Barnes Ringers Summer Trip - to Bovey Tracey
The trip was officially from Wednesday 15th to Sunday 19th July. Monica went down the weekend before to visit friends so I suggested she stay at the house and gave her a key - Jayne was expecting her. Mike was reading at the 8 am service on the Sunday and then playing the organ. I went home so that I could pack the car and pick him up later ready to go straight off to Devon. I was going to go back for ringing but the traffic was appalling because of flyover closure and when I found out that only one person was coming from Barnes, and that Martin was away, I cancelled ringing.
We arrived in Devon about 3 pm and it was great to see Jayne again. The new fence looked superb. Jayne had done marvels - there were scented reed pots everywhere and she had sorted out all the beds and towels, including sets for the two people sleeping on the floor/sofa. She had also done some shopping and just about thought of everything - there was hardly anything left for me to do! Monica came back from visiting friends about 6.30 and we all went over to Torbryan to try out the food and to get a menu for Thursday lunch. It was a somewhat hairy drive down narrow lanes - but the food was excellent.
Mary came to the house for coffee on Monday and Tuesday and we gave her our birthday present as we knew we wouldn't be able to see her on the day itself. She seemed pleased with the photo book and enjoyed going through it with Mike.
I registered with the Moorgate Veterinary Group on Monday because I was worried that Suki's foot had not been seen timeously, and then on Wednesday made an appointment because her other foot was looking tender and swollen although she wasn't actually limping. Another course of antibiotics was prescribed.
I picked people up from Newton Abbot station on Wednesday and took them to the first tower which was scheduled for before lunch. There was no one there, and no cars in the car park. I texted Mike who said they had been delayed by a route which had taken them down an ever - narrowing track but would be there soon. Meanwhile a lady in the church gave us access to the bells and made arrangements with the church warden for return of the key. After waiting in vain for more ringers, those I had picked up decided to ring anyway - at which point it turned out that all the other ringers were having lunch in the pub! The pub did not take dogs, and I was so annoyed at standing around for half an hour in an empty car park while the others were enjoying lunch that I decided to go home and have lunch there.
I went over to Torbryan for Thursday lunch - and had an excellent jacket potato with cheese. Then they let us ring a handbell QP in the bar - Mary, Mike and I rang PB Minor.
On Thursday evening we planned a Fish and Chip supper at the house. We had brought with us a polypin of Pride plus lots of bottles, and I had previously bought several bottles of wine. I had anticipated ordering from Bovey Fish Bar but on Monday they were closed, on Tuesday they had a note saying shut until Wednesday, and on Wednesday the note had been amended to say shut until Thursday. I decided not worth the risk of waiting until 5 pm on Thursday to see if they were going to be open and able to provide 18 cod and chips, so I found another chippy - in Heathfield - and ordered them from there the day before. Maryanne and I went to pick them up at the agreed time of 8 pm - and they were just finishing cooking them, having cooked the lot fresh for pick up. Apparently they were excellent fish and chips - and very cheap too, so I think the Bovey Fish Bar has had it from now on! Everyone seemed to have a good evening and enjoyed it - I slipped off to Moretonhampstead to ring handbells once I had delivered the fish and chips!
On Friday I went over to the new 12 at Crediton to join the ringing and bolster the numbers - some of the ringing so far had been pretty poor apparently.
We had chinese take away on Friday night which Maryanne and Mary arranged to give me a break. As usual we ordered far too much!
On Saturday I rang for a wedding at Bovey and took Suki for a nice walk in Bovey Valley woods. The end of trip dinner was at the Cromwell and it was nice to be able to get up and walk home at the end. I spent Sunday morning stripping all the beds and generally tidying up so that Jayne did not have too much to do when she got back, and then I packed the car and went to join up with Mike and the others for lunch at Clyst Honiton. The last tower finished at 6.30 and we then took Lucy home and dropped in for a cup of tea with Tim and Ann - it was amazing to see them again after 25 years and to catch up a bit on news.
We arrived in Devon about 3 pm and it was great to see Jayne again. The new fence looked superb. Jayne had done marvels - there were scented reed pots everywhere and she had sorted out all the beds and towels, including sets for the two people sleeping on the floor/sofa. She had also done some shopping and just about thought of everything - there was hardly anything left for me to do! Monica came back from visiting friends about 6.30 and we all went over to Torbryan to try out the food and to get a menu for Thursday lunch. It was a somewhat hairy drive down narrow lanes - but the food was excellent.
Mary came to the house for coffee on Monday and Tuesday and we gave her our birthday present as we knew we wouldn't be able to see her on the day itself. She seemed pleased with the photo book and enjoyed going through it with Mike.
I registered with the Moorgate Veterinary Group on Monday because I was worried that Suki's foot had not been seen timeously, and then on Wednesday made an appointment because her other foot was looking tender and swollen although she wasn't actually limping. Another course of antibiotics was prescribed.
I picked people up from Newton Abbot station on Wednesday and took them to the first tower which was scheduled for before lunch. There was no one there, and no cars in the car park. I texted Mike who said they had been delayed by a route which had taken them down an ever - narrowing track but would be there soon. Meanwhile a lady in the church gave us access to the bells and made arrangements with the church warden for return of the key. After waiting in vain for more ringers, those I had picked up decided to ring anyway - at which point it turned out that all the other ringers were having lunch in the pub! The pub did not take dogs, and I was so annoyed at standing around for half an hour in an empty car park while the others were enjoying lunch that I decided to go home and have lunch there.
I went over to Torbryan for Thursday lunch - and had an excellent jacket potato with cheese. Then they let us ring a handbell QP in the bar - Mary, Mike and I rang PB Minor.
On Thursday evening we planned a Fish and Chip supper at the house. We had brought with us a polypin of Pride plus lots of bottles, and I had previously bought several bottles of wine. I had anticipated ordering from Bovey Fish Bar but on Monday they were closed, on Tuesday they had a note saying shut until Wednesday, and on Wednesday the note had been amended to say shut until Thursday. I decided not worth the risk of waiting until 5 pm on Thursday to see if they were going to be open and able to provide 18 cod and chips, so I found another chippy - in Heathfield - and ordered them from there the day before. Maryanne and I went to pick them up at the agreed time of 8 pm - and they were just finishing cooking them, having cooked the lot fresh for pick up. Apparently they were excellent fish and chips - and very cheap too, so I think the Bovey Fish Bar has had it from now on! Everyone seemed to have a good evening and enjoyed it - I slipped off to Moretonhampstead to ring handbells once I had delivered the fish and chips!
On Friday I went over to the new 12 at Crediton to join the ringing and bolster the numbers - some of the ringing so far had been pretty poor apparently.
We had chinese take away on Friday night which Maryanne and Mary arranged to give me a break. As usual we ordered far too much!
On Saturday I rang for a wedding at Bovey and took Suki for a nice walk in Bovey Valley woods. The end of trip dinner was at the Cromwell and it was nice to be able to get up and walk home at the end. I spent Sunday morning stripping all the beds and generally tidying up so that Jayne did not have too much to do when she got back, and then I packed the car and went to join up with Mike and the others for lunch at Clyst Honiton. The last tower finished at 6.30 and we then took Lucy home and dropped in for a cup of tea with Tim and Ann - it was amazing to see them again after 25 years and to catch up a bit on news.
