Wedding Anniversary

Yesterday was our 10th wedding anniversary.  Its hard to believe that 10 years have gone by so quickly and so much has happened in them.  We did not plan to do anything special but had a lovely day.  In fact probably the best day possible.  Daryl was here putting in our new kitchen and that seems to be going very well - should be finished by Tuesday/Wednesday next week.  The weather was lovely and sunny and Ian and I did some gardening.  We then went to a pub called The Sportsman for lunch in a village called Noughton, not far from here.  Then to B&Q to change a light fitting for the kitchen, then on the Witham for Ian to have his hair cut and then back home.  It was a lovely sunny evening so we sat outside reading our books taking up the rays.  In the evening we had salmon and salad - salmon cooked in the caravan as not kitchen facilities yet and watched a film on tv.  Just an ordinary day - but there was something special about it.  I  think it is because we love our life as it is in Great Totham and yesterday kind of celebrated it.  We are so lucky - God is looking after us.

Beekeeping

Went to see Stuart Baldwin in Wickham Bishops who is a beekeeper.  He talked to us about beekeeping and then showed us the room in the garage where he does the honey extracting.  He advised that the first priority is to go on a beekeeping course as there is a lot to know before you start.  Unfortunately these courses don't start until February next year.  Anyway in the meantime we can gather information in the form of monthly magazines etc.  Also Jean Syme who runs the Maldon and Chelmsford beekeeping groups has suggested that I ask Stuart if I can shadow him.  She will take a bee suit round to his house for me.  I also have a list of the various meetings in the Essex area which we can attend.  I think I am dragging Ian along on this one, but you never know, he might get interested!  We are looking into hives.  Some of them can be built from flat packs - Ian is very good at this sort of thing!

Went into Maldon this afternoon and bought Ian some anti-hayfever tablets as he is suffering quite a bit and sneezing a lot.  Its nice to go into Maldon and walk round the shops - its a nice town.

Back to church

I feel that we haven't been to church for a while but it was only one Sunday whilst we were in Dorset.  Anyway, it was nice to see everyone again.  We had the family praise service today.  This is held in the church hall and is children-orientated with more modern songs played by the band.  At first the congregation were not too sure about this service, preferring the traditional communion service in church.  But today there were a fair number of people (about 40) and  it was a lovely service.  Father Stuart preached - mainly to the children and mainly with 'audience participation'.  It was good and enjoyable.

Ian and I got home and had lunch and then, as the weather was nice and sunny, we decided to go to the Heavy Horses Show at the Museum of Power at Langford - just up the road from us.  It was a typical country affair with lots of dogs, horses, funfair and stalls.  Ian enjoyed the Museum of Power too.  Came home for a lovely cup of tea.

Have been watching Countryfile and the Antiques Roadshow on telly.  Had salmon with mushrooms and garlic, prawns and broccoli for dinner.  What a lovely day!

Coming home from Dorset

Had a nice day yesterday. Went to wimborne and to nt property called Kingston Tracy which once we got there we remembered we had been before when we went to visit the Fitzsimmons in Ringwood. Then into wimborne to the craft centre - everything quite expensive. Walked into the centre of the town - lovely sunny day. Headed to the church but nothing particularly noteable, except that they had a chained library but we could not find it. We eventually ended up at costa sitting outside in the sun. Had to leave at 5 because our parking ticket was about to expire. Such a lovely evening we didn't want to go back to the caravan so drove down to Swanage on the coast. Had a little walk along the front then went to the Swan pub for a meal. Then back to the caravan; watched a film, then to bed.

Today we packed up the awning and caravan and started to make our way home. Stopped at Winchester services for our packed lunch and a cup of coffee. Ian then took over the driving, although he 'virtually' drives whilst I am driving -the only difference is that he doesn't have his foot actually on the pedals!

Picked Anna up from Boking and Jessie, Ella and Danny came out on the street as we were trying to park the car and the caravan. In the end it was easier for Anna to jump in and off we went rather than hold up the traffic. Anna came back to our house for a cup of tea and a bit of administration work, then I took her to the station for the train back to London.

Egg and bacon for dinner and start the washing machine with all the washing to do.

Tuesday in dorset

Got up really late. Woke early but was reading and messing around on the Internet. We have 20 hours of wi fi for 15 pounds through the caravan club. Anyway after doing the washing up from the night before, making packed lunch and getting ready we only left at about 11 o'clock. Went a village called Tolpuddle and to the museum on the Tolpuddle Martyrs. They were six men, ordinary farm labourers, who in 1834 were arrested, tried and deported  to the brutal penal colonies of Australia for protesting about the low wages and grinding poverty they were forced to endure from their harsh employers. Eventually after a period of 4 years they were granted a pardon and were allowed to return to England. It was on their return that the trade union movement was born.There are still trade union festivals celebrated at Tolpuddle today. The six men eventually emigrated from England with their families to Ontario in Canada.
Had a phone call from lindy about us going over to monkhams hall to see William next sunday.  She also asked about charlotte.
We then drove to dorchester.  What a nice town with lovely shops and lots of wonderful buildings. I could probably spend quite a bit of time there. We went to Dorset County museum and had a guided tour by one of the volunteers there. Dorchester is very old with lots of history, there are signs of habitation even in the neolithic age! Lots of famous writers and poets from this part of the world including Thomas Hardy. I bought one of his books - the Woodlands - which can join the pile of books for me to read.

Dorset in the caravan

Oh dear - nothing but rain and more rain. Not too bad yesterday but it's more in the evenings and all through the night. We did some travelling around yesterday in the local area of Wareham. Wareham itself was originally a walled Saxon town on two rivers, the Piddle and the Frome. It's a very nice old town which in its heyday must have been very wealthy. Nevertheless we did our shopping at a small sainsburys there!
We also went to Lulworth Cove and saw the upended geology of the coast and the little bay. This bit of coastline is known as the jurassic. Coast. When I was on my course at the weekend, Ian went to Kimmeridge bay and collection some fossils. The type of rocks here are shales and limestone which is why so much of the jurassic age has been preserved along this coast. Did not manage to get to Durble Door as it was quite a climb up go get to it. Instead we opted for a coffee at one of the little coffee shops. I spoke to a couple who had a cavalier spaniel. What a sweet dog I would love to get one. Some little sparrows came and eat the crumbles from our table.
We then went abbotsbury swan sanctuary but thought it was a bit expensive to go in so did not stay that long.  Charlotte tried to phone but reception in the wilds of Dorset is rubbish. Went to Weymouth,  a Georgia town on the coast favoured by George the third. They are holding the sailing Olympics here and have spent a lot of money making the whole place look really good especially around the bay and harbour. We went over to the Isle of portland to the highest point and looked down at the harbour with all the boats and Chesil beach. We then drove into Weymouth and walked along the beach.
It was then time to go home and have supper. Had chi ken and vegetables. Our tv works only on all the BBC programmes because they don't have digital signal here yet. I went to sleep early.

Diamond jubilee sunday

Feeling cold and wet. Just got back from the church field where Ian and I helped to put up the prayer tent and be there. Wow.... It was cold like winter. Anyway I think the lunches and teas and cakes in the church hall went very well. Church beautifully decorated with flower displays depicting things to do with the Queen such as changing the guard, ascot, union jack etc.
Looking forward to bbq at the mill house tomorrow.  Hopefully not too much rain.