THEY DO SAY TAKE TIME TO SMELL THE FLOWERS

Well after a very pleasant week in leffo, I'm heading further south. I have driven for 3hr 15 mins &. Arrived at a free aire in the village of Grez Neuville on the banks of the river Mayenne for an overnight stop. There is a party of about 15 French people sat outside the motorhome next to me enjoying a typical 3 hour Sunday lunch at a long table groaning with food & wine. Shame my French isn't up to     " room for a small one ?". A charming little village but closed cause it's Sunday :- 

NO SUCH THING AS A FREE LUNCH

Well I have arrived in leffo to spend a week with Penny & Ken before wandering South. It's been nice & sunny every day so far with temperatures in the twenties. Penny ,who is a workaholic has started to point the outside of the house which is 82 feet long by 21 feet wide so I guess it will take a while. Ken has plumbed in a shower. My contribution has been moving a tree from the garden to the back of the house ready to be chopped into logs for the fire.

Where talking big logs!!?

A long way to go. Today we are off to eat out at restaurant called L' Aromatic for lunch.

Butternut gratin

Duck. Wonderful presentation &  only €13 / £10 including a glass of wine. Now in McDonald's to post this blog& check Facebook 

LEFTIE SURVIVES SURGERY

Well reader, Leftie & I are off on another adventure. I've been back in th UK since April mooching about & so am ready to do it all over again. Some of the same & some new places. Leftie has not been well, off & on since I bought him just over 18 months ago. I need not bother you with the details suffice to say he has had power issues which has sometimes proved a bit of a problem. I have spent hundreds of pounds trying to sort the problem without success but hav.ng been given the the heads up via the Hymer Classic forum, even though Leftie won't qualify for another six years I was given the name & address of a Fiat wizard . Because said wizard is in Poole, Dorset I have planned a visit on my way south for the winter. So today Leftie has undergone surgery under the hand of Essanj. He seems to have made a miraculous recovery in there hands. & is now raring to go on another adventure. We are booked on a ferry from Portsmouth to Caen tomorrow afternoon on the first leg of a trip that will hopefully take us both to Brittany , France, Spain, Italy, Greece & back in the next 12 months. I do hope you will share the journey with me. Let's face it it won't cost you a penny ! Sit back & enjoy. My plan is "there is no plan" so it should be fun 😎

GIRVAN THE CHOICE

My trip into Ayr turned out to be a short one. A town on the East cost of Scotland with little appeal. Got off the bus walked round for an hour then back on the bus. Old fashioned Bus station with a Guy controlling the arrivals & departures by blowing his whistle. Seem to remember that back in the late Fifty's  Talk about on the buses  

As I walked round the town I was looking for a Butchers to buy some local sausage. It was my way back to the bus station after searching in vain I spotted on down a back street. I told them I was surprised to find only one butcher in the town & the Lady who served me said with a straight face once there where two, but then one shut down. Too much competition I expect. I didn't have the heart to tell her about Barnsley market The only saving grace I found whilst waiting for the bus back was the excellent use of a church.

J D Wetherspoon's from the outside

And from the inside perhaps you can listen to a sermon on the evils of drink while you have a drink.

Can't wait for this new Cafe to open

Follow us on Facebook !!!!! I'd rather eat me own leg

Sorry Ayr but your a bit of a DIVE

Girvan on the other hand was a very pleasent little place with a working harbor, along with TWO butchers. Alas I forgot to take my camera so will leaveyou wondering. 

Rain and Midges today so off to make some Scones.

AYR TODAY GIRVAN TOMORROW

Arrived at the cc & c site at Culzean Castle just south of Ayr in a Country Park run by the National Trust, don't usually pay to go round castles Etc as it eats into the budget but I'm really glad I made an exception here.

Sunset over the Isle of Arran taken from Lefties front window

 Taken ten mins later

There's not a lot to say for old age but one benefit is concessionary rates on lots of things I.E. a saving of £4 for entrance to the Castle & grounds.

An original

Takes me back

A nice afternoon out followed by wine. Cheers. Off to Ayr tomorrow on the bus (Scotland doesn't accept English Bus passes shock horror )

 

LITTLE MISS MOFFAT

Now in Moffat, in the boarders.Stayed here for a week last year so have nothing new to report. Pleasant small town, the drive across from the East coast was lovely although narrow in parts with sunshine, heavy rain & high winds. Went on one of the suggested walks along the river bank where all manor of wild life is to be found including Kingfishers !!!! must have been their day off as I saw absolutely nowt.

the site at Moffat

Too small, would need 6 to make a pie

A KENDAL IN THE WIND

After a nice family get together I have set off for  the town of Kendal in the Lake district. I have to tell you that Kendal is very big for it's size and has some very interesting alleyways & buildings. It's a thriving town with hardly a vacant shop. If you go you should pop into Nero coffee & check out the staff. The day I went in there were three members of staff on. One,a man who thought he was a girl, a girl who though she was a man & a girl with purple hair and more tattoo's than I could count. very entertaining.

A special breed of sheep dog

510 calories in an 85 gm bar

Next stop, Dunster hill in the North East for two or three nights. This is Caravan & Camping club site which suits me very well as outside High Season ( basically when the schools are on holiday ) I get 25% off making a typical cost of £10.50 a night which is good value. A bonus on this site is that the bus stops right outside. Allowing me to travel for free with my bus pass South to Alnwick or North to Bamburgh Castle & Berwick on Tweed. First trip out is to Bamburgh to see the castle and visit the Grace Darling Museum.

Grace Darling was born in Bamburgh and lived lived on an Island just off the coast in a lighthouse as her farther was the lighthouse keeper. One night a ship foundered on the rocks in heavy seas and Grace & her Farther put to sea in an open rowing boat & managed to rescue 9 souls. Grace was the first woman to receive a meddle froem the RNLI. In the museum you see the the very boat used in the rescue.

Memorial to Grace

Grace immortalized in the middle window ore in hand

This area is well known for its Wildlife so here's a picture of a rare bird.

Yes folks It's a KITE