Bank holiday Saturday

Once again it has been too long since I posted about the family.  Our holiday was so relaxing that the nightmare journey back did not leave any residual stress and I have been feeling a lot more relaxed since.  The children spent a few days with their grandparents which were cut short due to a death in the family (on the side of my wife).  We did get to have a night out together though.  

Anyway, today, it was a trip to Brightlingsea. My wife had taken the children there yesterday but we went as a family today. We were lucky enough to be able to use a beach hut of a friend (or rather, her mother). The view was amazing, the weather was ideal and I got to help the kids catch crabs, something I have never done before, but they excelled at.

Day eleven in Devon. Our fast car.

What a day.  We left Fingals to have breakfast on the coast, but this was in the opposite direction to our trip home.  Breakfast was great and we all loved it.  And it was just as well as my son had left his iPhone behind!  Travelling back was no great hardship as it was on our way home and we thought that was the end of our problems.  

But it was not.  We hit traffic on the way to the M5 and our car ended up breaking down due to an issue with electricity.  And just for dramatic effect in what was meant to be in the fast lane.  Fortunately, the traffic was going slow, and later an AA van stopped traffic allowing us to move to the grass verge.  The police who had been called came and checked us over and we waited for a nice man in a breakdown truck to collect us. By that time, the car started to work, and we drove onto a service station where our car was checked and no fault was found.

So we went on, and due to issues with traffic again decided on a diversion to take us back past Stonehenge.  But after hitting heavy traffic we broke down again. So here we are, in a lay by waiting for a pickup to come to take us home, the time of this being put back further and further.

What a memorable end to the holiday!

Day Nine in Devon

Today we were intending to try out some glass blowing but due to a problem with mobile phone connections, this was not to be.  So we went to Slapton Sands instead where the kids flew kites.  They had tried before, but the wind only allowed my son to fly his kite.  This time both were able to enjoy this, but the kite my son had bought earlier this holiday broke.

After this it was a trip to a sea food restaurant that my wife had her eyes on which served the best fish and chips I have ever had (the fish was only recently caught), and the trip also took in some World War Two history before we returned for swimming while my wife made some food with the freshly caught crab and scallops.

And the photo is to show how cold my son found lunch!

Day Eight in Devon. Walking.

Today we went to Totnes.  When we had driven through it before, we had seen that there was a place to paint pottery, so we went there.  The kids loved it.  My wife demonstrated her abilities with art by painting a skull, my daughter painted a penguin, my son painted a tea pot that he intends to store money in, and I painted a coaster.

After this, it was a trip into town for lunch and a stroll before my wife met up with someone from school.  While she was catching up on old times, the children and I walked from Pokestop to Pokestop and they walked over three and a half miles before my wife was ready to meet again.

After dinner, a trip back to our base, where I got us lost, but now the kids are in bed after watching the end of Spider-Man. 

Day seven in Devon.

First of all, I forgot to mention the Arsenal match from yesterday.  Like with the FA cup final, I had expected us to get beaten.  Unlike that match I did not get to watch this one, with being on holiday, though a friend of mine did despite being on the other side of the globe!

Today, we did not spend the morning swimming, much to the annoyance of the children but did travel to learn about Agatha Christie.  Her old home is close by to where we are staying, a ferry ride even.  The kids seemed to like the day and the lunch there, and later we went swimming.  We did get in trouble as we were in there for sometime so all in all, an educational day with fun afterwards.

Day Six in Devon. The Grand Old Duke.

My wife had a nap after breakfast. During our first meal of the day, my son kept asking about swimming which caused some annoyance as we were wondering what else could be done.  But once my wife had her nap (she was not feeling too well) we swam.  We also had a trip to the games room where the kids tried to play pool and also played table football.  But it was swimming that they enjoyed the most.  And much to my annoyance, my daughter is able to swim faster than me.  And she has yet to realise, but I think she can swim further than me.  My son, after his swim loved his massage and then we had a muck around on the grass tennis courts that are here.

Lunch was interesting.  We had tried to eat local, and I ended up taking my wife down some roads that are not used by cars much.  She was not happy.  And then the place we wanted to eat at, which was at the bottom of a very steep hill, was booked up.  So we drove to Dartmouth.  While we had similar issues there, we did find a place where we could sit and eat.  It did not have the best food, but it was good enough and my daughter and I went walking to play Pokemon.  Later, we met with my son and he got to play as well, which he loved.  

Once home, I was allowed a walk to nearby Dittisham, which has knackered me out.  But it was worth it.  I am surprised at how many hills there are here, and the walk up and down several, challenged me.

Night all!

Day five in Devon. A change of scenery.

We were sad to leave Glebe House today.  We have had a great time there and the kids loved Coco and the books as well as exploring the grounds and so much more.  After another fabulous breakfast there, we finished packing and then it was a trip further into Devon.

We did stop in Sidmouth for my daughter to have a braid put in her hair, something that she was wanted for a while.  We had the chance yesterday at the folk festival but the wait was too long before.

Anyway, we are now in our new locale.  It was an interesting drive at the end, as promised before we left Glebe House. What I had not expected was to drive out of a town into single track country roads.  But we arrived in good time and since being here have enjoyed the swimming pool, played Table Football, tried a game of pool and played about on the tennis court.

Not sure how we can beat that tomorrow!