So having returned from the Nordics mid September we thought we should blog before heading off this time. Sitting at The Ranch, in between trips, watching the coming’s and going’s, we set about making a list of what we’ve been up to and it wasn’t that long so this may be a rare short one!
The first couple of weeks felt like a whirlwind of little jobs at the flats as tenants changed over, combined with our own personal servicing of teeth, eyes, bones etc. Eventually we were able to spend some time at the Redditch B&B where we left Jigsaw at the Cat Spa as she calls it, given she gets pampered there, for a trip North. She’s travelling well on the M5 these days and settles in easily.
Fabulous catching up with Tony and Pauline and getting sight of Tony’s new engine (for the car that is!) before heading to Windermere. There we met up with Dave and Lesley who we keep seeing all over Europe! Wow, what a house and location they’ve got, glorious even in the drizzle of the Lakes. Then, a memory lane trip to Southport, it isn’t what it was as a town but still has a Victorian charm architecturally. Nick never tires of my sentimental visits to old haunts and houses, bless! After the customary visit to the Crem, we headed back to reclaim our cat. We weren’t sure but Wendy might have had a tear in her eye as she handed her back!
So what else, lots of odd jobs and we’ve spent a fair amount of time gardening at Manor Barn which has actually been really nice to do. It hasn’t felt like a chore as it used to when stealing precious weekend time, and it’s looking good, even for this time of year. The fish look fantastic too! Nick also did his customary carve for Halloween!
We’ve met up with mum and lots of friends for coffee and cake, lunch, dinner and wine. Any wonder the words January and diet have crept into my lexicon?! At the opposite end of the proverbial scale, Jigsaw has lost a couple of pounds with her speed mousing activities no doubt contributing! She managed to reduce the local population by three in one evening alone.
We had a trip to the big smoke for a Waterstones reunion to collect Nicks personal stuff from the office, sadly his snow globes from my overseas work trips seem to have melted away 😩 I thought it was a nice touch to have a sign welcoming him back at the entrance! We also took in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year at the National History Museum (again an annual pilgrimage wind down weekend after London Vet Show) Nick said he’s re energised about wildlife photography so who knows, he may be launching a website soon!!!
Everything at Tytherington Ranch, Dallas, Frome is calm and orderly. Bobby (Nigel) and Pamela (Liz) are so in love it’s too mushy for words, the horses are in fine fettle, and the stable hands Mel, Lin and Lily are as energetic as ever at ridiculously early hours of the day. Jigsaw makes the most of the giant playground with ‘the boys’ as Miss Ellie (Julia) calls them. She also looked out for poorly Smarti. (The boys are the whippets by the way!) Nigel told very long jokes and dug a bloomin big hole, so we had the delights of a shirtless man on a digger for entertainment and Dave the field hand washed his car several times.
Horse whisperer Liz is moulding Bronwyn into a great jumper, we’ve watched her compete in two events and even the two of us, (as if Paul and Penelope Nicholls in training), can see it as both rider and horse get their workouts! We really enjoy watching, it’s always interesting. Lin has been tired out by her new Jack Russell Hattie, so comes to the stables for a rest these days. She’s yet to introduce Jigsaw to her but there’s bound to be handbags between the girls! Pets that is!
Our birthdays have come and gone, I treated Nick to amazing tapas at Ole in Bath, very intimate it was. My treat on my birthday was a Covid test at Birmingham Airport followed by a special lunch…. Does anyone think he could have tried harder to make it a bit different?! We thought the airport test centre was expecting some kind of rush given the scale of the operation!
So at the time of posting we are about to head off to the USA with cheap as chips flights and a road trip around Georgia and the Carolinas planned. watch this space but I reckon there may be a music theme ahead! A song by Shaggy has just become an ear worm, damm Carolina 😂
The Curious Adventures of the Cat in the Camper Van 