There is something nice about the kids being that little bit older. Previously we were prevented from going away at all. Or forced to make very complex arrangements over kids transport and safety.
Last week with Bethan in charge of the house and Taliesin in charge of the transport off we went on adventure bent. The T4 was driven in leisurely mode, meaning it returned a creditable 37 miles to every gallon. With some little bits of dense traffic on the M5 we still made Plymouth with enough time to stop in a pub for a pint before boarding the ferry early.
This was the life, 3 course meal and an early night, just the job. Up next day and a leisurely drive to the house. We had left in a big hurry so the place looked a bit of a state. Got our new log stove lit and soon the place was feeling warm.
I had left the strimmer home to make sure we didn't need to work, at all.
The rush to leave last time had meant we had left quite a few boxes of red behind, the plastic bag in a box jobbies which are really good if you cook with wine as well as of course quaff the stuff.
Anyway the boxes were all fine and soon it was time to load the van and head out for lunch.
Well we thought the boxes were fine, we had not allowed for the local mice. Mice learnt a while back that food is often sealed in plastic and so they have learnt to nibble holes in the stuff to access the larder beneath.
So of course when I looked at the boxes they looked fine. Picking one up though put pressure on the inner bag and produced a veritable spray of fine jets of wine from the multiple fine holes. This produced a bit of alarm, some quick thinking and into the shower with them. Pretty soon the inside of the shower was looking like the set of "Psycho".
Running out of room, I took to lobbing them out the front door and soon the steps of the house looked like they were running with blood too. Of course in all of this there was wine going everywhere, a lot of it over the student who was really wishing she had not forgotten her changes of clothes.
This was a full on major incident with wine all over the wood floors, pouring down the steps and bubbling out of the shower waste pipe into the back garden.
We sort of cleared it, but I reckon our next trip will feature mops and buckets and a lot of cleaning up.
There was only one sensible course - we went for a 4 course meal in the Trois Marchands.
Feeling happy it was on to the Intermarche and open wallet surgery to restore severely depleted stocks.
Then on to the coast, a run back up to Roscoff with a few more shop stops on the way.
There is something special about Roscoff, leaving the van at the ferry terminal it was a lovely walk into town with the sea providing the background sound track. Disappointing but not surprising that the Creperie was booked up, we arrived early enough to get a table at the Chinese. Another thoroughly decent meal walk back to the van with a moon shining bright on to the sea. With the illuminated chapel underneath. Made me wish I had the camera, then to top it out the Pont Aven sailed into the night, a blaze of light on the crystal sea, pure magic.
Then back to the van, try to create a bit of room so we could sleep. It's lucky we are really good friends - there was not much room back there.
So morning arrived with us both well relaxed - after the day before I am not sure how, on to the ship and back to bed - even more sleep.
Off the ship and bound for home, ahh yes, did I mention the van? Having an extensive rebuild, something wasn't quite there, loading it to the gunnels added precisely nothing, It was really odd, varying between it's normal self and gutless with no way of predicting which.
The student was heroic in her driving, till we got within 50 miles of home, that I had to take over and drive the last few miles. Sense of humour let go.
This morning - bright and early off she went to take D the smaller to contact. This afternoon off we went to collect him Had the weather changed? And some - biblical rain fell in sheets, at times we considered jacking up the C5 suspension to cope with the depth of the water. The wind was incredible, thank goodness it had abated before we went home.
Still, we are home now - time to book the next trip....
R
Last week with Bethan in charge of the house and Taliesin in charge of the transport off we went on adventure bent. The T4 was driven in leisurely mode, meaning it returned a creditable 37 miles to every gallon. With some little bits of dense traffic on the M5 we still made Plymouth with enough time to stop in a pub for a pint before boarding the ferry early.
This was the life, 3 course meal and an early night, just the job. Up next day and a leisurely drive to the house. We had left in a big hurry so the place looked a bit of a state. Got our new log stove lit and soon the place was feeling warm.
I had left the strimmer home to make sure we didn't need to work, at all.
The rush to leave last time had meant we had left quite a few boxes of red behind, the plastic bag in a box jobbies which are really good if you cook with wine as well as of course quaff the stuff.
Anyway the boxes were all fine and soon it was time to load the van and head out for lunch.
Well we thought the boxes were fine, we had not allowed for the local mice. Mice learnt a while back that food is often sealed in plastic and so they have learnt to nibble holes in the stuff to access the larder beneath.
So of course when I looked at the boxes they looked fine. Picking one up though put pressure on the inner bag and produced a veritable spray of fine jets of wine from the multiple fine holes. This produced a bit of alarm, some quick thinking and into the shower with them. Pretty soon the inside of the shower was looking like the set of "Psycho".
Running out of room, I took to lobbing them out the front door and soon the steps of the house looked like they were running with blood too. Of course in all of this there was wine going everywhere, a lot of it over the student who was really wishing she had not forgotten her changes of clothes.
This was a full on major incident with wine all over the wood floors, pouring down the steps and bubbling out of the shower waste pipe into the back garden.
We sort of cleared it, but I reckon our next trip will feature mops and buckets and a lot of cleaning up.
There was only one sensible course - we went for a 4 course meal in the Trois Marchands.
Feeling happy it was on to the Intermarche and open wallet surgery to restore severely depleted stocks.
Then on to the coast, a run back up to Roscoff with a few more shop stops on the way.
There is something special about Roscoff, leaving the van at the ferry terminal it was a lovely walk into town with the sea providing the background sound track. Disappointing but not surprising that the Creperie was booked up, we arrived early enough to get a table at the Chinese. Another thoroughly decent meal walk back to the van with a moon shining bright on to the sea. With the illuminated chapel underneath. Made me wish I had the camera, then to top it out the Pont Aven sailed into the night, a blaze of light on the crystal sea, pure magic.
Then back to the van, try to create a bit of room so we could sleep. It's lucky we are really good friends - there was not much room back there.
So morning arrived with us both well relaxed - after the day before I am not sure how, on to the ship and back to bed - even more sleep.
Off the ship and bound for home, ahh yes, did I mention the van? Having an extensive rebuild, something wasn't quite there, loading it to the gunnels added precisely nothing, It was really odd, varying between it's normal self and gutless with no way of predicting which.
The student was heroic in her driving, till we got within 50 miles of home, that I had to take over and drive the last few miles. Sense of humour let go.
This morning - bright and early off she went to take D the smaller to contact. This afternoon off we went to collect him Had the weather changed? And some - biblical rain fell in sheets, at times we considered jacking up the C5 suspension to cope with the depth of the water. The wind was incredible, thank goodness it had abated before we went home.
Still, we are home now - time to book the next trip....
R
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1 comment:
I had a job reading the wine box saga aloud to Vic- giggles and tears of laughter running!
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