As expected storm Gerrit hit just as we were leaving. We said our goodbyes, paid the bill and set off. Although the weather was appalling most drivers were being sensibly and we made good progress for the first couple of hours. However, at Dorchester we joined a queue of traffic that lasted nearly all the way home. A journey that normally takes just under 4 hours took five and a half hours.
Overnight the weather has calmed down a bit and it is no longer drizzling so now we can see the other side of the bay. Getting a more substantial walk today seems a real possibility; we’ll see what it’s like after breakfast. The weather here on the Cornish Peninsula can change very quickly. The forecast is looking good until about mid afternoon with light winds and some sunny intervals, then it’s back to grey skies and heavy rain, but lighter winds than we have been having.
Still suffering from the previous night’s overindulgence we struggled to get up and out, but the dog has to be serviced. He is really good and has never let us down; but we don’t want to push it. He is being treated for an illness that makes him always feel hungry and thirsty. Within reason we can control his eating, but not his drinking, so he does drink a lot. As a consequence we need to ensure he can frequently go for a pee.
More relaxing day today. Lovely breakfast followed by a bracing walk along the coast. Not so bad with the wind behind, but walking into the wind was quite unpleasant because of the drizzle — dog enjoyed it though. Skipped lunch as we knew there would be a big evening meal, just had a cup of tea and biscuit. Spent the afternoon snoozing, reading, watching the surf and writing up this blog.
Having read of potential “travel chaos” on the roads we decided to set off in plenty of time for the four hour drive. The weather forecast was dry, average temperature but very windy. In the end the journey was uneventful, more traffic than usual but there were no delays and everyone seemed to be behaving themselves. Rather stupidly, due to a miscalculation, I drove for over three hours before taking a break at Lanhydrock, a National Trust property near Plymouth, where we were able to exercise dog and have a sandwich and drink.
For almost the first time since we were married (39 years ago) we are spending Xmas away from home and family. We have no surviving parents, so now the children have left home, (even in their 30s we still call them our ‘children’), we thought it would be nice to do something different on our own for a change. I remember when our parents were still around it could be fraught with controversy deciding where to go, or who to invite over the Xmas holiday.