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No posts for a while as we’ve just been enjoying the better weather since the boat trip and lots of walking.  We’re around Bristol so we’ve also had some house things to do.

We took a couple of weeks out to go to the south Devon coast in the caravan and did lots and lots of walking.  The coastal path here is stunning as it’s along the famous Jurassic Coast.  The campsite was a short drive to the coast and we found a number of walks towards Beer, Seaton and a particularly long stretch from Seaton to Lyme Regis.  We even got our running shoes on and found a quiet route along country lanes and footpaths from the campsite.  The perfect weather made up for the lousy weather we had on the narrow boat, 10 nights, 10 BBQ’s and 10 sunsets from the wonderful west facing view across open countryside from our campsite.

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Leaving Devon on the day before School Holidays started Neil decided we should set off early and, as we were headed North we should miss most of the traffic.  How wrong could he be?  He couldn’t predict the fuel spillage which shut the M5 Northbound just before Taunton.  Google maps helpfully showed us that the detour route on the A38 was solid and suggested a great cut through using country lanes.  Unfortunately, with a caravan on tow we accepted our fate and crawled along with the rest of the traffic.  We eventually made it back onto the M5 and looked for the nearest services for a much needed comfort break.  Unfortunately again, this was the plan for the rest of the delayed traffic and the slip road to the services was blocked with waiting vehicles.  It was the same at each of the services we reluctantly had to pass by.  In the end a less than 2 hour journey turned into over 4 tortuous hours with bladders bursting.

The next week we headed to June’s for a welcome party.  Neil’s niece, Lisa, arrived from Melbourne for 4 weeks visiting family and friends that she hadn’t seen for 5 years.  We stayed with her family in Australia 2 years ago but it was great to see her again surrounded by her mum and dad and 2 sisters.  It was a great evening with yet another BBQ on the hottest day of the year so far!

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Then we headed up to Cheshire to visit Leanne and young Neil where, oooo surprise, we had a BBQ……this time in the p***ing down rain.  Thank you for the covered area outside the house.  Leanne announced that she had two wasps nests under the facia boards at the front of the house.  Neil realised that they could be reached from the bedroom windows so at dusk the two Neils sprayed the nests.  The following morning there were no wasps flying in and out.  When Leanne looked out through the downstairs window there was carnage!!  Out on the terrace there were two huge piles of dead wasps…….result.

Sunday arrived and Cheryl and Leanne headed off to Champneys Springs Health Spa for a celebratory girls session with Lisa.  11 ladies (Neil used that term lightly) armed with their body weight in Prosecco and snacks descended on the hotel for 2 days of pampering, exercise, eating, drinking and laughing.  They had a hoot.

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Watch out for the next blog issue, we hope to have big news!