Unemployed in Wales

Having decided that this year was to be a family year and bearing in mind that I only had five months in the UK before I needed to be back in Singapore, three days after my arrival home in April, Peter, Angharad and myself headed off for a quick four day visit to Cornwall in Lady Sage while Cian made the decision to stay with friends.

This was the first time anyone had actually accompanied me on a road trip with Lady Sage and I was sure she would do me proud.

We stopping at Taunton for the night both there and back and by luck (and a little research) we found a great camping place at a Cider Farm.

Tan Pits Cider Farm offer, for a huge total of £10 for us all, hot showers, quiet camping and great walks along the canal.

For those who are feeling fit you can walk the entire 3km into Taunton itself but we were not feeling fit and so we just walked to the first bridge!

We did managed a few family games of 'Poo Dandelions' (as we couldn't find any sticks) throwing our flowers off the bridge and then walking lazily to the other side as the slow moving current carried them along in the hot sun of Devon.

In Cornwall we met up with my step daughter, Karon and her crew catching up as if we had never been apart!

Lady Sage was parked outside Kyle's (my adult grandson?) house each night, and even though he offered us all beds inside the house, even Angharad chose to continue our adventure by sleeping within her warm embrace.

That's not to say we passed up the offer of food cooked and served inside while we played games and made silly faces on the lounge floor!!

As a family we explored the area with Lady Sage, the highlight being the drive down the 45% hill when we went for food and of course to go crabbing at the famous Pandora's inn.

I grew up spending my summers with my Aunt in Feock just across the creek and have such fond memories of this place that I have not only brought my own children here to play as children but now have the fun of bring my step children!!

Looking at this photo you would swear it was mid summer until you look carefully at the warm jackets and jumpers!!

Even though the sun shone all day, the wind blew even harder and with our buckets of crabs returned to the sea and looking totally chilled and wind swept ........

............. we all headed over to the North beach for some much needed calm!!

The joy about Cornwall is that if it is windy on one side, the opposite coast is usually great!

....... Plus, I at last got to meet my Great Grandson Harry!

It's not often you get to be a Great Grand mummy at 55!!

With Angharad sleeping in the front of Lady Sage and Peter and I in the back, coffee and toast available whenever needed, Peter at last began to appreciate my wonderful bus.

Until now he had only seen her as an MOT problem as it was up to him to weld and fix her each year, but as we sat outside in the sun having stopped off at the beach on our way home from our wonderful break, he agreed she was 'Rather nice'!!

We talked about the the two of us having a break away from Machynlleth, children free and eventually settled on a two week excursion to Scotland in August to visit my younger sister who was due to have a second child in July.

With our plans of a relaxed summer filled with lots of Family time we headed back to Wales.

(note the weather change lol )


This summer, we decided, was going to be great!!!



......... and then the phone rang!!!