Human contests, that got us flapping like a humming bird in full view of the public before pushing small children out of the way to take on the Cheetah at running. Whilst it was close Lloyd and I could only manage five toed Elephant Shrew speed (running through open forest!!!) ... arms still ache due to flapping!

A brief picnic lunch was followed by safety patrol in the children's playground, watching Hannah throw herself down slides of various sizes! Meanwhile Toby did a bit of eating before catching up on some sleep, but not before a quick giggle with Auntie Beth!

Best animal was the red panda in the absence of a Wombat! Best human went to the woman at the sealion pool who was seen clapping like one!!!

We made it home via a series of death defying U turns!

Ladies that lunch & Peanut Hugging!

This weekend was spent catching up with friends. The lads all going off to watch the egg chasing at the new Exeter Chiefs Ground. Not that I want to talk about the result but it was an entertaining game between Plymouth Albion and that other lot up the road. Not being used to the more refined rugby etiquette and carried on like I was at a football match, fully playing up to the "from that council estate near Saltash" stereotype that most Exeter folk have of Plymouthians. The long walk back to the car was entertaining as a small Irish and irate taxi driver continually squeaked the same question at the steward about "When are you going to let me out? When? When? When?"

Whilst this was going on the ladies went to lunch (including Hannah ... and poor old Toby! When is he old enough to go to the rugby Lloyd?) and continued to eat more cake in a strangely synchronized fashion on their return! Check the photo... Talk about Stepford wives!

In the evening I managed to catch the second half of the bore draw England match before sitting down for a fantastic take away meal hunted and then gathered by Lloyd (Pete and I tagged along behind carrying a bag of prawn crackers each!)

This was the first time we've really felt sad, as for the first time it really felt that we were saying goodbye and that our response of "Oh we'll see you before we go!" just isn't going to work anymore.