A New Viral Sensation?

If there's something that never fails to fill our hearts with unbridled joy, especially in this glorious, summer sunshine when we're out and about mooching, it is the sound of music, especially in the guise of a one of several buskers that frequent the town for our delectation  ....... and yesterday was no exception for Eric (formally known as Nigel).  

He said that he was already pretty buoyed up after a successful shopping mission with new socks, pants and a t-shirt duly purchased, along with some meringue nests and strawberries, at Darrell's behest, so that we could have Eton Mess for pudding later in the day, however he said the calming and evocative music was just the icing on the cake.

It was as if he was floating on air with the emotion of the music and well, it would have been rude not to show his appreciation, throwing caution to the wind, with a little gentle swaying and a few classy (????) dance steps. Who cared what anyone else thought as they went about their business? Then he popped a few spare coins in the gentleman's hat as a thank you ........ CDs, I believe were available for the princely sum of £10.

It has also given Eric a nugget of any idea for a few more such uplifting posts ....... to wit "Music from the Streets of Evesham", adding that if they caught on they could even go all vital! What on earth is he like? 

Oh, Good Grief .........

Oh good grief ........

What on earth is Eric (formally known as Nigel) like?

I'm saying/doing ABSOLUTLEY nothing to encourage his interest or curiosity on this one ...... !!!!

Encounters Of The Third Kind Over The Towers?

The other night, as Darrell was drawing the blinds before we all retired, he noticed two, large, spectral beams of light continually crossing over each other in the sky, reflecting, rather beautifully, in the river. It was, he said both romantic, but a touch unsettling at the same time!

In the end curiosity got the better of him and he went outside accompanied by Eric (formally known as Nigel) to get a closer look.

It was indeed tres, tres romantic .......

...... however as we didn't have a clue as to what they were and where they were actually coming from, it was also a little ominous, with both Darrell and Eric's minds running riot, immediately going from something of an investigative police type nature (after all, we are no strangers to the odd police helicopter going over in the middle of the night with their penetrating beams and unmistakable sound) to the more alarmist, close encounter of the third kind, envisioning aliens attempting to make contact with the inhabitants of a nearby, isolated village.  I ask you?  Too much cheese with their crackers at supper time, more like, me thinks!

In the end I had to shout them to come in, telling them that I was sure all would be revealed in the fullness of time if they just chilled.

It goes without saying that I was indeed right (as ever), with it not taking that long thanks to Facebook posts .......

....... and young Eric spotting a whole plethora of posters plastered all over Evesham when he next went on the school run!  Soooooooo, nothing unearthly or nefarious ....... just the circus coming to town.  What on earth are they like? 

A Considered Purchase

Yesterday, while out mooching, the ever fragrant Alice struck charity shop gold for Darrell, as she has grown to recognise and love all his little interior decor peccadillos so well since she joined us at The Towers.

In short, she only went and found a candle (tick) in an unusual (tick) phrenology type holder. She said her heart beat a little faster as she picked it up and examined it, as she knew Darrell would absolutely love it.

So a considered purchase was duly made.

And yes, the presentation of which was ........ emotional, Alice, bless her little cotton ribbons, had well and truly nailed it! 

A Triumphant Return Home ......

Oh my goodness, Eric and the ever fragrant Alice arrived home safe and sound from Dawlish yesterday afternoon at around four o'clock, looking sun kissed and full of sea air ...... and their timing couldn't have been more perfect .........

..... especially when they came bearing gifts of a truly wonderful, comestible kind, to wit a Gay's cream tea platter. Poor Darrell was almost beside himself of a Mary Berry type nature, on seeing the very ample pot of real life, Devonshire clotted cream.  It was the kind of quintessential English tea treat dreams are made of he sighed. Sometimes I think he's on a completely different planet to the rest of us!

There then ensued a good humoured age old scone debate, as to what goes on the baked delicacy first, the jam (strawberry as ever) or the cream.  We are all very much of the jam first, cream second brigade, with a little (real) butter on scone first .......

However, Eric in his infinite wisdom declared he could very easily be tempted and swayed towards a layered combo of butter, jam, cream and then another small dollop of jam bang smack in the middle of said top cream layer! What is he like?

It goes without saying that it was a glorious welcome home for Eric and Alice, with much contented nomming. Me thinks we ought to be sending them off to Devon a little more often, for the obvious reasons, unless of course Evesham gets it very own Gay's!

Last Minute Stock Up

Before setting off for home Eric (formally known as Nigel) and the ever fragrant Alice said that they just had to bid a final fond farewell to Dawlish (even though they'll be back before the year is through) .......  

...... ostensibly to say goodbye to the sea ...........

......... the Dalish's famous black swans......

....... and to make sure all the other ducks were safe and well, not fused to the pavement with gum and all safely across the road!

However, I also think that the main/real reason behind their return visit was to pay another visit to Gay's Creamery ..........

........ for a last minute stock up of pasties, tray bakes, cheese straws, fudge and other such delicacies that  have been very much mulled over during their evenings happily ensconced in their caravan .......

...... and the reason, I believe, Darrell has been very industriously reorganising and making room in the drawers of "his" freezer and preserve baskets in order to receive them!

What are they all like?  Safe journey home E (FKAN) and TEFA ......... and don't drop anything!!!

Brixham - Memories Light The Corner Of My Mind

Mem'ries light the corners of my mind

Misty water-coloured memories of the way we were

Scattered pictures of the smiles we left behind

Smiles we gave to one another for the way we were

While in Devon, it wouldn't have been right not to spend a little time in Brixham, a place, as you know, that holds a very special corner of our hearts .....

 

..... with many many happy memories of our time staying at Cockle Cottage way back in 2011. 

Can it be that it was all so simple then

Or has time re-written every line?

If we had the chance to do it all again

Tell me, would we? Could we?

it's also a place that Andy loved and described as heaven on earth after fishing there during countless summer visits........

Mem'ries may be beautiful and yet

What's too painful to remember

We simply choose to forget

........ where we requested donations to be made to the Brixham RNLI in his memory, as he could never walk past their little shop without putting some money in their collection box or buying a little something like a keyring or secondhand book.........

So it's the laughter we will remember

Whenever we remember the way we were

The way we were.

........... and where we finally scattered his ashes, on the beach next to the breakwater where he fished so happily in 2011.

It was emotional for Eric and Alice, bless her knew when to listen .......

......... when no say nothing, when to laugh and when to cry ...........and when to gently rub his back or hold his hand as tightly as she could muster without crushing his fingers!

But they both knew that if Andy was anywhere it would be here sat sitting on the rocks by said breakwater and that it was alright for them to make new memories, embracing Brixham anew  .......

....... mooch in the perfectly named shops, tuck into even more mahoooooosive pasties, (or fish and chips), fudge and ice cream and giggle at all the stupid little things two such good friends would find so side splittingly funny,  ..........

..... and then as they left knowing that Andy was where he loved best .......

......... had said hello to them .......... and now just wanted to get on with his fishing if they didn't mind ....... 

........ tight lines sir, tight lines  ..........

Mum's Monkey: Cockle Cottage