Tuesday 30th August. Seals on Stack Rock

The day started overcast and distinctly cool, but Mel noticed that the sea was flat, so we decided to launch the boat, and it proved to be a great decision.
We saw these seals.

Mia caught both mackerel and pollack.

On the way back she even steered the boat.

Sunday 28h August. A day out at Carew.

The bank holiday weather has been kind so far, so we set off to Carew Castle fort the day.  There was a treasure hunt arranged for children, and Mia successfully completed it, despite our best attempts to hinder her. 

The tidal mill was as impressive as ever, and the view of the castle form the dam wall was superb.  

Back at the van Huw built a blast furnace which later settled into  BBQ on which we cooked supper, and followed this by a superb home made blackberry crumble made by Mel and Mia.

Thursday 25th August Manorbier Castle and Lamphey Palace

The weather forecast suggested heavy showers, so exploration by car was the order of the day. We set off to Manorbier and spent a very pleasant
couple of hours on the beach and in the castle.

Just as we left the heavens opened, but we made it to the car before we were really soaked through. The people walking up from the beach were less fortunate, and looked thoroughly miserable.
On to the bishop’s palace at Lamphey. A stunning location, and a very impressive ruin, which successfully revealed how affluent the church was when the palace was built between the 13th and 16th centuries. The congregation may have been extremely poor, but the senior clergy led a very privileged existence. 

Finally popped down to St. Govans’s Head to check out the newly completed cycle path.

Fishing on the Sleekstone

After the coastal mist cleared, the day turned out to be sunny and warm. I decided to chance my arm spinning for mackerel off the sleekstone rock. As it was a mid day tide, I didn't hold out much hope of catching fish, and was proven right, but the views made it a worthwhile trip.

Lunch at Druidstone.

A short cycle of 8 miles or so, but an excellent lunch at the Druidstone. The view was superb, as was the spag bol, served up freshly cooked.

Couldn’t work out what the cream cracker plastic box was doing mounted on the wall.

A Trip to Dale

We rode the pushbikes to Dale. A 20 mile round trip. The sun shone, and the roads weren't too busy.

Elvie enjoying brunch.






Others enjoying the sailing.
On the way back we called in to St. Brides Haven.



A great ride, and now not long before lighting the BBQ. LB

A Day Full of Great News

We'd planned a long ride on our pushbikes for some time. As the weather looked set fine for the day we set off to Neyland via national cycle route 4 and the Brunel trail. We completed the 28 mile round trip without too much trouble, but were tired out when we got back to the van.

While on the road we had our first bit of good news. Gaz and Vicky had found a place in Hervey Bay. 200 metres form the hospital, and next to the beach. This is a view from the property.






Here we are having lunch overlooking the haven at Neyland.







While resting we had a phone message from Huw with the fabulous news that Mel's scan was OK. He sent us this photo.



Not surprisingly we were delighted.
While cycling back we stopped for a rest and met these guys.






Just at this moment Huw rang to say that the house transfer was agreed! This couldn't have come at a better time. Finally Huw told us that Mia had lost her second front tooth. It felt as though Xmas had come early with all the good news we had received.
Back at the van we were too tired to do anything, so a relaxed evening with an early night and a drink to celebrate.

Llanelli WWT

We didn't get away to West Wales as planned, frankly I was too tired, so we spent the day at the Llanelli WWT with Mel and Mia. The weather was excellent, and Mia enjoyed feeding the birds.

We had a picnic lunch interrupted by a solitary wasp.



After lunch we went for a cycle ride on the cycles provided. Mia did very well until just before we handed them back, she ran into the back of Mel who was leading, and they both ended up in the bushes! Fortunately they had a soft landing. Back at home we had a BBQ when Huw joined us from work.

Off to West Wales

We're heading down west for a few days. Mum is doing very well, and I'm not too unhappy leaving her again so soon. It'll be nice to have a few days together alone. G an V seem ok in Oz, and H,M and M are home having had a great holiday.

Our First Skype Call

We had a Skype call with V and G about 08.00.  We were still in bed so it must have been a frightening sight for them.  It was so so good to see them, and know they were happy and safe.  After making our farewells, we set off home and arrived before lunch.  We watched the Moto GP from Brno, and enjoyed another Skype call from G and V.  Goodness I so love technology that works.  

A Random Evening

I got back from fishing to find Anne and Chris lying on the bed.  The pub wasn’t yet open so they were enjoyying a cup of tea.  I made up a threesome on the bed, and had a cuppa.  The pub opened at 18.00, and we more or less fell through the door, and started drinking.  Andy arrived about 19.30, and got stuck in straight away.  We drank solidly for a couple of hours, stopping only briefly for food, and ended up thinking about turning in.  Outside the pub we noticed The Village Club just up the street, so wandered in.  It was enormous and empty save for half a dozen locals.  They made us very welcome, and we invaded the pool table, to the sound of sixties music.

We lost the tournament 2-1, but there was no shame in defeat.  So off to be.  A totally random evening.

The last day

Today we said au revoir to Gaz and Vicky. Huw had gone back to West Wales mid morning. A few tears were shed, not surprising really.
We picked up Vicky at her parents, and she made her goodbyes. Again a few tears were shed.
We set off to Heathrow, and made good time. We dropped them off and I struggled to hold it together. We made our painful farewells, and left them to start their big adventure together.
As we drove back down the M4 to Kington St. Michael we passed a 10 mile traffic jam. If we had planned to arrive barely on time, we would have been severely delayed, and they might have missed their flights.
As it is now, they are about to take off, and I prefer to remember them as in this photo taken just after we had eaten in the Toby Inn at Langley.

Good luck to the both of you! x.

The Last Sleep.

Last night was just like old times. We had picked up Gaz from the flat in Cardiff, and Huw came back from Westi Wales. Mrs. Lee did the honours with a take away delivered to the door. Gaz still picked every pea out of his nasigoren! Afterwards we sat in the lounge and watched the TV, everyone trying to ignore the elephant in the corner of the room. This is quite possibly the last time the " old team " will be staying in the house together! Other than the size of the boys, and the difficulty I had retaining control of the remote, it was possible to make believe nothing had changed over the years.

However Huw now has his own family and Gaz and Vicky are an item and are so good together so things have changed, and for the better. It's important for us all to look forward, with only the occasional look back over our shoulders. They're all still asleep upstairs at the moment, and the house is deceptively quiet.........

A change in our lives.

Life is about to change in the Mog's household. Son number 2 aka Gaz, is off to Australia with his partner Vicky, probably for a couple of years. The plan is that if they enjoy the life there, they will re-locate permanently. Obviously we will miss him and Vicky greatly, all the more so since Vicky has been such a good influence on him, and they pop in to see us on a regular basis. Over the past year or so Gaz has been as happy as I ever remember him, and as long as they are happy it doesn't really matter where they settle, but it's a long way to go for the weekend!
Last night they joined us for supper ( paella ) and then we slobbed about on the sofa watching Lisa Kudrow on the tv in the programme Who Do You Think You Are. She didn't come over as the dizzie blond on friends, rather an intelligent, sensitive woman who really cared about her past and her family.
On the positive side we are planning a trip to Oz for later this year.