David, I'm leaving!

 In March we had cause to leave the house and flee, we had workmen coming in.  

We were renewing our bathroom after thirty years and the plumber had asked nicely if we could be out of the house for a few days while they turned off the water, drained the central heating system and knocked out the old suite.  David said later when I told him that yes we could go away for a few days, I said a fortnight.  

I know him, he'd naff off to the golf club leaving me in all the dust and cold.  

So away we went.  

The plumber said he'd be two weeks.  

We went to Devon to Topsham on the river there bird spotting shopping and strolling plus seeing life long darling friends Rob and Sue.

One day we went to Castle Drogo which was fascinating, in that built 1911-1930    HERE     built by a multi millionaire who against all advice wanted a flat roof castle to provide an ENORMOUS area for entertaining on the roof top, despite having huge rooms inside the castle and a large terrace however almost immediately the roof leaked and continued to leak for decades.  But that's millionaires for you.

There we scrambled down the path, me in heeled boots and my best coat to the cliff top and watched a Peregrine Falcon hunting. 

Just look at this sunshine, it was glorious.

Right behind us here we watched a Peregrine Falcon soaring and diving, a sight that will stay with me.

Had the daft owner put in a slightly sloping roof it would not even have been seen.

David lodged with this newly married pair when he was a agricultural college in 1974, yes he is that old.

The beautiful view from Topsham.  I could retire to here....

We said goodbye to the adorables and moved on to belatedly celebrate my birthday to a spa hotel, a rather nice one in Buxton.  

We had visited there some years ago from Bugsworth Basin and driven to Buxton, at that time the hotel was surrounded by hoardings as the mammoth refurbishment was ongoing.  It had cost millions over budget after all sorts of problems were found with the foundations and the water, a bad combination if you ask me but oh golly how wonderful it is now its completed.

It did a fair bit of raining in March in Derbyshire as you might expect but who cares it was toasty in the spa.

Next down to the boat for a few days.  We took WaL out of the marina and sat in Tixel Wide.  It was like being in a county cottage for a weekend.  Lovely.

But my golly the surrounding flood waters..

Tixel Wide, on the left is the tow path and beyond that the flooded fields of Shrugborough Estate.

Warm enough to be in his lesser warm fleece.

Certainly needed sunnies glasses this day. 

Then lastly we joined the middle daughter Koo and her family for a few days in Centre Parks at Woburn.  Much fun and swimming was had by all.  

This selfie was taken by number one poppet, with number two poopet wanting to have a go.

Both Poppets on my bike.

And lastly my dear mother, who is well thank you for asking, here she is winning the Easter Bonnet competition at her social club and being presented a prize by the vicar, mum donated the hat to the vicar who wore it home!

So that was us, we ended up being away from home for three weeks and yes you've guessed it, the bathroom wasn't finished.

It is now.