Busy weekend.

It has been a pretty dull few weeks since my last post spent mostly decorating the house and sitting in the sun reading. Easter was quiet as I couldn't go very far as my car had a leaking radiator. Took about a week to get it repaired as the mate fixing it was given the wrong rad twice each time necessitating a replacement the next day, with the bank holidays it seemed that I was carless in the countryside for ever. It is not until you are stranded that you realise just how bad local transport really is. One night after getting the bus into town to watch the Liverpool vs PSV game I went to the shops and waited for the bus at the supermarket stop only to find out too late that the last one at night does not cal there. Ended up walking home from Helston, 5 miles at 11:30pm with two bags of shopping. Tried to hitch a lift and was lucky enough to get one for some of the distance so it only too just about an hour. Good exercise though!!!!

Mum in her new kitchen

Last Friday we had a party for my mother's 80th birthday at her home in Shrewsbury. We were three of my sisters from the Worcester, Mass,USA, Folkstone, England and Perth, Scotland with their families, family friends from London and Scotland, grown up nephews from Edingurgh, Scotland and neice studying in Prague, Checz Republic along with some of her friends in Shrewsbury. It was great to see them all as I have not met many of them for years what with living at the far end of Cornwall and working around the world. The weather was glorious and most of the day was spent in the garden drinking and eating. Mum had not wanted a big do for her birthday as she professes to hate large family gatherings, something she should have thought about before having 7 children. She had not wanted for us to spend lots on a frivolous party and asked for contrubutions to her latest epic journey. In the evening after cutting the cake that Dette and her daughters decorated to look like mums garden, although I still think the tree was a rogue scarecrow, we handed her a bok of cash to help pay for her Trans-Siberian railway trip this September.

My sster Bernadette and family

The following day I had to leave the ongoing festivities as I had another function to attend. A friend's sister's birthday party in the Black Forge, Walkinstown, Dublin, Ireland. Drove to Liverpool and left the car at a mates place before flying of John Lennon airport. Arrived at the digs in Dublin to find nobody in I called his mobile. The landlord was out with his kids but he had kindly left a key under a rock in the front garden for me to get in. Only in Dublin would you get such a thing these days. The party was a one as Shelia had no idea about it until we managed to get her upstairs in the Black Forge on a pretext and suprised her. After her initial shock everybody had a great time.


Sunday saw me back in Liverpool where Scott picked me up at the airport this time instead of forgetting as he had done in the past. That time I had flown in from Amsterdam for a party they were having to celebrate his father Denis recovering from cancer. Only I had left my mobile and phone book behind and could not get any change for the phone or anyone at home to look in the my spare phone book. Ended up getting hold of my ex boss, who had Denis's number, the next day and finally meeting up the day after the party. As I say this time Scott collected me from the airport and after dropping his van off at his place we hit the bars of Woolton in Liverpool. Had a pleasant Sunday bar hopping with him and Denis.


Monday I went back to Cornwall via Shrewsbury to spend a day with my sister Sheelagh and her family as I had not seen them for at least 18 months as they live in the US. Unfortunatly as I arrived they were leaving to go to the races at Wolverhampton, so I stayed a while with my mum befor heading home. Shitty journey as the motorway was blocked at Bristol. Decided to go through the city rather than sit on the motorway. Not the best idea as lots of other people decided the same and the narrow roads south of the city were clogged but moving. Took 7 1/2 hours instead of the usual 4 1/2.

Spent last week recovering.

Had an offer on the house last week. Very derisory, why do people think that when a house is priced with a rider stating 'Offers In Excess Of' a figure they can offer 10% LESS. Are these people stupid or just greedy. Their excuse for this insulting offer was that they would need to do a lot of work to the house implying that I live in a sub-standard building. If I hadn't laughed at the eastate agent I would have been rather rude about the offer. I did not accept. If anybody knows someone who wants to move to Cornwall and buy a fine 5 bedroom farmhouse the get in touch or visit

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-13546720.rsp?pa_n=1&tr_t=buy