Falmouth

3rd August 2020

16th July 2020

Falmouth

I have to say I'm not sorry to be leaving Perranporth today. Not saying I haven't loved it, but can't wait to get to the south coast and explore the small coves and fishing villages. 

After breakfast and prayer, we pack up the awning - in the wind. We need to get used to our awning, which we completely under utilised on maiden voyage. As We pack it away, I try to think how we can use it better. For instance, a table and chairs and storage boxes with extra items in to make the holiday easier ( not sure what they might be). We'd have to curtail the wild camping, which we love to do. Anyway, lots of food for thought. 

 We're not hurried, although we do, theoretically have to be off the campsite by 11.00 am or was it ten? No matter.

We meet Jo at the gate an say our goodbyes, them off in the direction of Mullion and us heading towards Falmouth. 

"I'll text you. We can still meet up. WE won't be that far from each other ." We hug. We get funny looks from other campers wandering into the shop. Bloody corona virus, giving people the freedom to judge how each other behaves. Somewhere along the way I feel freedoms have been lost.

Our next campsite are insisting we have the correct amount of cash in a sealed envelope ready to hand over to them. Another result of Covid times. It means we have to work out how where we get it. 

Ah, that's the answer, go buy some petrol, we need some anyway and all petrol stations have ATMs, don't they? That'll be a no. Now we have petrol but no cash.

However, we don't actually need it till tomorrow. We will find cash later when we find the shops. Tonight we'll be wild camping. 

As we drive towards Falmouth the view of the river and boats catch my eye and I wonder just where will we be tonight. 

I ask the Lord to help us  find somewhere without too much difficulty.

Oh my word, we love the picture before us.

We park a mile or so outside the town (which we din't know at the time),  next to the River Fal and feast our eyes on the loveliness as we near the harbour, the deepest natural harbour in Western Europe, apparently. 

We slow or stop every now and then to take it all in. Peter particularly likes the boats , and there are so many of them. 

The town is quaint, with narrow streets.

Fortunately the high street is blocked to traffic between the hours of 11.00 am and 16.00 pm, which is just as well with so many people visiting. It looks as if it's part of their safety in this pandemic time. 

But even with no cars it's difficult to keep distanced from others especially when some, mostly the young, I have to admit, don't give a fig.

The place is buzzing, definitely lots of holiday makers here. We find seats on the quay and I go and buy chips, one portion for us to share - £2.50. They were nice but I'm not sure they were worth that much. I'm trying to be more receptive to these spontaneous moments that my lovely hubby likes so much.

Getting over my reluctance to spend when we don't need to and just for the joy of it is still alien to me.

I'm hoping it will get less painful with time.

Taking a look at the parking on the quay, it looks as if we could possibly park here for the night. £1.50 after 5.0 o'clock and free from midnight till 9.00 am. There is nothing to say we can't stay for the night, but later we discover that all council car parks have a "no sleeping in your vehicle" policy. Shame, it would have been great to wake up in front of the harbour.

We find a terrific place in the end, right on the coast road out of Falmouth. Others are  already parked up and we think we've found the spot listed in park4night, though not sure.

After eating dinner earlier, sausages with all the left over salad, we're now ready to set up for the night, going incognito as Peter doesn't want us to look as if we're camping. To hide we have to put a screen, the purple blanket,  between the back and the front chairs, helping to make us look less suspicious. This , unfortunately has the disadvantage of making the inside of the camper hot, especially as we obviously don't have the top up.

We go to bed early and spend a long time listening to the conversations of the many passers by. Will we be moved on, we wonder.

  

Stuff from Morning Pages.

30th April 2020

Bits from my journal 28th April

The days run into each other a bit at the moment, 
not all exactly alike,   but samey nevertheless. 
I didn't sleep much last night.
Possibly it was because of an insect bite 
that I got on my knee
 when we went to the woods yesterday. 
Got through my thick jeans, of so. 
Or maybe it was the chicken. 
Anyways, it was quite a good day in all, 
starting with The Writer's Hour 
first thing in the  morning.

I love it 
Something creative occurs 
with a little nudge
And nobody's going to 
critique or judge.
While I find I'm in
A scene, a moment, lost
I find an hour gone by
at no extra cost.
It make me focus
on the words before me 
If there's any distraction
I don't tend  to see.
I've written more words 
in just three days
Than in a whole month
trying other ways.
So, I'll turn up tomorrow
And the next day too
for as long as it's offered
I'll know what to do.
I might even get finished
my memoir this year
A definite possibility
I'll let out a cheer.

Later that morning, not that I felt like it, I went with my hubs and daughter to get Dog food for our little puppy. He'd been making do for a while as we were not able to get out because of the virus. 
Observing social distancing my daughter waited her turn to go into Pets at Home, while hubby walked puppy round the car park. I sat in the car, with the sun warming my shoulders, reading. 
Bliss...
Another daughter lives near, so we went to wave at the grandchildren. 
For about twenty minutes we chatted to the six of them and their Dad. 
It lifted my spirits, made my day,
and I think, by the looks on their faces, 
by the stories they shared, eagerly,
 that they liked it too.
One day, someday, 
I'll be able to hug them again,
 sit with them on my lap again, 
nuzzle my face into their hair 
and smell the coconut shampoo again 
 I can't wait... 
Mum was doing an online  course and didn't even know we'd called.

We left their house and headed for the woods, 
me still on cloud nine, all senses heightened, we chatted, we laughed about our few minutes of pure joy with the kids. 

To get to the woods, we amble through a field, 
two butterflies, like brown leaves dance a tango
fly, this way, that way, 
in the distance a farmhouse, white behind green trees,
love to live there,
and now peace, 
no hum of traffic, 
no hum of people, 
other sounds creep upon us,
insects, birds, 
we stop to listen
our own breath,
the rustle of leaves.
The woody aroma fills our lungs.
I count four huge oak trees
their branches - a picture 
of strength- comforting.

Silver birches, ashes, alders,
hawthorn bushes
and in the clearings,
bluebells spread like 
picnic blankets
with shafts of light like
slabs of lemon drizzle cake,
dotted with small clusters
of delicate, pink woodland
flowers at the edge
of the paths .


Two bluetits fly between 
the branches 
one, a baby and the other the parent
 feeding it.






A little grey squirrel 
scurries round the  
trunk of a thick oak.
I walk, I ponder
I think, I pray
I'm so lucky.
Yes, Lord, it's been a good day.
Thank you.