Visit to Cornwall July 8th to 20th July 2010

Cousin Frank's funeral

Thursday 8th July, we left home at 1000 hours with Michael driving.  we arrived at Frankley services having only been delayed slightly from Hilton Park to junction 8, the M5 start- we lost about 10 minutes.  Michael had a butter pie, left over from Wednesday, and Sue had a sandwich, on the car park.  We then had a clear run to Taunton Dean services where we only stopped to change drivers.  We pulled off the A30 on Bodmin Moor to visit our friends from the sailing club, Diane and Derek Wells, Chapel Bank Farm, arriving at 1600 hours approximately. They are farming 20 acres of land with a new barn and living in two caravans, one of which is a former travelers' van, modernish, distinguished by its ornate cut glass mirrors.  They graciously gave us soup and bread for tea and saw us off on the rest of our journey around 1845 hours.  We put 20 litres of fuel in the car at the services near Indian Queens.  We reached the Premier Inn at Carnon Downs just after 2000 hours and booked in, transferred our luggage to the room and settled down for the night.

Friday 9th July - the day of the funeral.  After a reasonable night's sleep we got to Daphne's around 1045 hours, she wanted us to follow the hearse.  Frank was in an unusual basket work coffin. The church was packed with Frank's family and friends from far and wide.  It was agreed that it was a lovely service, the vicar John has a wry sense of humour, after which we followed Frank and the family to the Penmount crematorium at Truro. From there we went on to the Green Lawns Hotel, via the Green Bank Hotel, Michael had got it wrong, Sue knew where it was all along but I was too pigheaded to listen. The food was good and we met some of Daphne's school friends - Julia and Peggy, their friends from the walking club - Eric, John, Eileen and a few whose names I couldn't remember - Judith's friend Bella, who we remembered from many years ago, plus all the family.  Judith and family left for Todmorden straight from the hotel. Charlotte was taken back to Newquay where she was on holiday and we went back to Daphne's and moved in.  Howard, Rachel and Joe stayed on overnight, Howard and Rachel in a tent!
The remaining family mourners walked to the New Inn in Mabe for our evening meal. most of us had ham, egg and chips because that's what Frank would have ordered.  I had my first pint of bitter, Doom Bar, not bad.  Helen and Colin retired to the Premier Inn, where they were staying, leaving for home, Bedford, at 0730 hours on Saturday morning.

Saturday 10th July - Howard and family left for home, London, before lunch.  We shopped at ASDA, just down the hill, and relaxed for the rest of the day doing puzzles and reading.

Sunday 11th July - Daphne, Sue and I, the remaining residents attended church at 0930 hours, Sue taking communion but I sat with Daphne who still refuses to go up for a blessing or communion.  She hasn't been confirmed but says when she's ready she will get confirmed before she goes up for communion - Frank wanted her to get confirmed - Frank's concern when he was dying was that Daphne did not forget to take the 'envelopes' - regular agreed offertory.  After the service we had coffee and biscuits and talked to the church 'elders'.  I asked them why three bells during the service as it was just like the three bells in mindfulness, Buddhist procedure.  No one present knew the answer, vicar John had gone on to his other parish.  In the afternoon we watched the somewhat brutal World Cup Final, Spain 1 - Netherlands 0 after extra time. We felt the most deserving team won - Daphne doesn't usually watch football.

Monday 12th July - Daphne saw her financial adviser in the morning.  We weren't enjoying the best of weather but it dried up in the afternoon and we rode down to Falmouth to do a little shopping, Sue bought some M&S trousers, where we had tea and cakes.  We then drove round Castle Drive, pausing to look over the docks, and on to Little Dennis Head for the usual ice cream.  Before we came down Daphne had said she didn't want to be alone after the funeral and when we said we would stay with her over that first period she said "Oh good.  We can go to all the places we all went with Frank."
Whilst we were in the M&S tea room we saw various sailing dinghies sailing up and down.  We found out later that the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall we visiting the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club, next to the Green Bank Hotel, and the yachtspersons were potential olympic sailors demonstrating their talents for them.

One of the sailors, think he's got out of formation?

Tuesday 13th July - Daphne had an appointment with her solicitor in St, Agnes at 1130 hours so she drove us there, parked her car and left us to wander round the village until she came out - going to cost her £180 per hour plus VAT - now 20%!  We strayed a bit beyond our brief and ended up at the sea front at Trevaunance Cove.  

Again not a very nice day
Panic - we had arranged to ring Daphne when we thought she would have come out of the solicitors but Sue didn't have Daphne's mobile number in her mobile!  The RNLI ladies came to the rescue.  Sue asked them if they had a directory and did they know the solicitor - fortunately it turned out that there was only one solicitor in St. Agnes.  The didn't have a directory but ringing round they found out the solicitor's number and let Sue use their phone - there was no mobile signal down in the cove!  Eventually Daphne got the message and WALKED down to the cove.  She was supposed to bring the car down because Michael's knee was bad.  

Waiting for our meal, my Doom Bar in the foreground, Daphne's is a Guinness.
After lunch at the Driftwood Spars pub/restaurant, fish, chips and peas!  I had my second pint of Doom Bar.  Super toilets.  We walked back to the car via Stippy Stappy, a picturesque passageway, very steep!  I got to the car park first and thought the car had been pinched but I'd got the car's colour and number wrong!  

Daphne drove us round to Chapel Porth beach for a 'hedgehog' ice cream - Cornish ice cream with a coating of clotted cream covered in nuts!

My first paddle this year - my mobile, poor photo, camera in car at Penvean!
We watched a flock of little birds on the beach, well on the stones in the little stream which ran over the beach.  The National Trust man said they were rock pippets.
We had pate butties, greens, fruit salad and yoghurt for tea.  After tea we discussed 'assets', I worked out roughly what ours were.  We did crosswords and puzzles.

Wednesday 14th July - Daphne went off for a blood test early and I was washed and dressed for 0930 hours!  It was a little sunny but with heavy showers.  Eventually we got round to digging up a dead azalea for Daphne. Poor Suzie was plagued with stomach pains, which were to ruin the rest of her break somewhat.

Thursday 15th July - It had been a wild night with strong winds and heavy rain.  Daphne arranged for Suzie to go to her doctors, which we duly did.  She was given an examination and further medicine to help free her up.  It had been a nice but blustery morning but the rain set in after lunch.  Reading, Michael was reading books by Stieg Larsson, The Millennium Trilogy - un-put-downable, which Daphne found for him.

Friday 16th July - more rain.  We stayed in, rain, Daphne ironing, which she seemed to do every day.  It wasn't a particular nice day, which didn't matter because we stayed in waiting for Daphne's friends, Doreen and Mike, who had promised to call.  More reading and puzzles.

Saturday 17th July - Suzie still poorly but improving.  Daphne had to go into Truro so we made it just in time for lunch at Fodders in Tinkers Court off Lemon Quay.  On the way back we turned into Devoran.

Boats!  Anywhere with boats and Michael is happy

Sunday 18th July - Daphne went alone to church, Suzie not 'well' enough to go.  Later we put up a new clothes line, not as strong as the one that had broken during the week but it was all we could get in Truro the day before.  After lunch we drove down to Helford Passage where we were diverted into a field for parking.  It must have been a special 'gig racing day.

The place was crowded so we operated plan B and took the ferry across to Helford Village, Daphne's plan.  The ferryman and 'friend' returning to Helford Passage after dropping us off.

We had cream tea and cakes at the cafe just up the hill from the shore.

On our way back on the ferry.  We delivered two people back to their boat and picked one up from another boat.

On our way back to the car.  Frenchman's Creek is on the left in the distance.

We motored home via Mannacan, Trenarth Bridge and Porth Navas

Monday 19th July - Daphne took us to Tevaskiss Farm, on Cannon Downs, for lunch and also to get some venison.  Afterwards she took us on to Godrevy lighthouse, National Trust grounds.

Dodging between the showers we walked a ;itt;e way round the headland.
On the way home we went via Hayle and drove along King George V's walk.

Tuesday 20th July - Heavy rain!  Michael started on the final book in the trilogy - The Girl Who kicked a Hornet's Nest.  Daphne found some old photos:

A young lady, photographed by a friend, an amateur photographer.

A lovely young couple on their wedding day. Dear Frank, he is being sorely missed by many people.