Saturday, April 02, 2005

Time For A Good Catch-Up

H'ok, a view into the last few hectic weeks of my life. I missed this place and not posting, so I've been making up for it the last couple of days. Where to start? Ok, firstly, spent the best part of a week doing some major decorating. It started about 3 weeks ago and has been pretty full on ever since. Fixed up a slightly damaged ceiling, laid loft flooring, completely redecorated and moved two bedrooms around. Elis has a new big bedroom and we have a small and cramped spare bedroom and computer room.

This has meant lots of rewiring, shifting of mounds of junk, books, photos, bits and bobs, emptying cupboards, etc. This kept me away from everything for the best part of a week - even to the point where I did naff all on my birthday.

Leaving that work unfinished we also had a short 5 day holiday in Devon (one of those cheap collect the coupons from the papers affairs.) We stayed at a holiday park at Challaborough Bay, reached by driving down many miles of single track, twisty and treacherous country lane. We had a cosy little chalet and all sorts of weather. Cold, damp, storm, thunderstorm and sun - topped off with a fabulous view of the bay and the sound of the waves audible from the bed. I didn't go mad with the photos, but here are some of the nice ones.

The bay overlooks Burgh Island, which looked like it was well worth a visit, but we didn't really have a lot of time to explore and ended up missing it.

The first full day we ended up in Totnes, it was cold, grey and Elis was a little displeased about an hour in a car and twisty lanes. I left the camera in my pocket. The second day was sunny and we spent a lot of time on the beach at Challaborough Bay, where the following snaps were taken. The one end of the bay had fabulous surf; it must have been 6-7 foot at times. Here's some views.

Big surf at Challaborough Bay, Devon

Surfers watching big surf at Challaborough Bay, Devon, looking out towards Burgh Island

Dog on beach and more big surf at Challaborough Bay, Devon, looking out towards Burgh Island

Wispy clouds and lovely blue spring sky, Challaborough Bay, Devon

Needless to say, Elis loved the beach.

Elis on the beach at Challaborough Bay, Devon

We took a trip to Torquay the next day where I took a few snaps also (Basil Fawlty land). To be honest I don't like the place - but Mrs Dio spent many a childhood holiday there. It's too big and concretey for me, a real touristy and over developed place. It has one or two nicely decayed old buildings (which I didn't snap), but otherwise it's fairly soulless.

Harbour rails, Torquay

Elis, Torquay harbour

Door arch Cherub, Torquay

On the way back home we stopped at Pennywell Farm and Wildlife Park, Buckfastleigh. It was one of those great places where you could pick-up and pet the wildlife, but Elis was quite retiscent about it. I think it would be a good place to return to when he's a bit older. The final lot of snaps are from there.

Quack, quack - Elis bones up on his duck impersonations despite looking at geese

Way too scary for Elis, the hungry goats of Pennywell Farm

Hungry goats with evil eyes? Pennywell Farm, Buckfastleigh, Devon

I was quite pleased, I did my first major stints of motorway driving, my first drive across the new Severn Bridge and lots of driving in places I've never been before, which did my driving confidence the world of good.

Then, back home for another four days of decorating tidy-up and hardcore web work before returning back to proper work feeling like I was going on holiday.

Posted by Dio Bach at 01:20

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