While visiting the beautiful areas in Cornwall, we were based in St. Austell. what a nice little harbour town that is..Its brilliant for walking around and enjoying the scenery. Facing the sea on your right is a large cliff that winds around the rest of the town. I love how when you look back on the town all the buildings and shops seem to rest on the rough cliffs. 

It's customary to get an ice cream, and even more so a portion of fish and chips.I love to smother mine in ketchup, but my do I get some evil looks. (its just not the done thing) I however don't care, because in my mind its a deterrent from the seagulls.

For a bit of one evening Jared taught me the correct way to skip stones, I actually improved quite significantly. In fact at one stage I was getting 8 jumps consistently! I love how peaceful skipping rocks is. I think I could have done it for much longer if the tide had stayed out a bit later. 

We went and visited the aquarium, which is actually mostly just a bunch of fish local fisherman have brought in and given to a man, so that kids can see what kind of fish are in the local waters. However, it was interesting, and really quaint.    

I think the saddest part was watching a poor baby seagull die. We think it was sitting on one of the rocks and the tide came in a bit too fast and when its wings got soaked, it didn't have the strength to fly away. Poor poor thing. (I wont even touch on Jared's comments on the matter, as they are a bit cruel.)

I enjoy Mevagissy because it doesn't get too busy, not to forget the great shops and amazing fudge that is for sale, but I think next time I would like to be closer to beach area, so that I can lay out on the sand in the morning, catch some waves in the afternoon and be close enough to bbq near the waters in the evening.

Up Close and Personal - Stonehenge

I've driven past Stonehenge on a few occasions, always getting that blurry passing by photo or on occasion, when there's traffic (there usually is) I can manage a clear but very far off distant picture. We left for Cornwall at 7am and were going past Stonehenge around 10. I begged Jared's sister, Melissa to stop. At first I didn't think we would stop, and that I would once again be forced to instagram some crappy shot...which may just go unnoticed. She surprised me by stopping. Although it was ridiculously expensive, Jared and I paid the £25 to get up close and personal. As we walked to the visitor information centre it started CHUCKING it down! Within seconds we were soaked. That didn't stop us. We wanted to see Stonehenge in all its glory. We boarded a bus, of oldies I may add. (why is it that all the retired people are the only ones that want to see Stonehenge....maybe they are the only ones that can afford it.) There is a path around the outside of the stones, so you can see it from all the different angles....we weren't interested; we started from the end, we thought it was a better spot for pictures. As I got soaked from the rain I said to my hubby "I sure hope this isn't an indication of the weekend" some snarky man with a moustache turns around and says to us "Rain is the weather forecast." Those passing by may have heard me mutter under my breath "Mr. I moustache you to fudge off!" Looking back I think the car was making me a bit sassy, because after we got our pictures by Stonehenge and were headed back to the car I told one of the workers to have fun getting soaked, in a chipper voice, which was probably taken wrongly.... Oh well he eventually laughed. Jared however wasn't impressed by my behaviour. 

Green Finger vs. Green Thumb

You might be wondering: "Why that for a title". Here is something I just learned. In England they call it "green finger" vs, the correct use being that of the Americans, "green thumb". This weekend was HOT! For those of you who are wondering, it was 28ºC/83º F and in Houston it was 27ºC/80ºF, and we experienced just as much humidity! Now people, I was dying from the muggy weather, however the front garden needed help! 

When we moved in the last thing I was thinking about was the front garden. However, I removed a load of trash the other day, and finally had a good look. I do not think that anyone has ever done anything with it. The "grass", if you can even call it that, as it is over a foot long! Our yard seems to be the bin of passers by. The trees needed some serious love and the unwanted weeds needed to be removed! After a few hours work we finally made it look somewhat presentable.

I do think we need to get some mulch and some new grass planted, who knows then I might start a little garden, with proper flowers! Jared told me this story of when he was a little boy how his mom suggested that he plant some snap dragons. Because once they grow they have mouths that open and close and you can talk to him. He spent hours looking after his plant. He watered it, and once it was too big for his pot moved it to the yard. Every day he would talk to his flowers. Then one day his dad thought they could use a little pruning and cut it down to a stump, they never grew back. So poor poor Jared wants to plant snap dragons once again. (awwww)!

At one stage in our gardening, I realised a weed was growing from above our front door. The only way to get it was to climb up on the window ledge and cut it down. Jared began taking pictures....and that is how I ended up having a phot shoot of Sophie on a ledge! lol

Dinner Guests!

First Guests:

The Lovely Melissa Faulkner brought her good friend Kim around for our first dinner at Manor Road. It was nice to not have to think that first day. I love showing off the place, and Melissa is the perfect person to get excited with, The next day she graciously took Jared and I took IKEA to pick up some needed bits, including a set of drawers and a bookshelf. Sister of the year?

First Guests We Cooked For:

Anyone that knows me, knows how I adore my grandparents. They are off to Scotland this week so I thought what better way to send them off then showing them the flat, and cooking for them for one of the first time I believe...oh wait no I made stuffed bell pepers for them once upon a time. The meal was lovely

Main Course: Oven Baked Chicken Wrapped in Parma Ham with a side of Baked Sweet Potato Wedges and Green Beans.

The Cheese Course: We had bought a great selection at Waitrose and obviously served them with a great selection a bikkies.

The Dessert Course: Sandrine's incredible Cherry Cake. (link coming shortly!)

All in all the night was a hit. As far as Melia was concerned (we let the pup lick the plate)!

The Move!

I've sat down to write this one countless times, and each time I get so sidetracked. This weekend we MOVED! It has been a crazy roller coaster and boy are we glad that its DONE! Obviously one would think that between Jared and myself we don't have a lot, think again! In just under 2 years I have gone from 1.5 suitcases of things to nearly half a van! I seriously do not know how that happened...only it did. So I had loads of things to pack up before we could get the movers in. Yes, I was not about to move boxes and furniture up and down the staircases to our new flat. So I hired two men and a truck and for £120 and less than three hours of labour, they moved us. How good is that? What can I say? We love the place. Its becoming ours now and we are nearly there. It's so nice to have space of our own. I get to run around naked if I wanted....I did say "if". Now yes, we love the place but what I am not happy about is 2+ weeks of them STILL not sorting out the mould,  5 days with no boiler dragging boiled water just to take a shower, and a broken fridge! Those things are not so cool. I have been emailing Foxtons back and forth for days trying to sort it out...no such luck. I'm furious with them to tell you the truth.
Trying to focus on the bright side; we have a beautiful home that I am so excited to call ours!

Welcome Home Mr & Mrs Faulkner

Date Night!

Each weekend that goes by is one closer to us moving into our new home. We only have one weekend left, but we are just starting to like the surrounding area in which we live. This Saturday I took an early morning run and ended up exploring Regents Park for the first time. I loved it so much I decided a date night in the park was in order. Jared was home by 7:00 and I had chicken salad sandwiches and no bake cooking prepared. These moments are the ones I really treasure. We just sat in the park on the grass as the sun went down giggling to ourselves about silly non important things. I think I can speak for both of us when I say that we truly love being in love! After our little picnic we picked up our bikes and cycled along the beautiful canal. I wish I would have known about them sooner, its such a pretty walk, and surprisingly not many people know the path.

Our next adventure will include another park and another cycle!

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