A peek inside a 500-year-old farmhouse…Pheasants in the garden…1 day and counting…

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Considerable updating has been done over the centuries to maintain historical integrity.

Fascinating Fact of the Day about Torquay: 
From this site:

“A major development for the future of Tiverton came in 1815 when industrialist John Heathcoat bought an old woolen mill on the River Exe. It followed the destruction of his factory and machinery in Loughborough by Luddites thought to have been in the pay of the Lacemakers of Nottingham. As a result, he moved his entire lace-making operation to Tiverton and such was his reputation for looking after his workforce that 500 people – workers and families – walked the 190 miles from Loughborough to come and live and work for him in Tiverton. The factory turned around the fortunes of the town and once again it became a significant industrial centre in the southwest. Trade was aided when a branch of the Grand Western Canal from Taunton to Tiverton was opened in 1838 followed by a branch of the Great Western Railway in 1848. The Heathcoat factory is still one of the town’s core businesses today.”
When John and Renate invited us to see their historic 500-year-old home, we jumped at the chance. They were packing for their one week holiday and respecting the time they needed to prepare to leave at 2:00 am, we didn’t stay long.
A large dining table suited for their large family who often visits.

It was such a thrill to wander through the house seeing snippets of who they are, the family life they enjoy with grown children and many grandchildren who visit often and the high regard for the property’s history in every change or addition they conduct.

Almost every room has a fireplace or wood burning stove used as supplemental heat for the house.

These two lovely people have meant the world to us. It’s been such a joy to develop close relationships with our landlords/property managers that have endured over the years, most of whom we’re still in touch on Facebook which has proven to be a great resource.

John and Renate’s 500-year-old house has been appointed with authenticity in mind.

Renate and I have sent messages back and forth this past week. They will return hours after we leave tomorrow morning by 10:00 am. We’re sorry we’ll miss seeing them one more time.

Built-in window seats.

Over the past week, we’ve seen several ring-necked pheasants, both male and female hanging around in the garden. We haven’t been able to take a single photo outside since each time we hear or see them, they fly away when they see us.  

An Aga range is known as a top-of-the-line addition to any kitchen.

As a result, all of the bird photos we’ve included here today, except for the three geese, were taken through a window in Pond Cottage. Although it’s not mating season with winter quickly rolling in it’s been delightful to see the groups of males and females, pecking at the grass and making a variety of sounds we didn’t recognize.  

After owning the property for over 30 years, they’ve made many additions such as granite countertops, new appliances, sinks, and cupboards. Floors throughout the house are either original stone or wood.

We’re currently in the process of wrapping up our packing.  Mine and Tom’s clothing bags are done (gee…I love not unpacking!) and downstairs waiting to be transported to the car.  Luckily, once the bags are downstairs, he’ll be able to wheel them to the car.

These three geese stopped by for a visit.

The only other items to pack are the toiletries and supplies bag, the digital equipment and plug-ins and the food. I’ve placed all the non-perishables in one area of the countertop and it will only take moments to load it into grocery bags.  

Over the past week, several ring-necked pheasants, both male and female have been hanging around the garden.

The perishables will go in the yellow insulated Costco bag which surely will stay fresh with only a two-hour drive ahead of us. Since check-out here is 10:00 am and check-in in Monmouthshire is 2:00 pm, we plan to stop for lunch along the way.

From this site: Pheasants are birds that can be found alone or in small flocks. Typically, a mother hen and her brood will stay together until early autumn. While pheasants are able to fly fast for short distances, they prefer to run. If startled, however, they will burst to the sky in a “flush.” Their flight speed is 38 to 48 mph when cruising, but they can fly up to 60 mph. When chased, Pheasants spend almost their entire life on the ground, rarely seen in trees. They eat a wide variety of foods including, insects, seeds, and leaves. Roosters typically have a harem of several females during the spring mating season. Hen pheasants nest on the ground, producing a clutch of around twelve eggs over a two to three week period in April to June. The incubation period is about 23 days.

Tomorrow, we’ll upload our final post for Witheridge including a number of favorite photos. This has been wonderful, for two reasons, one; we’ve loved this farm and two; I regained my health while here. We couldn’t be more cheerful and optimistic.

This adorable bird, a Green Woodpecker, was sitting on a fence post.  We took all of the bird photos through the window glass. They were so close, they would have flown away if we opened the door.

As soon as today’s post is uploaded we’ll be off to the garden to collect a few more tomatoes to take with us for tomorrow night’s dinner. We’ve purposely kept a meal available, to easily cook to avoid the necessity of grocery shopping on our first day in Chepstow. We’ll settle in for a day and then take off shopping and exploring.

Our friends, Lynne and Mick, the most educated birders we know, who live in Jersey, UK, got back to us and identified this bird as indicated above.

Back at you tomorrow! Have a fantastic day!

Photo from one year ago today, October 10, 2018:
We flipped it over for this photo. This is an African Black Beetle. We swept it over the edge of the veranda. A few minutes later a band of mongooses stopped by and one of them immediately started devouring the beetle, savoring it so much, he made funny noises while crunching on its hard shell. Mongooses are carnivores. They don’t sting but have a potent toxin they release when agitated that can feel like a sting and cause irritation. For more photos, please click here.

Socializing tonight…Three days and counting….

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Entrance to the Church of St. Mylor in the sleepy town of Mylor, Cornwall.

Fascinating Fact of the Day About Falmouth:

“Operation Chariot, a famous Commando raid on the heavily defended docks of St. Nazaire in France during World War II, which helped to shape the war at sea, was launched from Falmouth.”

While in South Kensington, London, in 2014, one of our enthusiastic readers took a train from Bristol to meet us in person.  We were flattered by Liz’s interest in meeting us after she’d been reading our posts for the previous two years. Here’s the link to that beautiful day with Liz.
The view of St. Mylor from atop the several flights of stairs. I walked up and down all of these steps with relative ease, well worth the effort.
As mentioned in prior posts, we had a fantastic day with Liz in August five years ago and have stayed in close touch since that time, often exchanging long email messages back and forth.

When Liz read we were coming back to the UK, we were hoping to see her again, especially when we navigate closer to Bristol as we move north/northeast from one of our four locations to another. It appears we’ll be able to meet up in October.

At the bottom of the steps, I was treated to this view.
In the interim, Liz contacted friends who have a rental in Falmouth and were going to be here for a few days until Thursday when they return to Bristol. Liz and Glenn are close friends with the couple.
 
Much to our delight, yesterday Barbara (and husband Chris) contacted us by email to set up a time to get together for dinner, leaving open lots of possibilities as to where we’d meet. In her thoughtful message, she offered to come this way.  
An easy walking path to the graveyard and opposite side of the church.
With the dreadful parking situation coupled with Tom’s frustration over driving around for 45 minutes to find a spot, we decided to go back to the Boathouse for dinner tonight. (I can easily walk this hilly short distance). Barbara and Chris, familiar with the pub, enthusiastically agreed.

This evening at 5:45 pm, we’ll meet them in the pub, staying for dinner after happy hour. We’re so looking forward to socializing once again. The views are spectacular from the pub, and there’s no doubt we’ll have a great evening.
Thanks, Liz, for referring your friends to us!
The cemetery overlooks a yacht club and the sea.
We’re heading to our following location in a mere three days, a converted barn in St. Teath, Bodwin, Cornwall approximately a two-hour drive from Falmouth. We’re so looking forward to our two weeks in this inland area, on a farm with goats, pigs (yes!), sheep, and chickens. Gosh, I need an “animal fix!”

Undoubtedly, the second of our four-holiday homes will serve us well. Of course, as any of our avid readers are aware, the fact this property and the next are located on farms was highly instrumental in our booking these particular properties.

On Thursday, we’ll pack with no worry as to the distribution of the weight of the luggage, except, of course, for the fact Tom has to haul the bags down a flight of stairs in the house and then up 25 uneven stone steps to the street.  

The steep steps from our holiday rental to the street.  Tom will have to haul the heavy bags up these uneven 26 steps.
I’ll go up with him to watch the bags as he gets the car from a distant parking spot and then stay with the car when he goes up and down for more. This has been the one drawback of staying at this lovely property in Falmouth. It would have been much more manageable if we were typical “weekend travelers” with a tiny suitcase or duffle bag. 

For now, over the next few days, until we depart, we’re pretty content, looking forward to making new friends this evening, enjoying the gorgeous ocean views, and simply “being” while reveling in my newfound well-being.


Tomorrow, we’ll share details and photos of our evening out tonight, more food photos, and whatever treasures we may find in between.
Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, September 3, 2018:

Last night, Tom took this photo when he checked the thermometer to find a toad doing the same.  It was 25C, 77F at 2200 hours, 10:00pm. Over the next several months, this toad often rests atop this decorative fixture, later joined by a mate. For more photos, please click here.

Dinner at a local pub with photos…Unusual sunrise…

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View (overlooking an umbrella on the veranda) from the second-level dining area at the Boathouse Pub and Restaurant.

Fascinating Fact of the Day About Falmouth

“Falmouth is home to one of the leading art universities in the UK, but in addition to the creativity the students bring to the town, there are many creative industries located in Falmouth. With a host of shows and exhibitions, Falmouth arguably holds the title for the most creative town in the entirety of the UK!”

On the last several days of the cruise, Tom and I each came down with a cold. His cold resulted in a runny nose, and mine was an outrageous cough. In an attempt to avoid writing more about medical stuff, I didn’t mention it here.
Tom ordered our drinks at the bar.  I had one glass of red wine while he had a beer.
Of course, I was concerned about the dreadful cough turning into pneumonia which is more likely to be an issue after open-heart surgery. Fortunately, I never had a fever, and after about three days, it started to turn around.
 
His cold has since entirely resolved while my cough continues, but he is obviously on the mend. You know how that goes…once it loosens up, it feels as if it’s on its way out.
The sitdown bar.  We moved to the dining room located on the other side of the wall for our meal.
Once we arrived in Falmouth, I purchased several packs of Hall’s sugar-free cough drops. For the first time, I found the cough drops helped. This morning I ran out. I don’t cough that often, but when I do, it’s loud and annoying. Otherwise, I feel blissfully delicate.
 
Tom didn’t care to drive to the pharmacy to purchase more cough drops with the parking situation here. Nor did I ask him to do so. He’d gone around the block for 40  minutes a few days ago looking for a spot and didn’t want to deal with that again.  
My “Sunday Roast” with lamb, cooked cabbage, mashed pumpkin, carrots, green beans, and peas. I traded my starchy vegetables for Tom’s cabbage.
I can’t stress how problematic it is to find a parking space in this area. When finally finding a spot, it often blocks away from the property, requiring a strenuous walk up and down endless steep hills. It’s not pleasant.
 
This morning he insisted on walking to the pharmacy without me.  I wanted to join him, but he felt I wasn’t quite ready for that long a walk up and down these hills. I pleaded with him not to go since I didn’t need the cough drops. I’d be fine without them. He wouldn’t listen.
Tom’s Sunday Roast with beef, oven-roasted potatoes, cabbage, carrots, mashed pumpkin, and Yorkshire pudding.  The potatoes were his favorite.
He took off on foot to the pharmacy, a hilly walk about 10 minutes each way. There was nothing I could say or do to keep him from going or let me join him. Considering that Tom is not an exercise-kind-of-guy who prefers not to walk long distances, I knew this wasn’t his idea of a good experience.
 
However, he recently returned with four packs of sugar-free cough drops and a little brown bag containing two donuts filled with cream and jelly. That’s my guy, always making lemonade out of lemons.
 
Of course, it’s killing me watching him eat the donuts. In my old life (eight years ago), an occasional donut would be a favorite treat. I began eating this way in August 2011 but seldom consumed processed sugary foods before this date.  
Sunrise this morning when Tom was up shortly after 5 am.
Now, all these years later, I haven’t so much as a taste of sugar, starch, grains, or carb-laden foods. At times, I’ve thought, “a lot of good that did me,” but the heart doctors explained I would never have survived if I hadn’t been so conscientious about diet, exercise, and health my entire life. So it continues.
Speaking of food, last night we went out to dinner at the mentioned Boathouse, a short hilly walk from here. We’d made a 6:00 pm reservation, arriving around 5:00 pm for happy hour.
 
The food was fresh, hot, and overall good but nothing compared to the Sunday Roast we’d had at the Andover Arms in London while staying in South Kensington for two weeks in 2014. It was one of those memorable meals we’ll never forget.
Upon taking this sunrise shot, Tom noticed what appeared to be a duck in the cloud formation.
Last night’s dinner was good but not necessarily noteworthy. We’d preordered my dish as gluten-free and starch-free, but Tom’s plate was both gluten and starch-free when the meal was first served.  The server returned both plates to the kitchen and started over.  
 
There were still many items on my plate that I’d specifically stated I needed to avoid, including sugary carrots and starchy peas. I passed my carrots to Tom and pushed my peas around the plate. I love peas, and it was difficult to avoid eating them.
 
It was disappointing that the indoor part of the restaurant doesn’t have a bar with barstools, allowing guests to mingle. There is a bar, but it’s used for handing over beverages to guests and servers, not for socializing. The main bar is outdoors on the veranda, but it was too cool and windy to sit outdoors comfortably.
Zooming in, he could more clearly define the shape of the duck in the clouds.
By 7:30 pm, we were back at the house, spending a pleasant evening streaming a few favorite shows, me sipping tea, and Tom, his ice tea. It was a good evening, as usual.
 
Today will be a low-key day. I have some “paperwork” to handle and two separate meals to prep. Tom will have bunless bacon cheeseburgers with a side of rice, while I have crabmeat salad stuffed into two halves of a small avocado with veggies on the side. 
 
May your Monday be filled with good food and beautiful surprises!
Photo from one year ago today, September 2, 2018:
A pair of laughing doves, commonly seen in the parks and our garden. For more details, please click here.

Beach scenes in Falmouth and gorgeous surrounding areas…

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The greenery, the cliffs, and the white sand beach create a stunning scene at Swanpool.

Fascinating Fact of the Day About Falmouth

“With the development of Falmouth Docks in 1858 and the introduction of railway services to the area in 1863, the town was thriving with business and tourism. Falmouth currently has three railway stations to service the town and is currently noted as one of the key resorts in the UK’s number one tourist destination, with Cornwall attracting an average of 4 million visitors a year!“
Falmouth and its surrounding areas are rife with things to see and do. Whether the casual vacationer wants plenty of dining options, diverse shopping, gorgeous beaches, and over-the-top scenery, this is the place to be. 
A food stand at the beach.
We had no idea how much of a holiday town Falmouth would be, and we couldn’t be more thrilled with the opportunities we’ve had to experience this special location.
Tonight, we’re walking to dinner at the popular, highly rate Boathouse Restaurant and pub, specializing in the “Sunday Roast,” which we were required to pre-order when we called for a reservation. Walk-ins cannot be guaranteed there will be anything left when they arrive.
The beautiful Falmouth Hotel.  From this site: “A unique, Victorian chateau-style hotel set in 5 acres of landscaped gardens,  a prime seafront location, award-winning dining, Caudalie spa, and leisure facilities and overlooking Falmouth Bay and Castle Beach.  On one side is Pendennis Castle, the headland, beach and sea and, on the other, views over to the famous port of Falmouth.”

Some reviewers whinged, leaving fewer stars than they would have when they arrived at 7:00 or 8:00 pm requesting a table and the “roast.” It certainly makes sense that the establishment would only prepare so much food in an effort to avoid unused portions going to waste. These small pub/restaurants can’t afford a lot of leftover meats.

Tomorrow, we’ll post photos of our Sunday Roast experience as we had when we were in South Kensington, London, in 2014, as mentioned in our post of August 28, 2019. 

There was nowhere to park to investigate this historic building.  Thus, a photo while driving.

Need I say we’re enthused to dine out. After all the food on the ship only nine days ago, we needed a break from “big food” and have cooked our meals in the tiny kitchen, mostly basic meals with some form of protein, vegetables, salad, and rice (for Tom only).  

Also, since we arrived here, we haven’t had a wine or cocktail. We’d had enough on the cruise and decided a break would be good. But, I am anticipating a glass of red wine tonight at the bar in the pub at the restaurant. After that, we’ll be back to our teetotaling ways, most likely, except when dining out.

The beach at Swanpool, a popular holiday location.   From this site:  “Swanpool Beach is a delightful swimming cove with adjoining Swanpool Lake Nature Reserve, a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Excellent watersport centre where you can try your hand at dinghy sailing, kayaking or windsurfing. Bouncy castle located on the beach during the summer months for the smaller children. “

Knowing we’re leaving Falmouth in five days, I’ve been thinking about organizing some of our bags, but these short stays in England, requiring lots of packing and unpacking and…living out of a suitcase makes it seem like no sense at all.  


On Thursday, we’ll throw it all together, pack our leftover food (mostly non-perishables) and be on our way to the next location, a 90-minute drive from Falmouth.  

Steps leading to an overlook at Falmouth Bay.

The concept of shorter-term stays is very appealing for our future travels, but there will be circumstances where longer stays are more appropriate. The only drawbacks are the extra packing and unpacking and how we get from one location to another.

Three locations of our four rentals in England are in Cornwall (with one in Wales), and all are within a two-hour drive of one another. This makes travel easy and ultra enjoyable. No possible overweight luggage, no waiting at airports, and no immigration checks and issues (as long as we comply with the terms allowed by each country).

A place to sit and savor the view. 

Gosh, I have a whole new outlook now that I’m feeling well after all these awful months. The future looks bright, and the prospect of walking without pain and exhaustion is truly a gift as we tour an area now and into the future.


Happy day for us and for YOU!

Photo from one year ago today, September 1, 2018:

Every evening around dusk, before Frank and the Mrs. (to his left) go off into the bush to “make their noise,” announcing the beginning of the night, they stop by the veranda steps for birdseed which we happily provide for them. Whatever is left is eaten by either the helmeted guinea fowl or, believe it or not, the warthogs.  For more photos, please click here.

A new lease on life…

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Colorful buildings create a pretty scene on the narrow roads in small towns in Cornwall.

Fascinating Fact of the Day About Falmouth

“Falmouth was the start
and finishing point for both Robin Knox-Johnston and Ellen Mcarthur’s voyages
around the world (Knox-Johnston in 1969 and Mcarthur in 2007) – sailing
non-stop single-handedly.“

It’s foggy, rainy, and humid today but our hearts are filled with hope and optimism. I am better…so much better it’s indescribable. After 6½ months, barely functioning as a frail, shaky, unsteady pain-ridden individual, I am now a completely different person, only five days after completely stopping all three heart medications with terrible side effects.
We wandered through a tiny town after another, often finding this style of row houses on narrow roads.  Banners fly in the main part of town where the shops and restaurants are located.

I can walk. I can climb the stairs. My hands don’t shake. My legs don’t swell. I can breathe more deeply. I can bend over to pick something up off the floor when I suffered dearly in attempting to do so over this extended period. I was no longer sleepy at 10:00 am, about when the drugs kicked in, having taken them at 7:00 am.

Three drugs no longer fill my little pill case; a statin (Crestor), Amiodarone, and Bisoprolol, and the side effects of each are rapidly being released from my system.  

We love driving down these interesting roads in Cornwall.
Oh, I understand the statin enthusiasts who believe in these drugs, but I dare anyone to find a valid study (not funded by Big Pharma) that says otherwise. So far, the only report I can see is that statins may extend the patient’s life by three days. I’ll give up three days for quality of life. 

I won’t get on my Big Pharma soapbox here. Each person must do what is best for them. Please, do not stop any of these or other medications without consulting with your medical professional. In some cases, alternative medicine may be beneficial for a patient’s heart condition.

Both the Amiodarone and Bisoprolol were prescribed for me for aFib (irregular heartbeats and high pulse), which I do not have. Taking medication for a condition you do not have is dangerous and may cause serious consequences.
Suddenly, there would be an opening through which we could savor the view.

No, I am not an expert on this topic nor other medical issues. But, I decided to take my own life into my own hands, as risky as it may have been since I knew if I didn’t, the remainder of my life, albeit short, would have been as a frail, shaky, unsteady pain-ridden individual.  

Perhaps the final road to my full recovery is yet in the future. My right thigh still has a painful hematoma that requires sleeping with a pillow between my knees. The remainder of the horrific wound on my lower left leg still has a way to go to recover fully but is doing well. The incision in my chest continues to be painful to the touch and may hurt during specific movements.

Many of these attached properties are actually single-family homes.

On occasion over these past five days, I feel a little breathless, but it passes quickly. This is normal in the first year after bypass surgery. I don’t panic, and I relax to find breathing easier a few minutes later. In time, all of this will pass simply through the healing process, but at least drugs aren’t paralyzing me.

Tom and I discussed what would have happened had I not weaned off these drugs. I would have been wandering through my life in a haze of exhaustion, pain, immobility, and despair.

Boat lift in Maylor, Cornwall.

One of the most common residual effects of bypass surgery is PTSD, anxiety, and depression. The trauma to one’s psyche as well as their body is astounding.  Somehow, although I felt anxious at times, I wasn’t depressed nor had symptoms of PTSD. I was sick from drugs.

Although I didn’t have the daily face-to-face support of family and friends, I had Tom at my side.  He never wavered in his attentive care and emotional support.  He did everything for me. Now, I’m attempting to encourage him to let me do things for myself, carry a grocery bag, cook a meal or lift anything over five pounds.  

Yes, it will take time to rebuild my muscles and build strength and stamina.  Here in Falmouth, the house is too small for indoor walking, and it’s raining outdoors.  
This bike advertised the local business behind it, a bicycle repair shop.
My goal is to be able to do multiple flights at a time. But the frequent walks on the hilly road on a sunny day will serve me well.  Today, I’ve set my timer to go off every 20 minutes when I’ll walk up the stairs to the second level and then back down. Good exercise.

Thank you to all of our readers who have stood beside me during this lengthy struggle. I apologize for perpetually discussing this topic. When I didn’t, many readers would inquire, wondering how I was doing. Now, I can let this go, and if anything changes, good or not-so-good, I will share it here.

“They,” say writing down how you feel is vastly therapeutic. I’ve always had a voice. I always had YOU! Could it be that I averted depression by being able to share what I was going through with all of you?


Be well. Be happy.
Photo from one year ago today, August 31, 2018:
This was our first daytime giraffe visit at this house. For more photos, please click here.

A sunny day drive into wonderland…

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Look at the number of sailboats moored in this bay!

Fascinating Fact of the Day About Falmouth

“ In 2016, Falmouth was
named best coastal community at the Great British High Street Awards, and in 2018 Falmouth has been named as one of the ‘best places to live in Britain’ by The Sunday Times.“
We can easily see why the above statement under “Fascinating Fact About Falmouth” refers to Falmouth as one of the “best places to live in Britain.”  This is so true.  
If a potential resident can tolerate the “no assigned parking” on the majority of the streets near High Street, the center of town, and are willing to walk up and down many steep hills when out and about, this town has it all.
“The historic parish church of St Gluvias, dedicated to Gluvias of Cornwall (or Gluviacus), serves the Church of England parish of St Gluvias with Penryn. Gluvias of Cornwall was the son of Gwynllyw, the warrior, King of Gwentlog, and a nephew of St Petroc. The church was founded in the 6th century, and the parish was in the Middle Ages, sometimes called Behethlan or Bohelland. In 1881 the church was in a dilapidated state and need of thorough repair. It was rebuilt by J. P. St Aubyn in 1883, although the medieval tower survived and was built of granite blocks. The church contains the brass of Thomas Kyllygrewe, c. 1485. There are also three wall monuments of interest: Samuel Pendarves, d. 1693, and his wife; William Pendarves, d. 1671, and his wife (both are curiously positioned with the figures which should face each other on either side of the corners of a window opening); and J. Kempe, d. 1711, bust under drapery.”
Beauty, outstanding views from almost every location, mild weather in the summer months, friendly people, a quaint ambiance, and a sense of welcoming may be instrumental in making this a perfect place for a move or retirement.

However, I can’t stress how vital it is for a new resident to be pretty fit to tackle the steep hills. Long terms residents are probably in fairly good condition if they’ve been walking these hills for years.
Since the “action” on High Street includes grocery stores, shops, restaurants, and even a movie theater and is easily accessible “distance-wise” from many streets in this neighborhood and parking in town is at a premium, walking is a great way to get around.
The graveyard at St. Gluvias Church in Penryn, Cornwall.

As a matter of fact, on Sunday night, we have a reservation for the “Sunday Roast” at the local Boathouse Pub and Restaurant, which is close enough that we can walk. It’s hilly, but we’ve already tried it a few times, and I can make it up and back.

To give up one’s parking spot for such proximity to the pub makes no sense at all. On Sunday night, everyone maybe home, and finding a new spot will be nearly impossible.

Soon, once Tom finishes watching the last Minnesota Vikings pre-season game, we’ll be off again. It’s time to grocery shop, most likely for the last time with us leaving Falmouth a week from today, and we hope to plan to purchase sufficient groceries to last through the week.  

The side entrance to St. Gluvias Church.
We also plan to dine out on our last night here, Thursday, and have already selected another highly-rated establishment on High Street. Today, we’ll head to the pharmacy, the fishmongers market, and the Tesco grocery store, some of which are too far to walk from place to place.  

Tom will drop me off at the pharmacy, and I’ll meet him at Tesco a short time later. It’s only a block or two, and now as the pain in my legs continues to improve, I’ll be able to make it.

Yesterday, we hit the road again, driving to several picturesque little towns on the opposite sides of the bay. As the crow flies, it may have been a five-minute drive to the first town of Flushing but driving on the narrow, often one-car lanes took quite a while.

Another area of the graveyard.
We drove on to little town after another, reveling in the uniqueness and beauty of each area.  Some tourists wandered about the center of each city but nothing like how many there are in Falmouth, a port of call for many cruise ships that are older and considerably smaller than we’ve experienced.
We found parking spots in and approaching the small towns on several occasions stopping to walk to take photos. It was a blissfully sunny day, and we couldn’t have been more enthused to be out.

I surprised myself how much easier it was to walk up and down the many stairs and hills we encountered along the way. At times, Tom stayed with the car when there was nowhere to park, while I took off on foot on my own to get better photos.
Last posted church bulletin.

It was the first time I’d taken on such a challenge in almost seven months, and I felt energized and refreshed being able to make it up and back to the various venues, primarily churches, mostly up and down hills, without getting out of breath with heart racing by the time I reached the car.  

I’m hopeful for the future, more now than ever then, I dared allow myself to be.  But, you know how it is, as soon as we mention something improving, the next day can prove to be tough. So I play it by ear, one day at a time, until I can freely feel confident that I’ve fully healed.


May your Friday and upcoming weekend be filled with many beautiful surprises. For those in the US, please have a safe Labor Day weekend!

Photo from one year ago today, August 30, 2018:

This male ostrich appeared comfortably seated in the middle of a driveway of a bush home. For more photos, please click here.

Staggering beauty in the seaside country…

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Ruins at the shoreline at an overlook.

Fascinating Fact of the Day About Falmouth

“It was following the development of the docks in 1858 and the introduction of railway services in 1863 that the town began to thrive as tourism and business prospered.”

Today, our photos are a bit hazy due to a cloudy overcast day which is not uncommon in England. Sunshine is a hot commodity here in the UK, even during the summer months.

Sailboats in the harbor.

The expectation of sunny days is foolhardy, and planning outdoor activities for the future is risky, often resulting in disappointment. This weather is not unlike the temperature in Ireland which we left a mere three weeks ago when we flew to Amsterdam to embark on the Baltic cruise.

As is the case in Ireland, there appear to be more cloudy days than sunny.  As a result, we do our best to take bright day photos.  However, we don’t allow the sun to dictate when we venture out or not.  As long as it’s not pouring rain, we’ll head out.
Young men were sitting on rocks overlooking the bay.

Nonetheless, we’ve had opportunities to see some beautiful areas on sunny days or not. Also, what starts as a sunny day can become overcast in minutes.

We’re enjoying our time here. The house is comfortable, and the views are beyond description. At times, we’ve found ourselves on the veranda at night in the dark, staring at the boats in the harbor and the stars in the sky  when its clear. 
Cloudy day views across the bay.

There’s always something magical about being near water, whether its overlooking a pond, a lake, a river, a stream or the vast expanse of the ocean.  Our eyes are drawn to its ethereal qualities, leaving us mesmerized and enchanted.

Yesterday afternoon I spent over an hour on a Skype call (using our Skype phone number, not Skype video chat) with my dear friend Karen in Minnesota. I took my phone upstairs to the bedroom to talk to her for a little “girl time.”  

Houses and boats across the harbor.

Like Tom, who doesn’t have an opportunity to interact with his old friends, except visa Facebook quips here and there, occasionally I long for some of the candid chatter women are so good at.  

It truly was therapeutic talking to my friend Karen when I spoke to other girlfriends I left behind. This is not intended to imply men aren’t capable of this kind of talk but many women seem to gravitate to one another for intimate conversations. It is a by-product of this lifestyle we chose almost seven years ago.

Lighthouse at a distance on a cloudy day.

Now, with eight days remaining in Falmouth, we find ourselves savoring every moment. Many times during the day as well, we run out to the veranda to gaze at a passing sailboat, a flock of birds, a special boat in the bay, and of course, the cruise ships as they come into the port. It’s truly remarkable!


We’ll be back with more photos tomorrow after we venture out for a while on this sunny day (so far).

The shoreline is rugged and uneven in many areas, but sandy beach scenes will be posted tomorrow.

Have a spectacular day!

Photo from one year ago today, August 29, 2018:
Wildebeest Willie hung around for several hours, resting and eating a few pellets from time to time. He makes good eye contact, letting us know exactly what he wants. Do I detect a morsel of love in those looks? Could be.  For more photos, please click here.

 

A fantastic road trip in Cornwall, England…

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Arriving across the bay, we captured this view looking back to our house.

Fascinating Fact of the Day About Falmouth

“The town, which has a population of about 21,800, is one of the oldest and busiest ports in Cornwall, with a deep, sheltered, working harbor and docks which is one of the biggest employers in the region.”

Colorful series of apartments on a hilly road.
As often the case in many parts of the world, the day starts out sunny and a few hours later a cloud cover monopolizes the skies. Such was the case yesterday when after two days of blissful sunshine, the clouds rolled in no more than five minutes after we left the house.

Realizing that we were entirely out of photos, we knew we needed and wanted to continue regardless of the weather. We spent most of the afternoon, which was well-spent, as we often stopped on the side of the road to take photos and gawk at the gorgeous scenery.

Many roads lead down a steep hill to the sea.

We couldn’t help but be thrilled to see each sleepy beach town while on the scenic route following along the coastline. We’d heard about many of these particular areas and reveled in their beauty and uniqueness in each case.

Not all buildings are in good repair.

As we meandered the coastline on the easy-to-maneuver scenic route, we wandered off to many side streets and often were pleasantly surprised by the gorgeous homes, neatly trimmed gardens, and ocean views.

When we reached a particularly scenic spot with parking space, we exited the car to savor the view. Over the next few days, we’ll be sharing our photos, albeit cloudy days photos, and plan to head out once again on Wednesday after the cruise ships will be gone.  

Utility boats in the harbor.

With a few thousand passengers disembarking the ships to explore this particular area, we’re better off to wait until the crowds thin out. Also, school starts the first week in September, resulting in less traffic on the narrow roads.

Cruise ships often dock at this port enabling passengers to visit the charming town and other points of interest.

Each time the sun peeks out we head out to the veranda to savor the sunshine, the warmth, and the views. Yes, there are some inconveniences here but the town and its surrounds, easily make up for them and we’re delighted to be here.

When we’d completed the scenic drive for the day, we drove back the market in Falmouth, located where all the action is. Parking is a definite challenge. Tom dropped me off while I shopped.  

Typical for most sea towns, every inch of space is utilized.

He’d taken off to find a parking spot and then joined me in the store to finish up the shopping and bag the groceries. We both walked up the steep hill to where the car was parked, and I surprised myself at how well I made it up that hill.

As far as my ability to walk, it’s still limited and quite a challenge. Today, I stopped the last tiny dose of bisoprolol. In two to three days, I’ll know if I weaned off it too quickly and if necessary, go back to a very small dose to start a new tapering over a slower period.

This style of house and grounds may be found anywhere in the US.

In the past six weeks, I’ve stopped three drugs that were causing me severe side effects and profoundly affecting my quality of life. No doubt, it will take time for the side effects to diminish fully. I’ve read it can take as long as a year. I must stay active, positive, and patient. I’m fully committed.

Thanks for visiting once again. Much more on this lovely area will follow.

Photo from one year ago today, August 26, 2018:
In Marloth Park, when it took a few minutes for Tom to mix up the bowl of raw scrambled eggs, the mongooses began walking up the steps to the veranda. For more photos, please click here.

Life as we know it has begun in Falmouth, England…Settling in…

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The crowds were considerably less today than Friday night when we shopped for groceries at the “downtown” Tesco Supermarket.

It’s quite a comforting feeling to become settled into a new home, whether for weeks or months. In this case, renting a holiday home in the picturesque Falmouth, England, causes us to realize we won’t be here for long.

With only 12 days remaining (September 6, 2019) until we depart for the following location, we plan to savor every moment while living in this stunning seaside town, filled with scenes us ocean-lovers only imagine in our dreams.

The roads are narrow, especially between parked cars in the area of our holiday home. Parking is not assigned, nor is there a parking fee.  However, it’s not easy to find a parking spot nearby.

As mentioned in yesterday’s post (click here for details), we’ve encountered a few issues with the property that the owner had never experienced in the past…lack of attention to detail by cleaners. We tried to be patient.

Finally, two days after we arrived, the next-door neighbor dropped by with a stack of towels we could use during our time here. I suppose the owner called the neighbor (a friend), hoping she could attend to the towel situation. It wasn’t easy living without towels for two days. We’d never experienced such an anomaly.

The Packet Quays, a holiday rental complex, crosses over the road creating an exciting scene.

Yes, we could have gone to a store and purchased towels, but that wasn’t our agreement. If we’d done so, we anticipated we’d have a hard time getting reimbursed for BPS $81.44, US $100, worth of towels.  

When we booked this property, the listing specifically stated: “towels not included.” We’d never heard of such a thing. Every holiday home has towels.
When we negotiated the rental with the owner, we asked that towels be included, and he sent us an email agreeing to do so.

I had no choice but to take photos through the windshield when there was no way to stop on the narrow road.

OK…enough about towels. It’s now resolved. As for the remainder of the challenges, we mentioned in yesterday’s post (found here), we’re adapting as we often must do when staying in a new location.

I’m making it up and down the stairs to the second level each time I need to use the bathroom. Ultimately, I believe this will be good for me, forcing me to get more adept at going up and down steps, of which there are many in every direction, including many steep roads.

The quaint and charming town of Falmouth is a visitor’s paradise.

Without having any laundry done while on the ship after they’d raised the price to BPS 28.51, US $35, for a relatively small paper bag, we each had no less than three loads to fit in the front-loading washer. Yesterday, we did all of mine, and today, we’re getting Tom’s three loads underway.  

Today, it was sunny until we went out for a drive, our first since our arrival two days ago. Cloudy weather is expected in England. It’s often cloudy and rainy. We’re savoring every moment when the sun peeks out, sitting outdoors on the veranda savoring the heart-pounding view. It’s cool, but when the sun is shining, we are comfortable.  

There is an endless array of shops and restaurants in this delightful area.

Now, as I write this, I see more and more clouds rolling in and imagine there will be a dark cloud cover by the end of the day. However, as we’ve often mentioned in past posts, we don’t mind bad weather as long as we get an occasional sunny day.  

Many shops and restaurants have interesting British names, often humorous and light-hearted.

There’s plenty to see and do while here. Today, after Tom watched the Minnesota Vikings football game last night, we headed out on a long drive searching for photo ops to share here. There are plenty! I’m particularly anxious to get out after staying in all day yesterday while we unpacked and started laundry.

Boats moored in the bay.

May your Sunday be filled with beautiful scenery and balmy breezes.

Photo from one year ago today, August 25, 2018:
A massive old elephant was resting his trunk on his tusk.  We saw this only one other time in the Maasai Mara in 2013.  Here’s the link to that post where there are some shocking photos we’d taken at that time, including lions! Here’s the link to the year-ago post.

A few issues with our new location…

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Gorgeous estates overlooking the bay.

We haven’t had any issues with a vacation/holiday home since we rented our first home outside the US in Belize. The city water only came on for a few hours a day, and we needed to stay around to fill buckets with water. Also, with no bug screens on the windows and scorching heat, I had no less than 100 no-see-ums (sand fleas) bites, making me miserable and unable to sleep.

We have breakfast in the tiny kitchen, but dinners will be at the larger dining room table.

Crazy! We found another place and moved out in a week, but the owners refused to refund our money. Now, years later, the rental website HomeAway would have been helpful to resolve this and get us a refund.  

I don’t know how we managed to fit all the perishables in this tiny refrigerator. This is the only refrigerator on the property. We’ll have to shop with this small space in mind.

This property in Falmouth certainly doesn’t have nearly as many nor severe issues as that house in Placencia, Belize. Overall, the problems are minor, except for one…we still don’t have a single towel in the house except for two kitchen towels.  

We couldn’t shower without towels, although I used one of our dish towels to dry off this morning. Weird! That was a first for me. Tom will wait until the towels hopefully arrive today.

The living room (lounge) has everything we need. We each sit on one of the two sofas when working on our laptops.  

In addition, the shower leaks onto the floor even when not in use due to a poor plumbing connection. The owner warned us to make sure the shower faucet is fully turned off when we’re done. However, there’s something wrong with the connection when we never used the shower yesterday.

The house wasn’t entirely clean or organized when we checked it. It wasn’t filthy but things like messy bed-making, dirty rags lying around, etc., made us a bit frustrated. Since that time in Belize in 2013, we’d never encountered any issues. The holiday rentals were always meticulous.

A little messy with our stuff cluttering the dining room table, but this space will work well for dinners after we’ve removed everything.

Some owners leave us a variety of converters and adapters to use for plugging in our digital equipment. Alas, none were here, and we headed out to town to buy what we needed. As it turned out, the grocery store, Tesco, had everything we needed, and we were able to recharge all of our equipment.

This seagull perched on the fence post, asking, “Ya got any pellets?”  We did not, and he later flew away.

While we were at Tesco, we decided to go grocery shop for dinner. We were both exhausted, needed showers, and didn’t feel up to going out. Instead, we made a quick and easy dinner, as mentioned in yesterday’s post found here.

As it turns out, the house has an odd configuration of steps on the second level where the three bedrooms are location requiring us to be extra careful when going from the bedroom to the bathroom.  

The oceanfront houses, some large and others small, present an eclectic look along the coastline.

The steps leading to the second level are otherwise straight up and not excessively steep, compared to the spiral staircase in the house in Ireland. Also, there’s only one bathroom on the second level, requiring us both to go up and down several times a day.

Rolling greens hills at a distance.

I feel that the steps to the bathroom will be a good form of exercise, and so far, I’m doing ok with it. But, the parking situation, with no assigned parking, requires we scramble to find a spot, and then once we do, the hilly roads present a challenging walk to get to the terraced house overlooking the bay. Tom suggests he drop me off at the gate to the house, but I insist on walking with him.

From there, we have to walk up or down 25 uneven stone steps to get to and from the back of the house to the terraced level where the house is located. I’ll undoubtedly be getting much-needed exercise while here, which ultimately is a good thing. See the photo below for these steps, taken from the bottom. There is a handrail which helps.

Twenty-five uneven stone steps to get from the house to the road and then on to where Tom’s been able to find a parking spot.

Otherwise, it is beautiful here with stunning views of the bay, the smell of fresh sea air, and access to many restaurants, pubs, and shopping only minutes away. The downtown area is unbelievable. I can’t wait to take photos and share them with all of you.

The bed and bedding are comfortable, and last night we both had a good night’s sleep. Today, Tom is catching up on missed Minnesota Vikings preseason games while I work on some financial tasks, leaving us free to embrace this exquisite town and all that it has to offer.

The view is astounding in each direction.

A special thanks to our friend/reader Liz, from Bristol, England, whom we met in person in London in 2014 when we stayed in South Kensington for two weeks, and she came to meet us. She took the train, two hours each way to meet us, and we both had a fabulous day with her, staying in touch all these years.

This view takes our breath away!

Yesterday, when we arrived at the house there was a piece of snail mail for us.  Liz had handwritten a welcoming letter on a pretty card, making suggestions on what to do while we were here in her ancestral town.  

Whoever handwrites letters these days? We couldn’t have been more appreciative and impressed. Hopefully, we’ll see Liz again when we move up the coast for these four properties as we get nearer and nearer to her home in Bristol.

Have a beautiful day! We’ll be back with more tomorrow!

Photo from one year ago today, August 24, 2018:
This young male’s horns have started to sprout.  He was mature and experienced enough to know that looking into our eyes would reap some rewards. How right he is! For more photos, please click here.