One day we went to Seaton from Cullompton. I like Seaton and we hadn't been there since last year so that was a nice day out. This year though, throughout the whole 7 weeks, Dad was in a wheelchair with Adam, Stacey, Adam again and then Mum pushing him around! There was one particular hairy moment with Stacey in Exmouth. We had found a new garden but it was on quite a steep hill. Stacey took a run up at one of the hills, dropped a wheel off the path onto the grass, spun around 180 degrees and almost tipped Dad out sideways down a steep drop! We had a good laugh about it afterwards but it was a bit scary for both Dad and Stacey! We went back to many familiar places and saw loads of old friends. When we went down to Cullompton we had to take Charlie our last safehouse bird, down to meet Suzanne at Exeter. Charlie was tested along with the rest of us so he could travel down with us in the car and stay with us until the meeting. Suzanne didn't seem too pleased to see us (nothing new there then!) but we since learnt that she had some personal problems. Still Charlie went off somewhere and she has now come off the rehoming list so it is great she has found a forever home! Stacey came down the second week at Exminster while Adam went home to look after all the other Fids! They swapped back at the end of the fortnight and on Sunday we made the trip down to Cornwall.
The site at Roche was different! Would I go there again? Probably not! It was a long walk to the toilets and on a very wet field! Dad couldn't make it to the toilets so Mum & Adam had to take him in his wheelchair. That was getting a bit tedious so Mum & Dad set up the toilet in the caravan (they don't usually use it). The first morning there Mum was pulling Dad up the field backwards and suddenly stopped. Dad asked why they had stoipped but got no reply.....and then Mum appeared in front of him with mud all down her back! Yes, she had fallen over in the mud so they both had a shower! We went to lots of new places in Cornwall and some old favourites. We went to Truro, Trelissick Gardens, Trerice, and The Lost Gardens of Heligan. We also made several visits to Dad's favourite place in Cornwall - Mevagissey. I can see why Dad likes it so much - it's a lovely place! We also went to Charlestown which is up for sale for a cool £4m. We continued our search for Wetherspoon pubs and on the first Sunday there we went to Bodmin. Bodmin on a Sunday afternoon is DEAD but we did manage to find the Wetherspoons but - it was up a long flight of steps and the slope was quite long and 1 in 4! Mum and Adam did manage to get Dad up but vowed Never again and we didn't go back! I don't know how the draymen cope. We also found The Green Parrot pub in Perranporth - another Wetherspoons. Dad thought that by taking TWO Green Parrots to the Green Parrot pub he might get a free drink but Wetherspoons aren't that generous!!! The second week was VERY windy - so windy that Mum & Dad got the awning tie down kit out for the first time in 10 years! One of the awning frame fittings bent but it didn't break and has held well ever since. We also spent a whole day on the Bodmin & Wenford Railway which was a great day out!
After a very showery week we moved westwards to Devon and stayed near Tavistock right beside a river. Again the field was quite wet but the owner had kept cars off it as much as possible and the field looked excellent! We were a lot happier here. Adam had gone home to prepare for his first year at Ansford Academy in Castle Carey so it was just Mum & Dad with me & Syd. From here we spent a lot of time in Plymouth and a lot of time in Tavistock. We even discovered Tavistock has a canal that we didn't know about! Dad loves Plymouth so we were obviously going to spend some time there! We also went to Okehampton and Mum managed to push Dad almost all the way to Meldon along the cyclepath. There was one day Dad decided to catch the train from Gunnislake to Falmouth. This meant changing at Plymouth and changing again at Truro but it was a lovely scenic run! Everything ran like clockwork with First Great Western getting their act together superbly! On the way back from Truro to Plymouth they already had 2 wheelchairs on their HST so we had to travel in First Class which was rather nice. I'm sure it was the first, and last, time me and Syd will ever travel First Class! We had a great day out, and without rain! We also managed to find a Wetherspoons in Falmouth which Mum amzed Dad by remembering! Oh, I nearly forgot to tell you about the Cream Tea. We walked (or rather Mum walked - the rest of us rode!) along the old railway line (called the Granite Way) to Sourton where they were serving Cream Teas in the church hall. They certainly weren't stingy with the cream either :-)! We also had quite a few ice creams during the 7 weeks because me and Syd love Ice creams, but it was by no means every day - we have to watch our figures you know and we couldn't stand the thought of Stacey nagging!!!