Mike's musings

Budleigh Salterton

We went swimming again in the morning, and then my Mum came to visit, given how close the cottage is to my parents': only a little over an hour. We felt strongly that we needed to visit Budleigh Salterton. One of the reasons that we wanted to go was because of the fantastic Giles Wemmbley Hogg, Budleigh Salterton's most famous resident. Budleigh Salterton is quite posh. Kind of. It has a very pebbly beach, and dogs aren't allowed on it during the summer. Which is fair enough, but a bit awkward, as my mum had brought their two dogs in the car. And as she'd initially forgotten they were there when she arrived at the cottage, we did feel that they deserved to be out of the boot. So, we took turns heading down to the sea-shore with the girls, and then sitting with the dogs on a bench. Had tea at a lovely tea-room up a side-street: Jo wasn't allowed ice-cream on its own, after an incidence of disobedience earlier in the day (and two warnings), but I did allow her to have it _with_ some chocolate cake. And I got to eat quite a lot of the cake as Jo wouldn't finish it (and that was after a lovely scone with jam and clotted cream).

Labels: beach, family, holiday

Church at Ottery St Mary

(backposting) Kate and I made it to the 0800 BCP Holy Communion service at the beautiful Ottery St Mary parish church. Fascinating place, modelled on Exeter Cathedral. After we got back, we all headed off to Sidmouth beach. Even better than Exmouth, for my money. Random Morris Dancers (female, though they would have been equally random if male, IMHO) on the promenade, then down to the rock pools. Great stuff, and I felt that I did my fatherly duty by finding a hermit crab. Rock pools are fun, they really are.

We wandered into town to grab fish and chips and started eating them on the promenade (morris dancers gone) until the rain really started to come down, when we headed to the car.

Played in the garden in the afternoon, after a trip to the Donkey Sanctuary (which Miri loved, as it had lots of donkeys in it - d'oh- and she loves donkeys, as they are animals, and she loves all animals...), had a good barbecue.

In two weeks I'll be ordained...

Labels: beach, church, holiday

Exmouth

(backposting) In the visitors' book, someone had suggested that Exmouth is a good beach, so we all went out, and had a lovely time. Jo and Miri both loved the sand, the sea and the rockpools. Jo also loved the ice-cream, which, for her, is a - no, make that _the_ - main reason for going to the beach in the first place. Both the girls got a little cold, and had to be bundled up to warm them up: Jo, for some reason, believes that ice-cream will do the same job...

In the afternoon, all of us bar Mac visited Woodbury Park Country Club's swimming pool, which rental of Burrows gave us access to.

Labels: beach, holiday, Jo