Thursday 29 September 2016

Stourhead Revisited

This week I had an overnight with a good friend in the small North Dorset town where I used to live, Gillingham. My friend is a National Trust volunteer at the nearby estate of Stourhead, one of the Trust's star properties. She had some brief business there, so we visited together and I met many of the workers there for the first time, both volunteers and employed. We went into the Estate Office and I saw a smidgeon of the enormous amount of work that goes into running the place. Multiply that by the number of large NT properties around the country and it's an immense undertaken.

After that we did a trip round the garden. Fortunately they now have a golf buggy plus volunteer driver which took us just over half way, as it would be tough for me to manage the mile long path all the way round the lake, and we got a running commentary, much of which I already knew but there is always something new to learn as well. I've spent many a happy hour at Stourhead and had lots of lovely memories brought to mind.

Saturday 24 September 2016

Horses


Although I don't ride any more, I still love being around horses. It was a real treat when my daughter took me to visit her new horse share.

Wednesday 7 September 2016

At the Weekend

We had family visitors and Sunday was a blessed day. we got ahead with the roastie preparations quite early and put a leg of lamb in the oven or a slow cook. Then we took the dogs to Sandbanks dog beach. I couldn't walk the distance so we took a folding chair and my great nephew opted to stay with me while the others walked to the end of the beach and back. He had a great time digging a large hole with his hands and then burying his feet.



We were covered in sloppy love when the dogs spotted us on their way back and came haring over.

After this we drove to the lifeboat museum at the quay and purchased some crabbing items, so we could spend a happy hour catching the crabs that come close hunting the bait. They seem to know they won't be hurt and will end up back in the water. Here's that great nephew enjoying the experience.


And here's my son who got really into it and caught more than anyone else.


Our lamb roastie was very welcome after all that activity.

Sunday 4 September 2016

A Week to Remember

I've had quite a week again. In between gallivanting I've been meeting article deadlines.

Wednesday we took the boat from Poole Quay across the harbour and up the River Frome to Wareham Quay. It was another tick on my bucket list and well worth being on it. On the way out we sat on the top deck to see all that was going on around us. It was pretty windy.



Once we reached the river, we saw some intrepid swimmers making their way down the river to the harbour.



We picnicked on the river bank before reboarding our vessel for the return journey. Coming back we chose to sit lower and aft so we could turn around and dangle our feet over the water.


It was a truly memorable day shared with some of my family and friends. Then the next day I had a quiet lunch harbourside at Salterns Hotel with my daughter after walking the dogs. Dogs are allowed in the courtyard at the back.


Friday was singing group again. The weekend was busy too. More of that to come.

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