Happy Birhday to Pete

Sorry - no pictures this week. Nothing special to photograph. Perhaps I'll list old images to add some colour!

We really weren’t sure how this week would go. Whilst clearing the pine needles in the garden on Sunday Pete had twisted his ankle and only Monday morning would allow us to know what might happen. We suspected it may have been a break, but on waking Pete was surprised that, although sore, he could at least put his full weight on his ankle and would be able to drive. We had planned for Julie to drive Pete to a meeting in Truro if necessary, but it now meant Ajanta would have the benefit of her going into work.

Work at the Salcombe Deli is winding down for Julie as we head towards the end of the season with only half-term to come where it is expected to be busy. The weather hasn’t been great and the tourists seem to have deserted the town. Half-term is usually the time for second home owners to shut up their houses and take their boats out of the water and store them for the winter. Time will tell if half-term will be the busy week local traders need.

Julie will now find time to do more work at Ajanta, but time will be limited this week due to other plans. Exeter on Wednesday and Thursday evening returning to Essex, as Pete needed to go to London for work on Friday. We planned to be in Essex for the weekend too returning on Sunday, as Julie was going flower hunting with our niece for her wedding.

Wednesday 21st was Pete’s birthday and we spent the day in Exeter, as Pete’s company car was being serviced at the BT workshop there. We spent the day in Exeter mostly looking around the shops and had lunch at La Tasca. The food was ok, but very slow in coming. However, during the meal Pete broke a tooth on nothing particular. No pain, but a real need to see a dentist before it got any worse. Since moving we have not found another dentist and are still registered in Romford so needed to get an appointment ASAP. Luckily one was available on Monday 26^th so an extended weekend would, with hope, be all that is required to sort things out – see next weeks log to find out!

Thursday was a working day for us both and a busy one at that. Having done a full day we drove back to Essex that evening to ensure Pete was able to get into London before 08:30 the next day, arriving at Julie’s parents around 23:30.

Over the weekend we took the time to see the kids and Pete’s brothers and their families. Julie spent Saturday afternoon at Crews Hill with her sister-in-law, niece and one of her bridesmaids looking for wedding flowers and ideas. Seems it was worthwhile as they came back with plenty of ideas and the flowers they picked matched the dress (see next June’s blog for pictures/details). Saturday evening saw us all at Pete’s brother, Roy’s house for a takeaway mix of Chinese, Indian and fish and chips (don’t ask) with the family, Callum came out of hospital earlier than expected and it was great to see him there to and to see how happy he was with the initial benefit from his operation.

Sunday was a day spent sorting out items left at Roy’s house since we moved house last year with a view to getting them back to Devon. Pete also needed to help Gemma, as she lost her car key somehow between the car and her front door. Things got sorted out though, although we had trouble with the logistics of driving people around, as the car was full of garden furniture and a BBQ.

It has been another full and eventful week and we are both finding our work and social commitments very difficult to manage, however, in Dagenham we would never have had the diversity of things to do. We will have to find a happy medium over time, but we are both enjoying the things we do.