Month: June 2013

Another joint venture with breakfast and we  put two joints of gammon in the slow cooker. We were all out early to drive to Paignton for the start of Lou’s Half Marathon. Thankfully there were only about 2,000 people taking part, so we were able to keep track of her. The US Marines had a team there and also the Royal Navy, the Marines completed first! There were a lot of hills and it was really a strong wind , so Lou’s time of 2 hours 12 minutes was very good. BUT we were really feeling the cold waiting for her! I think it actually hit 14 degrees and this is summer??!!

She did make me laugh, she finished, sat on the ground and drank a pint of beer! Good girl all that money she raised for MacMillan.

Back to the caravans and we had our Sunday lunch and then went and played crazy golf. We had 4 teams and there was a lot of cheating going on!

Thought for the Day – “It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.” ~ Mother Teresa

Well, how organised were we ?!! Rhys started cooking loads of bacon for breakfast and I was doing all the sausages and passing things through the window! We all wandered between the 2 vans but we actually had the big boys staying in our van and the littlies next door. All cleared away and we all drove into Paignton so that Lou could check out where her half marathon that she was running in started the following day.

It was quite a miserable day weatherwise, with rain every now and again.

We decided to get fish and chips on the way home and then went up to the clubhouse again in the evening after a joint effort of cooking some tea.

We then went for a nature walk and then to the clubhouse.

Thought for the Day – “What a bargain grandchildren are! I give them my loose change and they give me a million dollars worth of pleasure.” ~ Gene Perret

Bargains – BHS up to 30% off & Brantano Footwear £15 off & Mason Cash Tagine £14.39 & Kenwood Food Processor £50 + Free Delivery & Magimix Ice Cream Maker £35 + Free Delivery

Well, that must have been one of the worst nights sleep we had. With the window open the fraction it would open, we had all the noise all night long and the bed was so uncomfortable. It was low (for the disabled) and I think therefore didn’t have a proper base. When we went to hand the keys in, they asked if we had a good nights sleep and we replied no, we both woke up no end of times because the bed was so uncomfortable.  Premier have a “good nights sleep promise”, if you don’t get a good nights sleep then they refund your money, no quibble. The receptionist did no more than asked for my cash card and refunded the money! I know that is what they say but hadn’t realised it would be that easy!

We then headed for Torquay, stopping at Route 303 at Honiton, which had a surprisingly good breakfast. Then on to Torquay to Parkdean where we had two huge caravans next door to each other. We met up with Lou, Rhys and the gang and sat and had a few drinks until our caravans were ready, with the kids playing in the children’s play area.  When the caravans were ready,  Mal and Lou cooked dinner (for 10!) We were all very organised cooking half in each caravan.

In the evening we went to the club house for the kids entertainment. Josie just loved the dancing and Ollie was pleased he was called up on stage and was given a prize!!

 

Thought for the Day – To become a grandparent is to enjoy one of the few pleasures in life for which the consequences have already been paid.” ~ Robert Brault

Bargains – 20% off Camping Equipment & Windsor Wooden Garden Bench only £45 & Gluv Footwear 20% off and Free Delivery & Conversation Garden Sofa 4 piece set now only £99 & Smoothie Maker £20 + free delivery & Ready Steady Cook Food Chopper Only £13.99

We packed up our things and drove to Andover, we decided we would stop over night as I didn’t feel like driving all the way to Torquay in one day. Just as well, we did it in two stages as we sat on the motorway for an hour in a traffic jam, so not such a pleasant journey! We arrived in Andover, went for some lunch, checked in the hotel, Premier Inn, and then had a wander around Andover.

For some reason they gave us a disabled room. We couldn’t be bothered to drive out again in the evening and find somewhere to eat, so ate in the Brewer’s Fayre which is attached to the Premier. It was their buffet curry night so that is what we had. It was so hot in our room that we had to have the fan on all night as the window had a lock on it, so you could only open it about half an inch.

 

 

Thought for the Day – “I have never met anyone who wanted to save the world without my financial support.” ~ Robert Brault

Bargains – Air conditioner & Reduced price mid year diaries & The World of MotoGp £7.99 & Kids Play tent  £9 & £10 off Designer Sunglasses & Debenhams Blue Cross Weekend

We walked to Kent International Airport to collect our hire car. We were due to collect it at 11am but the office was closed and at 11.15, we called Avis Head Office. I had booked it online and they had no record of the booking! I was angry to say the least! They sent over Ken (from Dover office) to placate me I think. He explained that the computer had crashed and lost some bookings, including mine it seems. I had thought it strange that they hadn’t phoned me in the morning. But they have been so good, I didn’t think any more of it. Anyway, they compensated us with an extra day car hire free and 10% off the price. Good enough for me!

Then off to Ramsgate for us both to have our hair cut at Marcello’s. We had the usual entertaining time there, after all these years it is more like going to a friends house. He was asking Mal marketing ideas as although he has a steady trade, he is not as busy as he used to be but I am convinced this is all part of the recession and people just can’t afford to visit their  hairdresser as often as they used to. He is very talented  and so I don’t understand why he is not as busy, apart from the fact that maybe he is not in the centre of the town. Anyway, we had an entertaining couple of hours.

On to Sainsbury’s to get some shopping to take to Torquay with us at the weekend.

I loved this one….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bargains – The Works up to 80% off Sports Books & Toshiba Tablet NOW ONLY £209 & Hertz Van Rental from £15 per day & Kobo Mini Ereader NOW ONLY £29.99 & Debenhams Half Price Sale and Free Delivery

In the UK it has been officially announced that it was the coldest Spring in 50 years!

Mal finished his work…yeah! Of course he still has all the sorting out to do but all the moderating is finished.

We were going for a walk and even though it was warmer, it looked like rain, so we didn’t bother. We collect a car from Avis tomorrow, as we are meeting up with Lou, Rhys and all the kids at Torquay.

In the evening Scarlet, Jack and Torin came on the web cam.

 

 

Thought for the Day – “The greatest poem ever known
Is one all poets have outgrown;
The poetry, innate, untold
Of being only 4 years old ~ Christopher Morley

Bargains – Half Price Continental Chocs & SimplyBe £5 off £50 spend & Asda Reductions on Baby Dept & Baby Travel System £80

It was raining first thing in the morning but it didn’t last for long, so I went for a walk while Mal caught up with his work.

There are a lot of Rose Ringed Parakeets in Thanet and managed to get these photos of one in the caravan park, not very good as he was quite a distance away.

Thought for the Day – “In order to see birds it is necessary to become a part of the silence.” ~ Robert Lynd