Shipwrecks and Cliffs

We had a much needed day off yesterday so thought it would be nice to take a walk along the beach.....what was I thinking?  It was Bank Holiday Monday in Cornwall so despite the weather not being brilliant the car parks by the beaches were packed.  Plan B was put in place,  I found a quiet little carpark on the cliffs between Portreath and Godrevy where we took a walk along the coastal path.

It's good to see the gulls in their natural habitat 

As you can see the views are stunning along the coast and despite it being windy it was warm, even hot when the path took us through areas of high growth.  The heather and gorse looked stunning against the blue of the sea and sky.  As we neared Hell's Mouth, a well known cove, we were reminded of how deadly the sea could be.  The wreck of the Secil Japan still lies at the bottom of the cliffs.  On a stormy night in 1989 it lost it's steering and was pushed onto the rocks by the huge seas.  On board were 16 terrified Korean sailors who gathered on the deck hoping for rescue.  An incredibly brave RAF helicopter crew battled against nature to airlift 15 of the men off the stricken ship one by one.  Tragically one of them fell from the strop and was taken by the sea.  We went to see the wreck a few days later, it was a sad sight to see.

You can see the shipwreck lying in the cove

After a stop at Hell's Mouth for a cup of tea we started on our way back along the path.  There are areas where the path has been diverted away from the cliffs because of the danger of cliff falls.  Wooden barriers make it clear that you do not go beyond, but of course you always get the people who don't realise the danger.   We passed a group who stepped over the barrier to have a picnic on the edge of the cliff.  If they were local there is no way they would be sitting there, we all remember when this happened just a few feet from where they were sitting!

I hope you had a great weekend,

Chickpea xx

Love, Hate and glow in the dark sperm key rings

Once again it was a lovely dry, warm day for Pride Cornwall.    Rainbow flags, music and cheers filled the streets of Truro as we carried the huge flag with pride.  This years theme was solidarity, as the parade made it's way through the city we thought of all those across the world for whom this would not be possible, the brave people who take part knowing they could be putting their lives at risk and the recent events in Jerusalem where six people were stabbed while taking part in Pride.  I usually attend with my son and his partner but they are away on holiday at the moment. The lovely young men on either side of me, complete strangers were soon chatting away to me and promising to pick me up if I tripped over the pavement, it's hard to see where you are going when you are carrying a huge flag!   Everyone is so friendly it really is a happy day.  As for the woman who deliberately slammed the door to the toilets in my face as popped to the loos before the parade, decked out in my rainbow beads, bracelet and sunnies...... shame on you.  Life must be hard when your heart is so full of hate.  At the party in the park afterwards, it was lovely to see the usual presence of the police and fire brigade there to show their support, and well done to Cornwall Council  who flew the rainbow flag outside of their offices.  We are so lucky to live in a country that supports equality.  The Quakers were giving out free bananas again this year,  and my manager was there on our stall handing out glow in the dark sperm key rings, you gotta love Pride :)


Life is still busy, we have had some valuations done on the house, £10,000 difference, do they just pluck figures out of the air?  Just waiting for the new shower to be fitted when my son and his partner (who is a plumber) return from their holiday, then we will put it on the market.   I'm still looking for our new home, but there is not much around at the moment, fingers crossed, when the time is right something will come on the market that ticks the boxes.  I'm trying to train the bearded one in the ways of house presentation before we put the house on the market.  The rules are:

The posh throws, towels and bath mats are for viewing only, DO NOT use them!


I hope to get around and read your blogs soon, have a lovely weekend dear blogging friends,

Chickpea xx

Searching

After last weekends shenanigans, I spent this weekend with my head stuck in various shrubs and trees, literally, not good for my hay fever I can tell you.  By Sunday evening I looked like a boxer who had done too many rounds with Mohammid Ali my eyes were so swollen.  The back garden is looking a lot tidier (too tidy for me) and I just have some weeding to do in the front.  The weather was glorious so I decided to take some photos for the sales blurb.  I tried to take carefully staged photos that didn't show all the wild plants (well o.k. weeds)  patchy weedy lawn, piles of wood that have deliberately left for insect homes under the trees and two ruddy great compost bins.  I was pleased with the results until I downloaded them and realised that in most of them there buckets, spades etc from our toils, bare patches and of course the compost bins and the water but.  Oh and not a flower in sight, I am clearly not a gardener!

So I can here you all asking when is she putting the house on the market?  Yes I know this has dragged on but what with working, doing all the normal things in the house and trying to find time on top of that to paint, declutter and generally pimp my house........

I guess what is also dampening my enthusiasm is that despite spending hours searching, nose stuck to my computer, I just can't find THE house, or is it THE lifestyle?  Don't get me wrong, there are some beautiful properties out there, but maybe some are just too beautiful.  Everything designed to within an inch of it's life, the sort of thing you see on the television, all glass and metal with 'landscaped' gardens, but I just couldn't see myself in them.  In my mind my future dog will be running all over the  cream carpets with muddy paws, the grandchildren will be falling down the designer glass floating stairs.  The future goat and chickens will be happily munching away in the landscaped garden.  Me, I will be wandering around in my cut offs with inappropriate holes, (the bearded one did remark that my ass was hanging out of my threadbear jeans yesterday when I was bending over weeding)  I found a beautiful cottage which was next to some woods, it looked idillic but I would be shut indoors suffering from heyfever half the year.  A property by the sea had me wavering but it had no garden at all, yes a gorgeous view but.......

I guess in my mind I can see myself in a traditional hard working shabby farmhouse kitchen, the type my farming grandparents and uncles had.  Where dogs and muddy boots were welcome, my shabby old furniture would fit right in and cats would feel at home tracking muddy paws over the back of the old sofas.  Clothes and boots by the range drying, free range grandchildren running through the house wreaking havoc with no fear of breaking anything precious.   I want some land around me but not pretty land, more wild, gorse covered land, preferably high up where I can look across miles of landscape and watch storms approaching.  I want it to be 'our' home, not completely finished to another persons taste.  I want to get my 'teeth' into something, not sit in a pretty house with nothing to do but look at it and tidy up.   How do I explain all of this to an estate agent.  Am I asking too much, do these places even exist any more, or have they all been prettified, lost their character and priced out of most peoples reach.   I will keep searching and hoping.

Not sure which photos to include, what do you think?  I've booked  a couple of estate agents to come and do a valuation next Monday eeek!!  Right off to do the second coat of gloss on the backdoor and start on the cloakroom, and yes my ass is still hanging out of my jeans, I'd better remember which way to face when I am weeding the front garden.  I don't want to frighten the neighbours.

Chickpea xx

Dancing my little socks off

After weeks, well actually months of D.I.Y. I thought I deserved to treat myself to a little fun.  I doubt if I will ever get to Glastonbury but we do have our own Boardmasters Festival here in Cornwall set on the cliffs near Newquay, the perfect setting.  There were various stages with lots of different music to suit everyone and luckily perfect weather.  Yes I am old enough to be mum to most of the people there, but do you know what, I don't care.  I will continue to go along to watch live gigs and jump around with the youngsters for as long as I am able.  I hate the whole now you are 'this' age you should be behave in 'this' way.  Life is too short, we have to squeeze every bit of fun out of it we can, we don't get a second chance.  As long as we don't hurt anyone else, go for it I say.

Faithless were the headliners on the day we went and were amazing.  They are no spring chickens themselves, having been together for 20 years,  longer than a lot of the audience have been on the planet.  It is not the bearded ones type of music so he headed over to the Keg and Pasty stage where local bands played, including a fabulous Ska band called Rudis Message who had everyone up dancing.  He enjoyed a pint and pasty while I danced around like an excited puppy.

Knitty Nutter was staying along the coast in her camper van, I hope we weren't too noisy!

You can just see Jamie Olivers 15 in the distance

On Sunday our band played in Wadebridge Carnival.  We stopped for coffee on the way in a lovely Cafe called Strong Aldofos before heading into the town.  Wadebridge is not far from Padstow, but doesn't get so busy.  It has a lovely community feel to it where everyone seems to know each other, and has some nice little shops.   If you are going to Padstow it is worth a visit, you can even hire a bike and cycle there along the cycle path.   The evening ended with a spectacular firework display, I still get excited by fireworks :)

I am exhausted today but it was lovely having a couple of days that didn't involve a paint brush.  I hope you've had a good weekend.



Chickpea xx