No going back now.......................

[FLYING BANANA]

..................................... many toilet rolls were used, good job I had bought some.

Every morning before we went out John, John Louis and I took Sapphire for a long walk. She had an operation on her back leg awhile ago so she can no longer chase after a ball, doesn’t stop picking up sticks though. There is a rugby/football pitch about a 10 minute walk away so that is where we went. There is no playground there but John Louis was happy to hold hands with John and me. A couple of times he took Sapphire’s lead.

So after her walk on Wednesday she had her breakfast and water and settled down on her bed for a snooze. We all made a fuss of her before we went out.
Today we was off to Polperro in the Landy. Polperro is just along from Looe. You park at the top of the town and either walk down or get the tram to the harbour. The trams are converted electric milk floats. Purpose built bodies on the back and can seat up to 10 people at a time. £2.40 return fare or £1.60 for a single. Children under 15 go free.

We walked down and rode back. We had tea and a pasty, well I had the longest sausage roll I have ever seen, but John and Lisa had a pasty each. John Louis had a scrumptious vanilla milkshake. We walked around the harbour on both sides and watched the fishing boats as they went out to sea. The sea was like a mill pond. We had yet again blue sky and warm sunshine.
After we got the tram back to the car park and collected the Landy we drove back to the American diner, Route 38, at Trelufoot for dinner. I just had the smallish rack of ribs with all the trimmings. John had the large ribs plus chicken wings. Lisa went for the Lasagna and John Louis had the chicken nuggets and chips off of the children’s menu.

Thursday saw us off again in the Landy to Plymouth. I took the Bears bridge tab with me so that John did not have to pay the toll fee as we left Cornwall to get back into England. Lisa has sussed out a car park overlooking the harbour on her phone map. £5.60 to park for 6 hours, not bad I suppose. We was halfway between the Barbican and the Ho. So off to the Ho first to see the war memorials.
We walked right across and down the other side where we found a playground with electric cars that you could ride on for £3 a go. So that was John Louis sorted out.

Then a ride on the train for just 50p. We had a cuppa why he rode around. Then we all played table tennis, yup there was an open air table with bats a ping pong wall supplied and was free.
Then we walked back along the sea wall to the Barbican. Once the fish market but now the warehouses have been turned into eating and drinking establishments with living accommodations above.
There is a pub at the end of the basin called the 3 Crowns so we had a pint and sat outside.

We wandered back to the car via the shops, past where they distill Plymouth Gin. Past the glass shop where I fell in love with the Poppy bowl. Might go back and buy that. But I didn’t. But I did buy a framed a Poppy picture in the antique shop. John Louis wanted an ice cream but was told no. Boy, can he sulk.
We drove back to the Toby Carvery at Roborugh for dinner and John Louis got his ice cream. Then it was home.

Friday and my visitors were going home. Sapphire had to forgo her walk as it was tipping it down but she done her business in the garden and John cleared it up. The Landy was loaded up with the cider they had bought, 3 cases of Rattler and 6x2 litre flagons of scrumpy plus the empty 5 litre bottle that I had bought on Tuesday. We drank that all on Tuesday evening, only 7.5 percent.
And with that they was gone.

For the last 5 years I have spent Christmas Day with them, and few days either side with my brother in law. But not this year, this year I want to spend Christmas and New Year in my new home. Just the once, maybe. John and Lisa said that I should. Not one for the turkey and the trimmings on the day, anything will do for me. Then a drive into Plymouth and park up on the Ho will suffice for me. Just something different.

I have no inclination to return to London or Barkingside. It feels like I have lived here all my life. I will go back in the New Year at some point.

So with my visitors gone started to sort the house out. Get the beds back into position. Breakdown the camp bed and get that back into it’s bag. Then I set about repairing the Z bed I broke. Had to replenish the soap dispenser in the bathroom, top up the toilet roll holder. Make a shopping list, we had gone through 3 loaves of bread.
The extras I had bought just for the visit I sent back with them as I would not be eating them. Cheerio’s, milk, butter and fizzy flavoured water.

I have vacuumed up enough dogs hairs to knit a jumper. The laminate floorings has had the steam mop over it. The carpets upstairs have all been cleaned, I said it was ok for Sapphire to go upstairs as she whined the first night they were here. After that she stayed downstairs on her bed. I was always first up in the morning to let her out into the garden. Plus I left the inner porch door open so she could lay out there, nice draught there to keep her cool.

I thought I done well coping with a 5 year old, but then he is so polite and caring. Constantly saying that he loves his Mum and Dad. He helped his Dad comb Sapphire. Called me Uncle Bob and laughed at some of my jokes, no not the ones I post on here.

Well, that’s it till my next visitor arrives. Be Michael before Christmas I hope. Looking forward now and no looking back or going back.

Many thanks reading and the kind comments via pm’s. I’ll post some photo’s up over the next few days.