soapdragon Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 Leaving for Devon at 8.00am tomorrow (a bone of contention in itself as I wanted to go at 7.00am but OH said we'd hit traffic at Swindon ) and smaller company car this year...used to having an estate and chucking stuff in willy nilly. Didn't know how lucky we were! So letting off steam here (sorry!) as stressed out! OH says 'If we forget it we'll buy it' but nearest shop will be 20 mins down narrow scary Devon lanes (even scarier than narrow Oxfordshire ones, which do have better visibility ) so now in major panic mode Supermarket order done (including Gin.... ...will need it by then!) as no shop or pub within walking distance but topping up on local delicacies on the way. Will the suitcase fit everything......given very mixed weather forecast and so needing s"Ooops, word censored!"py beach clothes but also some quite nice ones for when we meet up with the distant rellies in Dartmouth!? Wet suits from last year still fit - good news for the boys but think Tellie Tubbie at a funeral for me! Cucumber seedlings outsourced to neighbour with cold frame together with key and instructions on bins to go out...bless him! So looking forward to our one week out of 52 away by YS announced this morning that he had a headache and sore throat and felt hot....have packed Calpol etc but could do without boy flu! Hoping the excitement will get him through it! Weather forecast 18/19 degrees and no rain so happy with that; just hope the boys sleep on the way! Goodness knows how people cope with flights, airports etc...I'd be a nervous wreck and need another holiday to recover (at a posh spa, of course ) What a wimp! And breeeeathe! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursula123 Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 The weather here in Devon is glorious, wall to wall sunshine today and set to continue. I was in Dartmouth yesterday, after delivering Eglu we took a scenic ride home from Plymouth taking in Salcombe, Slapton and Dartmouth such a pretty coastline. I live on the north coast which is equally beautiful. I suppose we just take the country lanes as standard, can always tell a holiday maker on one Have a lovely holiday and relax. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willow Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 Hope you have a lovely time - don't forget lemons and tonic water When we go on hols inEngland I always want to be away by 8am then OH faffs about and hasn't finished work so he's logged in whilst I pack the car, then he faffs some more and we finally get in car for 3pm - all except OH finally he gets in and I do last check cats haven't slipped back into main part of house while front door open waiting for OH and we get away for about 4pm and hit rush Hr traffic. One year there was an accident on M4 and traffic was so bad I made him turn around at next junction as it had taken hours and we weren't going to make it to Devon until after camp site would have shut for night. So we went home (40mins back) and set off again next morning. Good thing though, one of our chickens Daisy died that night unexpectedly and our neighbours would have been really upset and not known what to do with her so had to sort that before we left Despite all that I really want to go camping now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 Hope it all goes well. Men are always laid back as they have to worry about anything. You're the one packing industrial amounts of Calpol and gin. Just remember the Calpol for son not the gin. Mine always got I'll on holidays. Well it's freezing in London. January has returned. So cold feet under duvet under cat whose on top of duvet. Bliss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted June 2, 2016 Author Share Posted June 2, 2016 OOOh, though Calpol and Gin interchangeable !!!! No, seriously, have ordered the tonic and limes as well but MUST remember NOT to grab delivery man and ask for gin as soon as he gets there (only because there are no ice cubes so NEED to get gin in the freezer asap ) Yes, agree that blokes just have the route to ponder whilst ladies have everything else!!!! Glad to hear the weather is good down there Ursula...OH has rellies in Dartmouth so will be spending a day there and poss Blackpool Sands...he is quite relaxed about the lanes...learned to drive with his cousin in Stoke Fleming so comes as second nature but I do like to be able to see what is coming What will be will be...just hope we can get the other side of Exeter before a wee stop as otherwise journey seems to take forever! Sings.......'Wish me luck as you wave me goodbye'..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 Visions of you grabbing poor bloke and screaming "where's the gin what have you done with it"? Can see headlines "chicken keeper manhandles Tesco\waitrose\sainsbury delivery man for alcohol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted June 2, 2016 Author Share Posted June 2, 2016 Good grief.......how well you seem to know me and we've never even met Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patsylabrador Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 Have a marvellous time....and treasure it. I have golden memories of chaotic unpredictable holidays with the kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 Have a lovely time. Wherever you are the supermarkets wil deliver - even down here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted June 2, 2016 Author Share Posted June 2, 2016 I am so glad that we have spent so many holidays in the same place as I think the boys will have happy memories of it rather than going to different places each year. As a parent its always nice to know where things are - like A&E etc!!!!! The West Country is wonderful (BC we spent many happy hours just outside Bude) sometimes I feel we should be a bit more adventurous but when you find something that works then you do stick with it. Who cares if its blowing a hoolie on the beach.....it just makes the sound of the sea even better! I can live with being a grockle for a week too !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jess1merlin Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 (edited) Hope you enjoy yourselves, where in Devon are you going? It's lovely weather down here Edited June 3, 2016 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 Enjoy, love a seaside holiday but hate the packing and unpacking One year we arrived for and 8pm-10pm delivery slot for shopping but shopping didn't arrive until nearly 10:30 because driver got lost. Fortunately we had tea, milk, crisps and two bottles of wine with us, so by the time he arrived we didn't care and it was actually a great chilled family evening where we just sat around the big kitchen table and put the world to rights, not what we had planned but a great memory non the less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted June 3, 2016 Author Share Posted June 3, 2016 Well, here we are in Bigbury on Sea in glorious South Devon..........stopped in Kingsbridge on the way as its only 20 mins from here and they have a foodie festival this weekend. Had Nepalese Momos (dumplings either veg or beef with an amazing sauce) for lunch....yum! A first for me but truly delicious! Spent most of the journey in a panic as could'nt remember if I'd changed the Tesco delivery address from last years rental....just up the road and, if I had, had I ordered cucumber for YS I had and they arrived promptly at 4.00pm thus allowing me time to freeze the gin in good time - phew! Just getting into the first of the five paperbacks that I brought and am desperate to get through! Is anyone else off self catering this summer? If so, where to and what will you be taking as your 'must haves'? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willow Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 Gosh you did well (we are always impressively late ) I'm hoping we'll manage a weeks camping as well as main holiday. We all read so case of paperbacks, for camping I like those little tins of premixed G&T & scrabble - although being dyslexic I'm always out really early the others enjoy it. Oh and all the camping stuff, bodyboarding bits, food, clothes, kitchen sink... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 I am impressed your child eats cucumber. I have failed my kids. Have a lovely time - I think we may be distant cousins as manhandling any bloke bearing alcohol/choccies/ cake / or a take away is the way to go IMO. Happy manhandling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted June 4, 2016 Author Share Posted June 4, 2016 Bless you! No manhandling required (thank goodness as he really wasn't my type!!!!) My Asperger's means that we are ALWAYS early which can be great but not always! BTY cucumber is as good as it gets.......celery, raw tomato and beetroot are right out the window (mind you, can't blame him, bleugh!) Have bough YET more paperbacks in local charity shops .... hoping the weather holds and I can sit outside and finish them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 Sounds like a positive start, enjoy My YD loves cucumber will eat a whole one as a snack, I grow them for her in the summer. Lidl sell small snack size ones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted June 5, 2016 Author Share Posted June 5, 2016 OOOh yes, I have bought those from Lidl....YS says they taste more cucumbery than the big ones Have tried to grow my own baby cues this year but three died when trying to harden them off so have left the remaining baby plants in a neighbour's cold frame whilst we are away! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted June 5, 2016 Share Posted June 5, 2016 Have you tried Qcumber sparkling water instead of tonic water with your gin? Would definitely recommend! and its on offer in Tesco this week G&Q could work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted June 6, 2016 Author Share Posted June 6, 2016 Thanks for the tip...I will look out for it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted June 7, 2016 Share Posted June 7, 2016 That Qcumber stuff is lovely Feel for me - it looks like we will be 'self catering' in a caravan for 3 months while the new house is sorted out! That's us, plus the dog & the cat.....all in a caravan. The Gin is already packed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groovychook Posted June 7, 2016 Share Posted June 7, 2016 Blimey, you're going to be needing a lot of gin Cinnamon Hope you're having a fabulous holiday Soapdragon... If the weather is the same in Bigbury as it is in Cornwall, you've picked a great week for your hols Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted June 7, 2016 Share Posted June 7, 2016 We used to go away for a fortnight's holiday every year - mum, dad, five of us and sometimes my granny as well in a rented house by the seaside. We had a wonderful time and I have very many happy memories, it was many years later that I realised that the word 'holiday' for my mum meant packing everything into the car, cooking for seven in a strange kitchen which probably didn't have everything she needed, and washing nappies/baby clothes by hand during the fortnight. To her credit she never complained, I recall wonderful picnics (complete with sand in the sandwiches) and she did get the occasion night off when we had fish and chips. Given that there were no coolbags, freezers or microwaves and only local shops it can't have been easy, and I'm sure I remember her making pies and pasties as well as cooking evening meals. I should add that she wouldn't have had any help from granny! Hope you're having a good time, soapdragon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted June 7, 2016 Author Share Posted June 7, 2016 Olly, that brough back memories of our childhood holidays in East Wittering, Sussex with Mum doing all the usual mum things as we couldn't afford to eat out..poor mum! It was a very basic bungalow and I can remember being roundly told off for ruining the candlewick bedspread by picking tufts off it one rainy afternoon Whatever happened to candlewick....prob went the same way as crimpelene for which we should all be thankful!!!!! I digress.........We have been lucky with the weather so far and I even ventured into the sea this afternoon along with ES. I did have a wetsuit on though (still think Tellie Tubbie at a funeral!) and we did eat out at Rockfish in Dartmouth for lunch yesterday. Still the washing machine has been on almost every day and I spend ages hoovering up sand every morning The sun cream has been well and truly sloshed about too, much to the boy's disgust. Almost have to get them in a headlock to apply it...known as sungloop in our house Cinnamon, have I missed your post about your new house ? Hadn't realised that you had found your dream, where, when, etc? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted June 7, 2016 Share Posted June 7, 2016 I have missed it too. Thought I was up to date with Omlet goes. Obviously not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
