Devils Festival

Like this video from Dom. The transition from Norfolk to Spain is complete. Burning hair and screaming teenagers...makes me think you never moved!

Cant wait to see you guys over Xmas.

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dw5zeAeaNjlM&h=acb58

Isle of Wight

Found this photo of a quick trip this Summer over to the Isle of Wight. I set off from Keyhaven around lunchtime in lovely weather this July. Christa was working in Poole, so it looked like a good chance for some escapism!

Being a little unfit and in the sit on kayak, it took a little longer than normal to get across. By the time I was near the main channel from Portsmouth, I was aware of some heavy fog coming over from Hengistbury Head. It didn't move fast, but when it came I couldn't see more than thirty feet.

Not a good time to be in one of the busiest shipping channels in the UK in a vessel to small to be noticed by radar. With lightening quick thinking (Who am I trying to kid, I was glad for the rest) I clipped on to a nearby channel marker and waited for it to pass by catching a few mackerel. At least Bryn approved!

Cousins

The kids always seem to enjoy the beach time when we're down in Cornwall. We made it to the Minack theatre for a puppet show this time as well, which is where the girls can be seen parading in front of the crowds.

Finn is great with Bryn too, so it makes our life a little easier when there are an extra pair of eyes out for danger on the beach.

Beach Daze II

Some good rock pooling to be had in Cornwall. Crabs (edible, velvet & shore), blenny's and goby's, pipe fish, lug worms and anemone's all kept the children entertained for much of the day. Whilst the adults enjoyed other aspects of beach life. Simple pleasures don't cost much... (here comes the surf Dan).

Summer Sun

We have taken our 1st week off in over a year, and what a week. Whilst the summer holidays have been a bit of a damp squib, the last week before the schools started up again were blissful. Camping, fishing, surfing, boating, drinking, singing and beach BBQ were the order of the day.

More details will follow on all the above, but it was high time for a break. Proof positive of the need for a holiday was that both Christa and I were both ill. I find this the best way of truly relaxing. I even had to gib out on the Bristol half marathon, which was very unusual. I would say that'll learn me, but you know it probably wont.

Garden works

Thought you might all like to see the beginnings of the work going on in the garden. About 8 tonnes of material has ended up coming out of the house during the work we have done. Not wanting to get a skip in (for reasons I wont explain), the garden seemed the most obvious place for the rubble.

Well, from that rubble Pete had built a circle. I have done some of the finishing, to produce a raised bed. Then it was a simple matter of getting 12 tonnes of topsoil delivered and spread over the offending rubble. We have seeded the topsoil now, but the amount the pigeons have pinched from us, I think we may have to do it again.

The circle will become a firepit, a barbeque area, a home for the trampoline, or simply a place for morwenna to have teddy bear picnics (its current use). I couldnt help myself and had to plant some maize and carrots too.

We have also made a start on some raised beds in the sunny corner of the garden. Broad beans, spuds and onions are well on the way. All else is in its infancy. Much of the seed we are using has come from last years crops in Norfolk that bolted and seems to have a good germination rate. Oviously this first year on new soil is a bit of an experiment, but its easier to grow in a garden than in field for sure! The manure has come from a local freecycle fanatic which is helping bring everything on, so many thanks for that Jacquie.

Easter Frolicks

I know this post is a little late, but life is a little hectic at the moment. Had a lovely time with a house full of friends from Norfolk, Cornwall and Wales. Well done to Zara and Rowan, Dan and Anna, plus Dom and Heather for making the trip.

We got to show off the work that Rowan, Pete and I have done on the old playroom, turning it into the dining room you see here. Not to mention the new bathroom...

Ceilings have been lifted, walls have been knocked out and others rebuilt, radiators re plumbed, showers erected, floors poured and levelled, not to mention the Welsh slate and the real oak floor you can see. Then there is the manhole covers that we have internalised and worked around, the hundreds of kilos of metal beams we have slid into place to hold everything up, the electrics installed, the insulation scratchily put in place... Then there's the painting, the wood finish, the alcatrave, the skirting etc. There will be a blog for it at some stage in the future.

The kids looked like they had a good time and were (a little) more exhausted than their parents when bedtime came around. You know when they're cream crackered when they can all sleep in the same room and not wake each other up.

The weather was a bit rough, but no-one seemed to mind. The Easter egg hunt went down well and children seemed to be maxed out on chocolate, but there's always room for another. There wasn't a pair of shoes in sight, but they all seemed happy with muddy toes. Good old fashioned country kids.

Taunton Chiropractors Centre

Well, this is it everyone. The clinic opened its doors in March. I still work 4 days a week at Ilminster and Barnstaple, so it not easy to be there as much as I need, but thats the way it will have to be for the first year or so. However, now that Erica has started working with us at the clinic, the doors are open a little more than before!

http://www.tauntonchiropractors.co.uk/

http://www.jones-chiropractic.co.uk/

7 Kingston road,

Taunton,

Somerset.
TA2 7SA

It's near Taunton railway station. The location is eye catching and patients are booking up weeks in advance already!

New Year's

A great one here in Taunton was simply a spill over from Christmas. There were so many good photos to be posted that I simply don't know where to start. Here's a selection for all and sundry. I managed to put the camera down by the time we were mixing brandy and champagne (yum) with tequila (not so yum and a bit more ouch).

Dan got a bit attached to his moustache.

Face painting or fancy dress were required by all. Both was even better.

Winter Solstice

Having been in Taunton for a few weeks, it seemed time to get our bearings. What better way than seeking high ground. Considering the time of year and that granny Vicky was up to stay, what better way than a trip up this ol' hill.

Even though snow laden clouds kept us from seeing across the water to Wales, the view across the Quantocks, Blackdowns, Brent knoll and the Somerset levels was fantastic. The short walk up the Tor was strange sense of familiarity, but it was difficult to think about why, since the contemplative silence was rudely shattered by screaming children. Ours. Sorry to anyone who was after a different experience on that particular morning, but it was just a little too cold for them.

From my personal perspective, winter solstice gets far too little coverage in comparison to his equinoctial sister. Its great to wake up early (but not too early), get outside and think that for the next 6 months, its only going to get warmer and sunnier. Here's to hoping...

Mistletoe and Wine

"He's Been!" cried Tallulah at 5.30 AM in Christmas morning. Roughly 4 hours beforehand, Christa, Anna, Dan and I were plotting how to convince the children that the main man had arrived. A half eaten carrot, nibbled mince pies and sooty footprints placed carefully around the room were convincing enough for the kids.

The reason it was special was that we had all the family over. Dan and Anna brought the kids over , plus Rowan, Zara and Kian came too. Grandparents all put in a show too which was great, and Pete celebrated his birthday on the way down to Cornwall. It was lovely to have a house full and was the house warming that we needed.

I cant escape the feeling kids become overwhelmed by Christmas these days. I know its a bit BAH HUMBUG, but the more presents the kids opened, the worse behaved they were. Morwenna said this was her best Christmas ever at the point when she had only opened her stocking. I think the Quakers have it right; keep it simple and focus on the family. The more stuff you have, the less each thing seems to matter. God, where is my soapbox? I'm sure I left it round here somewhere. Don't get me started.

Westward Ho!

Ok, we're here. Its taken a few years of procrastination and recession, but we made it. We now own a beautiful grade 2 listed building in the conservation area that is South Road, Taunton.

We got here in early December and soon realised that the house could do with a lot of work. Nothing tragic, but some damp issues, poor insulation, poorly fitting windows and doors, cracked panes. All stuff you don't pay too much attention to when you view a property in July. Things are a little different during the coldest winter we have had in Britain for 30 years. I remember that one well too.

We loaded up in Norfolk on Friday, unloaded in Somerset on Saturday and started work at a couple of local clinics on Monday. After a frantic 2 days, furniture was in place. 3 days later, family started coming to stay. This was all a build up to Christmas proper, more of which in the next few posts.

We have had a brilliant few years in East Anglia, but family and new Chiropractic challenges have drawn us back this way. Christa has gone back to work now and we are closer to her contacts over here in the South West. We are still 2 hours from Cornwall and 3 hours from Pembrokeshire, but that's a vast improvement on the 8 and 7 hours respectively that it took from Norfolk.