Day 335 - Sagas & Shahpura!!

Couldn't resist another wander down memory lane when these two moments popped on today's Facebook memories...

Two years ago today I dressed up like a Kerala waiter for the "Spiraling Downwards Kerala Night"!!!  After our fab trip to South India I tried to recreate various curries from that region - a spicy night with just a touch of alcohol!!  Fun times :-) 

And keeping the India theme going...last year on this day I stayed in the most stunning place called Shahpura Bagh.  It has the most amazing pool, friendly hosts and the fort at sunset with a chilled glass of Sula was magical - anyone who asks me for a holiday to Rajasthan gets this property recommended!  And did I mention the food.....wow....

Day 334 - The Taj T-shirt!

I love these alerts from Facebook that show photos/posts from this day in previous years!

Except when it highlights the fact I have worn the same t-shirt on the 30th March 2013 & 2014!! Call the fashion police!!!

Let's make it three years in a row!!  After all it is a special t-shirt - bought in Barcelona during Natalie's 30th weekend....

Day 333 - Granola & Ragu

Lovely evening in the Townhouse with old and new friends, but why did I think shots and Long Island Ice Teas would be a good combination!!?

On my walk home an unexpected meeting with the Pope-Treloars on Camden Road led to white wine drinking, Youtube music memories and a 2am finish!!

But it wasn't 2 - it was 3.....the darn changing of the clocks!!  A lost hour....

So when my alarm went off at 8:30 for spin.....it was very tempting to just roll over and pass on the torturous Sunday spin....but with the cream teas, meals and alcohol overkill of the past few weeks I dragged my tired shell to the gym.

Over the last few days I have been quite experimental in the kitchen.  I feel like I'm eating too much bread, especially in the mornings - so I found a recipe to make my own granola....and do you know what it is really good.  Nuts, oats, seeds, dried fruit all mixed together with honey and syrup and then cooked in the oven for 30 minutes.....easy and tasty!!

And tonight I tried Sausage Ragu - the recipe needed a glass of red wine....and a nice glass(es) of red complimented the ragu beautifully.

Day 332 - The 40s.....

....and a youngster!!!!! One by one the school friends are reaching that benchmark birthday....only Mads is left in her 30s!!!!  Not long Mads, August is fast approaching!

So today was Eve's day to celebrate turning 40!!! 

We had a lovely afternoon at Sissinghurst Castle Gardens, so nice to catch up with good friends and Eve's family.....shame the weather wasn't nicer but the chilly day made us appreciate the cream tea even more!!!!

Happy birthday Eve. G x

Day 331 - Garycaching!!!!

If we are not careful the FNC could become the GNC...."Geocaching Nutty Crew"

On Monday night, sweaty after our spin class myself and Mr Treloar headed for Stanley Road to find our first Geo, but alas in the dark we failed - but did look very suspicious....and weird!

Over at Geo headquarters our leader Solange gave me a hint - look up!!  So after work I planned to find that elusive bugger!

On the way to work I stopped off at Horsmonden village green where there are 3!!! Could I find them?  No, of course I couldn't!!! Instead was told by a builder that it could be in the public toilet (left quickly) and received strange looks from the locals when I was rummaging around the village post box!!!!

In my work road there is another one and our Geo Guru (aka Solange) gave me the coordinates and after work I loitered down a lane staring at a hedge for 10 minutes....again unsuccessful. 

On my return to Tunbridge Wells, I found that little bugger, my first Geo....it was a bolt!!!  Opened it up and could I get the log book out, no.....so the drama continued!!! I drove the bolt home used a BBQ skewer to get it out....signed the log and then I walked it back to its home!!

Addictive, crazy, obsessive and just plain fecking weird!!!  I love it....

Day 330 - Zizzzzzzzzzzzzzi

I am pleased to report that Zizzi's is back on the "to-go" list - I have avoided it for years as the service was extremely questionable.  But Nat was tempted there last night due to a free birthday meal and Prosecco offer so off we went...

As my parents are regulars in Strada, they got friendly with the manager called Iveta - but a few months she announced that she was leaving to become the manager at Zizzi.  So I was interested to see if Iveta had turned it around...and I have to say she has, the service and food were excellent!!  The Fritto Misto starter was delicious (but drop the artichoke) and the new Pizza Rustica Pulled Pork Napoli was a revelation!!

No birthday is complete without a cake.....

Also how nice is the Townhouse - a venue for the more sophisticated clientele who likes table service, not too loud so you can talk and seating.....that's my preferred environment these days, getting on!!!

Day 329 - Happy Birthday Nat!!! 🎈🎊🎉🎁

Happy Birthday Natalie Ria Harris!!

"You are the Dancing Queen, young and sweet, only thirty three"

"Some people think I'm bonkers

But I just think I'm free

Man, I'm just livin' my life

There's nothin' crazy about me"

"Cheers to the freakin' weekend

I drink to that, yeah yeah"

"Winter, spring, summer or fall

All you got to do is call

And I'll be there

Yes I will

You've got a friend"

"But we're never gonna survive, unless

We get a little crazy

No we're never gonna survive, unless

We are a little crazy"

Happy Birthday Nat :-)

Day 328 - Mr Benn!!!

Who remembers Mr Benn?

Well walking into Mads' guest bedroom at the weekend was like entering Mr Benn's costume shop!!

One moment I was in Jumanji, then a possessed Viking warrior, swigging ale like Henry VIII and.....

....finally, I have no idea what!!?  But Mads said I looked like a character from Donnie Darko....I just googled it and she compared me to an evil looking rabbit!!  So actually, she is spot on.....

Good bye from me, and goodbye from Mr Benn!!

 

Day 327 - "Somerset Saturday Part 2"

Part 2 of Somerset Saturday contained a reoccurring theme....food and beverages!! 

After Porlock we drove to Selworthy, a lovely village with attractive thatched cottages - very picturesque, almost like a film set.

This is where you can find the "Periwinkle Cottage Tea Rooms" - I have a photo of Nan from here devouring a humungous prawn salad.  It hasn't changed a bit and is still as lovely and we sat in the sun drenched garden enjoying a drink...and the prawn salad is still on the menu!

Then to our final stop the lovely market town of Dunster - as we left the castle car-park we discovered carnage and the smell of tar - no it wasn't a Medieval tarring and feathers re-enactment but the whole of Dunsters road had been dug up and being resurfaced....kind of detracted from the beauty of the old village.  However, I found the bridge where we had family photos taken.....but time was getting on and most of the places for cream teas (yup, hungry again!!) looked closed.....

....but don't worry, "Locks Victorian Tea Rooms" welcomed us in and the scone with plum jam and cream was delicious....it didn't touch the sides!!

Then back to Mad's pad with a selection of bitter, as I felt a beer tasting session was called for!!  So we tried four different ones whilst playing "Cards Against Humanity" - a game that is so wrong that it is oh so right, and bloomin' hilarious.

By the way Lance unanimously won the tasting session.....I was disappointed with the Banana Bread, too sweet and pungent....and the Ferret, just yuck!!

That's it from Somerset :-)

Day 326 - "Somerset Saturday Part 1"

I'm Tunbridge Wells bound, whizzing cross country on the train.....so I thought lets get this blog started!!

So here we go with "Somerset Saturday Part 1".....I opened the curtains to blue skies, so on went the shorts....and by 09:30 we were out the house as Mads had a full day's itinerary planned :-)

First stop was a new experience for me, a lovely beach area called Kilve.  Great views from the headland, and down on the beach were lots of fantastic rock formations, many of them containing fossils. 

Then back into the car to a very special place for me - Porlock!!  I spent many holidays here with the family and heading back here brought the happy memories flooding back....including Englebert the pheasant in the cottage garden (named by nan) who lacked tail feathers and the grumpy old woman in the Harbour Stores who would only allow Grandad one pint of milk a day.....

We wandered around Porlock and Mads showed me Medieval graffiti on the crypts in the church of St Dubricius....some dating back to 1591....the Banksy of a bygone era!!?

Then it was time for lunch, and I had a yearning for a good old steak pie and my new "love" Otter Ale....so we headed to Porlock Weir and the Ship Inn, where both my needs were satisfactorily met!!

We wandered past the Harbour Stores and I almost popped in for a pint of milk!  Then a stroll along the beach where Mads and Shiny gathered lots of driftwood for next year's bigger and better Christmas tree. 

Next time on Somerset Saturday - did the Periwinkle still do my Nan's prawn salad and were we too late for a cream tea in Dunster!!!!???

Day 325 - Shiny & Mad!!

There are not many people that can say that they have been given these rendezvous instructions "meet Shiny in the Plough he will be the one dressed as a Medieval archer!!!"

Mads & Shiny take part in Medieval reenactments at castles around the country, and as Mads was finishing off some Friday marking at school Shiny cometh and meeteth me at the olde Plough tavern....straight from shooting arrows at a castle in Wales.

Today has been epic and they have taken me to many old haunts that the Tree family visited on bygone family trips.....brought back a lot of happy memories and smiles!!!  Too much to write about in one blog so it will follow tomorrow whilst I'm on the train back to Tunbridge Wells.....and reality!!!

So here is a montage of us catching up and having a blast....yes I know Comic Relief was last week!

Thanks Shiny & Mad for a fab couple of days!!!

Right we have some "proper" beer tasting to commence......I'm very much looking forward to trying the Banana Bread Beer!!!! Intriguing!! 

Day 324 - Totnes to Taunton

My back is OK!!! I must have fallen well, like Madonna but without an Armani cape!!!!

The parents departed Devon and I was dropped in Totnes at 9.  My train wasn't until 12:51 so time for a bit of a wander and a long leisurely brunch!!!!

After a morning call of nature I left the WC and spotted all these people staring at the sky like something out of Independence Day!!! Then I realised the eclipse thing was happening, but I heard my mother's warning "Don't look at it, you'll go blind"...after a quick peak, don't tell Eileen I found shelter in the Dartmouth Inn - £5:95 breakfast buffet....result!!!!

Totnes is Ok, bit blah...my best picture is of a door knocker, but what a beauty!

The train only took an hour and I had a few hours until meeting my friends - Taunton has lots of churches, shops, heritage buildings and people obviously as mad as a box of frogs....Meerkat Madness!!!

 

To be continued......

Day 323 - The Salcombe Finale!!

After yesterday's 5 hour trek I won't lie my aging legs were a little weary - and looking out the bedroom window to a grey sky didn't inspire me to do another walk.....but Tree senior had other ideas!

So by 9:30 we arrived at Noss Mayo, a lovely estuary village....but seriously could it have been any colder?? And why did I think shorts were a good idea!!??

So we started to ascend the cliff path when I had a cunning plan to keep warm, walk along the sheltered cove....so leaving the parents to battle the elements I backtracked!

As an animal lover I was trying to avoid a family of periwinkles as I walked down the treacherous slipway!!  In the process I slipped on some seaweed and ended up on my arse with a thud....squashing the poor winkles I was trying to avoid!!  Back is OK at the moment, but I reckon tomorrow morning will be a different story!!

After my dramatic display I thoroughly enjoyed the walk and found a stunning secluded cove, but had to walk back sharpish as I noticed the tide coming in!!

Met up with the folks who had turned back due to the cliff wind, and we were soon in the The Ship Inn for a coffee stop to warm up!!!  Then it was back to Salcombe where Mum announced it was chips O'clock!! Of course I had to help her.  

Then it was packing, followed by an M&S Chinese deal and a bottle of delicious Prosecco to toast a lovely week that I will treasure dearly. 

Goodbye Salcombe you have exceeded yourself, Ma & Pa you haven't been too shoddy either. X 

Day 322 - Bolt Tail to Bolt Head & Bitter!

At 9:15 I was dumped at Hope Cove for my hike from Bolt Tail to Bolt Head and then continue back to Salcombe.

Even though the sun was out and not a cloud in the sky the coastal wind was very strong, and at one stage so strong that it blew my cap off....luckily not down some cliffs, but I did have to chase it down a coastal path!!

I have done this walk several times over the years and it reminds me of nostalgic family holidays......I always remember losing my coin pendant at Soar Mill Cove when I was 14 - weirdly I did look for it today!!!  Just in case, you never know....alas it didn't magically appear, but look at the horns on this:

Just after my dad's favourite spot Soar Mill Cove, I looked back and saw something dark in the water - too far away to see what it was!! Maybe a dolphin or shark...or probably me just seeing things!!

By now I was needing my coffee, it was 11:45 after all and I had seen online a walker's hut serving drinks...it took awhile to find it but when I did it was very unique!  Situated in a barn and it was self service with a honesty box, there's not many places you could do that now - and my god the carrot cake was absolutely delicious!!!

After this I headed back to the trail and by 2:15 I was back at the cottage enjoying tea (and a scone!!). 

The week is now flying by and we had our final dinner out - at the local pub "The Victoria Inn"....great Seabass and the local bitter was very mourish!  Yes I did say bitter....

Have I turned to the bitter side? 

Day 321 - Trekking Trees!

Thankfully the forecast was right and the sun was trying to burst through the clouds, so we decided on a walk to Gara Rock. 

We had to catch a ferry over to East Portlemouth, and as it's off season there's no set time...just when the "captain" and his dog can be bothered to drag themselves out the cafe!! 

 

We finally got across the ria and set off on the hike, but firstly I wandered across Small's Cove and felt like I was in a Leona Lewis song: You'll find my "tiny size 7" footprints in the sand. 

This walk is stunning - beautiful views, rugged cliffs....but forget all that, mum was looking forward to her cream tea at the newly renovated Gara Rock Hotel. 

We clambered up the last steep hill to Gara, to find the complex closed...maybe we should have googled opening days - closed on Tuesdays!!  Imagine the look on mum's face.....the ultimate Tree rage!!!

So with a hugely disappointed Mummy Tree we headed back to Salcombe....but don't worry after an hours trek and ferry journey back - the cream tea was found and peace resumed!!!  

After "scone-gate" mum was taken back to the house to relax and us lads hit another trail...a Tree favourite, and the sun was shining!  The walk overlooks Salcombe and is just the most amazing place.

This holiday is not all about food and booze, honestly!!! We are here for the walking, sightseeing, culture etc...

....but the bottle of Champagne we've just devoured was lovely!!!! :-)

Day 320 - Unlimited Chips!!!

No fasting this week as I'm on holiday and just as well as our lunch today was at Rockfish in Dartmouth....fab haddock and get this...unlimited chips!!! I had two portions, well you have to when it's on offer!!!  

The waitress was so lovely, with lines like "Glad you enjoyed it my lovers!!"

I like Dartmouth and even though it was gloomy and bloody freezing AGAIN - we had a nice wander, and did I really need another two new shirts....yes!!!!

Then back to the ranch for a few hours before we were tempted to the swanky Salcombe Hotel, well if you promote half price G&T's you will get three ropey trees appear!!!

I liked this quote on the drinks menu: 

"I drink to make other people more interesting" Ernest Hemingway

Now I'm settling down with another Oscar winning film, Blue Jasmine...it's like Oscar season here at Combehaven!!

Apparently the cloud is dispersing tomorrow and we could see some sun....fecking better!!!!

Day 319 - Mother's Day

Alas no good luck today and grey skies and drizzle have hit Salcombe....but it's Mother's Day and nothing will dampen our mood!!

After a Sunday lye in, and breakfast with the card and flowers ceremony!  We decided to brave the elements, anorak-ed up and headed out for a wander.  We had only been gone for 10 minutes before we opted for a latte and sheltered from the nippy breeze!!  The Sailor.V was a perfect choice, a funky little place with great decor.

We walked down to North Sands beach and quickly headed back (to escape the wind) for a light lunch of quiche and salad at the cottage.  

Dad, who always needs to be on the move booted up and went for another stroll....I was quite happy to sit on the sofa and keep mum entertained!!  Got her settled with a glass of white, chocs and put on Silver Linings Playbook.  Such a great film. 

Then it was time to take mum out for her Mother's Day treat - dinner at NO55!!  A lovely family run restaurant in the centre of Salcombe!  The owners were a delight as was the food...I went for the seafood double - squid followed by mussels....and we splashed out on Prosecco!!!  Mum loved it which is the main thing, especially the treacle tart...but we were in by 9 so she could lust after Poldark!!

Cheers and Happy Mother's Day!