Spooky Out Of This Realm Findings In Dawlish .......

While in Dawlish Eric (formally known as Nigel) and the ever fragrant Alice just happened upon the £3 or under Brainwave Charity Shop and well, it would have been rude not to have a polite holiday gander!

It goes without saying that they found the 2025 obligatory soft hedgehog toy, but needless to say, no considered purchase was made .....

...... however it was the book display at the top of the slope as they entered the shop that got Nigel all reminiscent .......

..... with, to wit, a whole plethora of books of a spooky type nature, including several of the late, great (RIP, taken too soon) Derek Acorah, our psychical hero in days of yore and who, even now, is oft to waft into our minds when something unearthly or eerie occurs that causes us to ponder. A considered purchase was again not made, with Eric reasoning that the reading of said books might prove a little emotional,  evoking memories of many happy evenings when Derek was among us and tres de rigueur as a must see for our televisual viewing of a Friday, if our collective memory serves us right (????), so he was left, sensibly, for someone else to embrace.

Did they spend any of their hard earned spending money in Brainwave did I hear you ask?

Well yes, but unfortunately the taking of pictures was cast to the wind in the excited fluster of finding treasure, in the guise of a East of India money box, bought for £1, while still currently for sale new in prime establishments and on websites for between £15 and £20, so a real bargain. Alice also picked up a beautiful Irish, Belleek Claddagh mug, again for £1 that she recognised as an object of both beauty and quality, perfect for her morning cup of tea in bed, a much better holiday souvenir than a fridge magnet of a seagull or stick of rock.  So win win all round ....... and although as I said we don't have any pictures I'm sure you'll spot them in posts in the near future.  

Dawlish Earns Us Another Much Sought After Tick.

An unexpected tick for Eric (formally known as Nigel) on our Bucket List Calendar of 2025, found on the very cusp of going into a new month, to wit June ......

...... in the guise of "spotting a bird's nest", as it would appear that we have all been barking up the wrong tree in our efforts to secure one for said calendar in the mistaken belief that we would almost certainly "spot" one by gazing upwards to all manner of vacant tree branch.

Sooooooooo, who would ever have ever dreamt that Eric would find only go and find  one under the busy railway bridge, leading to the beach in Dawlish .......

...... but there it was, a joy to behold, if not in the quietest place to raise a baby pigeon(s), otherwise known as a squab and reputedly to be quite an ugly little thing for a while once hatched.

However, mum and dad both looked busy and pretty contented feathering their nest, which would certainly offer both them and their precious chick protection from the wind and the rain and cats, even if we're not so sure about waves and a high tide, should there be a raging, tempest tossed sea in the next few weeks, but they still proffered (unbeknownst to them) another much valued tick for us, so hopefully it's win win all round.

Gay's Creamery

First port of call on their holibobs for Eric (formally Known as Nigel) and the ever fragrant Alice just had to be Gay's Creamery in Dawlish .........

...... a place of comestible legend ........ 

....... known most famously for it's huge variety of traditional and not so traditional pasties ..........

.......... and it magnificent array of old fashioned, homemade, tray baked cakes .......... 

....... and other such local delicacies. 

It really was a no brainer of a visit ......

....... but where to start among all the jam, chutneys, jellies and curds .......

....... regional brews, both alcoholic and of the tea variety, fudge, take away clotted cream teas ......

....... plush, facsimile souvenirs of the famous Dawlish black swans ........ 

...... and of the shop itself, some even celebrating a hundred years of Gays in Dawlish!

However, in the end, despite all their best efforts and enthusiasm Eric and Alice found themselves totally bamboozled ...... there really was toooooooo much choice ......

...... so in the end they settled for two giant traditional pasties, a very ample slice of Bakewell tart, and the same again in apple pie form, plus two bags of proper crumbly fudge to nibble in the caravan later that evening, vowing to return, when they were a little more composed and able to make a few more considered choices, some to bring home.  What are they like? 

And how were their pasties, eaten outside, but out of sight and sniffing distance of the voracious Dawlish seagulls? Absolutely blooming unbelievable, with Alice, for once, not batting a single eyelash over her waist, declaring to Eric that calories simply don't count on holiday and never in glorious sunshine!  What is she like?

So sorry Mr D if you are now wanting a traditional pastie and want it now, but I am assured that Eric and Alice consumed and enjoyed theirs on your behalf!

A Cheeky Sorjoun Dans Devon.

Today, you/we find Eric (formally known as Nigel) and the ever fragrant Alice embracing all the delights the area around Dawlish Warren that they can muster during this, their first caravan break of 2025. 

It has to be said that although Dawlish Warren with Little Miss Iris and Young Master Bertie has featured our holiday calendar for several years now ........

...... and indeed again this August .......

...... to be honest, we've really seen very little any of the other nearby resorts ........

...... because, when with the little ones, it's been all about them and keeping them happy.

Usually if the weather has been clement (as it generally is), we've tended to go to the beach for a morning of paddling, sandcastle and dam making and sandy sandwiches or pesto pasta, with a little bit of arcade thrown in, before we head back to Welcome for  .......

....... an afternoon in one of the three pools (though usually it's all of them), followed by a chill back at our allotted caravan and then tea ......

..... before Iris corals us all to the Clubhouse for an evening of non stop dancing,  the odd cheeky game of bingo, plus musical entertainment before we all retire to our beds absolutely exhausted.

So, as I said, we've never had much time left for ourselves or any sightseeing, but from what I gather, Eric and Alice have put together a full and very comprehensive itinerary of Devon's joys between them.

I think they might just come back equally as exhausted as before, such is the length of their list .......

....... however they will no longer, hopefully, be strangers to the delights of Teignmouth, Brixham, Torquay, Paignton, Dawlish etc. ...... not to mention the sampling of several regional delicacies, to wit the local mahooooosive pasties and arrays of home baked cake that will no doubt be calling to them! Happy, happy days!

A New Development Chez Estate

Yesterday, on his way to the school run, Eric (formally known as Nigel) discovered that we have a new addition to the cusp of our estate .......

....... to wit, a very impressive and shiny blind spot mirror, no doubt to aid the traffic of heavy lorries coming in and out of the scrapyard behind our hedgehog encrusted bridge.

 Not a bad an idea, the little fella opined upon his return ........

....... especially as it seems, of late, one or two of said heavily laden lorries have backed into the trees and foliage behind it, which probably unbeknownst to them, conceals a bit of a drop with a pond at the bottom, which ebbs and flows at times when the river is in flood, therefore backing up a little too far could spell disaster.

However, sorted safety issues aside, Eric added that the mirror could also come in very handy as he passed for a last check of his hair and general appearance to ensure that he wouldn't be found wanting while waiting at the school gate.

WHAT on earth is he like? 

Our Current Chocolate Of Choice

Not so much a review, more of a recommendation ........

Sooooooooo, Eric (formally known as Nigel) brought this white chocolate and caramelised biscuit bar home from Lldl ......

...... after spotting it amidst the sweet aisle, after the school run, thinking that it might be something a little bit different, as well as ticking some of our sweet treat boxes! 

Let's just say it certainly ticked an awful lot of those aforementioned boxes, we absolutely LOVE it, so much so that Eric is currently bringing one (sometimes two) back every time he nips into Lldl. 

The white chocolate isn't at all cloying as some are want to be and the rich, caramel biscuit pieces add a perfect, subtle type crunch along with the unmistakable, comforting flavour of a biscuit so often proffered free with a coffee at the hairdressers!  

We're determined to make the very most of it as some of the more unusual chocolate bars have a habit of disappearing after a while, leaving you very much wanting, a bit like the Aldi coconut crunch, which we oft still dream, neigh swoon about!   

Anyway, it's very much our current chocolate bar of choice at the moment. Could we also just add that Eric buys it with his or our own money and that we are in no way affiliated with Lldl and therefore will not receive any commission should this post go viral ........ just in case anyone wonders!

Eric And Darrell Miss Out

Yesterday afternoon there was a certain amount of curtain twitching going on chez Towers, which Eric (formally known as Nigel) was very cross about missing as he was otherwise engaged on the school run.

But anyway, we had a visit from the rufty tufty Network Rail men, to clear, we presume, something on the railway bank, without Darrell even having to report anything of an over hanging or invading type nature to our communal garden or carpark which has to be a first!

However, we were able to assure young Eric, who is always greatly drawn to any activity where the wearing a protective helmet, fluorescent overalls and the wielding of noisy equipment is required ........

...... that said suitably apparelled gentleman actually seemed to spend more time opening up a gap in the metal fence ..........

...... than doing what they had been charged to attend to, a couple of buzzes and it was all over, without even the time for Darrell to go out and proffer the usual cup of tea, Hob Nob biscuit and a natter, as is usually his want, so, on this occasion we were left total strangers to what had been done. 

Oh well ......  perhaps next time ..........

Nul Points ...... The End Of An Era?

As you know, we found ourselves well and truly otherwise engaged on Saturday night, re: Eurovision ........

....... discovering that we were double booked after Chris McCausland rescheduled his shows, due to him accepting and subsequently winning Strictly 2024.

Let's just say he did not disappoint in any way, shape or form, he was brilliant  .....

...... however, I don't think the same can be said for the goings on in Basle!

We got home having missed every single song and trust us, we missed nowt, sitting ourselves down on the very cusp of the voting.

The only saving grace, which we caught and believe was the highlight of the four hour show for almost everyone, was the absolutely fantastic interval "Song Battle" between Kaarija (2023) and Baby Lasgana (2024) which was tres emotional, as both acts were grotesquely robbed of their right to hold the crystal Eurovision trophy aloft, because of, in our opinion, some very biased voting in their relevant years! 

In fact it was Kaarija being denied his deserved moment of triumph by a most unsavoury looking Loreen singing Tatoo in 2023 that prompted our Eurovision malaise. Even the audience was beside themselves in disbelief, were still chanting "Cha cha cha cha cha cha cha!" as the eventual unsavoury one took to the stage! 

And, it happened yet again this year for Estonia who ended up in third place, behind the "political" voting .......  

..... with Austria pipping Israel on the very last vote but by this time we'd all totally lost all interest and were in bed or brushing our teeth before the winner hit his first note! 

Yes, JJ could certainly hit the high notes, but with a song that no one else will ever be able to sing, let alone chant (or dance) to in years to come, whereas all three of the above will be remembered very fondly and make guest appearances in the competition for many years to come.  

At the moment it truly feels like the end of a televisual era for us, not helped by another nul points for the UK from the televoters?  "What The Hell Just Happened", seems a very poignant song with which to end said era. 

I think, we'll just park it here until next year and see if the mood happens to take us again!