#186 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Food ( but this is not a food blog), Serendipity, Van LifeLeave a comment

This is what procrastination looks like. I’ve been trying to buy some popular shelving from Ikea, I dithered about yesterday and didn’t check the website until later in the afternoon. All the units I wanted were available in the colour I wanted but I had missed the deadline for click and collect. Suddenly a trip to Ikea had turned into a spontaneous overnight camping trip as we ‘made the most’ out of a trip to Exeter and wild- camped overnight on the seafront at Exmouth. Close enough to Ikea to get there when it opens on Sunday morning.

In all my Ikea life such a plan would never have been hatched before. Our most regular Ikea was always Croydon and before that Bristol and Thurrock, none of these destinations scream wild camping wonderfulness. But Exmouth really is rather fabulous for an overnight spot of Van life.

In an effort to put International in our life while I still have no passport we are eating our way around the world while remaining in Plymouth. Before we even thought about Ikea or camping trips we went to Canada for lunch. Kickin Caribou on Mutley Plain serves Poutine and other Canadian treats.

We had the window seat and had an unusually vivid street scene to enjoy while we tucked into chips, curd cheese and gravy. Yesterday was St Georges Day and one of the biggest charity events that Plymouth hosts. The St Luke’s Mens Day Out, passed by our window seat. The link below explains the great ethos behind the event. The route of the walk takes in some amazing scenery and passes plenty of pubs. It is a thoroughly wonderful event. There are some unplanned additional events related to these pubs. My following comments are tongue in cheek and not representational of the organisers plans.

Men’s Day Out: The power of hundreds of men on the move

The clue is in the statement ‘ there are plenty of pubs on the route’

Many of the men choose to walk in fancy dress, some of them drink far too much. Some of them fight. Lets just say that history does not suggest that Crusaders or the Flintstones ever got involved in street fighting or T Shirt pulling but there were pockets of such behaviour along the route. The walk started at 10am, when we decided to leave for our unplanned Ikea adventure at 5 pm there were still the walking wounded shuffling their way along the route. There may be a few sore heads this morning alongside the many more sore feet. Most importantly a lot of money was raised.

#185 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Food ( but this is not a food blog)Leave a comment
Cheese and Bacon Fries

When we lived in London we lived 6 miles from a very good burger van.

©Zephyr Burgers

The burgers were so good that we were always happily tempted away from our, no red meat, lifestyle choice. When we returned to live in Cornwall a happy coincidence occured when Zephyr Burgers relocated to 6 miles from our Cornish home.

©Zephyr Burgers

6 miles in London or Cornwall can be a lifetime of travel so our burgers were always eaten on the hoof. A process that could be both an absolute joy and horrendously messy. Of the many reasons we decided to relocate to the Devon coast, Burgers were not on any pro or con list. Earlier this week the chef/proprietor of Zephyr was back in London winning the Burger Chef of the year award. This prompted us to have a burger outing.

©Zephyr Burgers

We now live about one mile from our favourite red meat indulgence. Last night was epic, not because the burger and dirty fries were wonderful, which they were. Not because the burger was cooked by the best burger chef in the UK. Not even because I almost got a photo of an owl shadow reflected on a wall as we returned home. Juggling a bag of burgers and a smart phone does not make me a speedy photographer.

Last night was epic because, for the first time ever we managed to eat our burger at a table in our own home. Neither one of us ended up wearing any part of the burger on our clothes. We can even wear the same clothes this morning. This has never happened before. Suddenly we are respectable burger eaters.

©Zephyr Burgers

#184 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Bobbing3 Comments

Bobbers and their dogs left their usual Atlantic location and travelled up the River Tamar last night to celebrate an evening of live music and Coach Andy’s birthday. Bobber Helen was performing after recovering the lower register of her voice, the upper one having been temporarily disabled by Covid.

Bobbers always celebrate birthdays in the sea but Coach Andy is a special bobber because he never gets wet. So a landlocked celebration at the Who’d Have Thought It suited him very well.

Covid has robbed us all of so much but the curiously named pub exactly reflects the sentiments of last night.

Who would have thought that fifteen people, most of them strangers to one another, would have created such a bond because of a pandemic. During the dark days of lockdowns in England people were only permitted to travel short distances for exercise. Open water or the sea was the only place that swimming could happen. Crazy as it seems now Bobbing started when we even had to keep our distance in outside environments including the sea. Bobbing requires us all to struggle in and out of our clothes on a public promenade, Coach Andy keeps an eye on piles of clothes and the bobbers in the sea. We swim in an area with very tricksy currents. During lockdown even though travel was restricted to essential or exercise some people saw this as an opportunity to steal phones and valuables from swimmers clothes piles. There was also a Voyeur who would casually cycle up and down the promenade in a high visibility jacket hoping to catch an eyeful of damp flesh as we struggled in or out of our clothes. At one point Coach Andy was supplemented by members of the Police Force who showed the Voyeur the error of his ways and he cycled off never to be seen again. Although as his disguise was a high visibility jacket that statement is not strictly true. Someone, somewhere else is almost certainly seeing him. Coach Andy is an absolute master at wandering off and staring at the horizon for long periods when we get to the damp flesh bit of bobbing. He is also pretty good at a good old natter when other people come to visit the bobbing zone to marvel at the madness that is cold water swimming in all sorts of weather. His emergency finger is never far away from his phone whatever situation he finds himself in

Who would have thought you could put 15 strangers into a very unusual situation and then turn them into friends.

Who would have thought that three dogs could listen so attentively to a night of the Blues . I suspect no high notes may have been the secret.

#183 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn BoxLeave a comment

Yesterday was a strange one. I had arrived at work without my phone. Routines revolve around using my phone to photograph the days work rota and our little team keep contact and change plans using our phones. For me it is also my watch and camera. Photos taken at the museum also regularly create a blog. There are always moments that would make a good photo, but armed with only a pen and scraps of paper I discovered I could capture moments that I would never photograph, by making tiny, fast sketches.

The sun suddenly breaking through cloud and a fused glass window. Throwing light onto a white wall and floor.

Two girls, dressed as butterflies, arrive to visit the Natural History exhibition.

A Royal Marine Veteran steadies himself on a Barbara Hepworth sculpture after leaving a film dedicated to the 40th anniversary of the Falkland War.

Sketches are almost more observational than a photograph, by taking away the reality something is gained not lost. The last two I would never dream of taking a photo, and the last one I should certainly have taken the time more officiously and reminded the gentleman not to touch the exhibit. I was very aware, in the moment, that I had no idea what was going through his head, and that the cold marble was giving him comfort.

This last one slightly gives me the chills…

#182 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Holidays, Home3 Comments

A mobile phone and notebook made me unusually productive yesterday. Not exactly as busy as a bee but close. Apart from the times when I was walking the dogs I was hanging onto a phone line for the passport office. The notebook had significant dates in, that I knew I would need to quote and the phone was on loudspeaker so everyone in hearing distance was subjected to the truly terrible ‘on-hold’ music and the constant message about busy operators and suggestions that I use the on line system.

I will spare you my rage in full, a synopsis is the kinder option.

I have spent almost ten hours in the last two weeks on the phone to the passport office. Most of it listening to their dreadful music, not dreadful because the composer had a bad day but dreadful because the recording is reproduced so badly. The music is constantly interrupted by an announcer who speaks so gently and patronisingly that I wished harm on her.

Nearly two and a half hours on hold, in total, yesterday got most of the days dull jobs done.

Plenty of yardening which is where the illustrations come from.

All the washing done, no need for you to be bored by that. I even managed a small water colour doodle for my art course.

The thing I didn’t achieve was a resolution to the Passport situation. I still dont have one and it seems not even to be on the horizon. The Passport Office, in line with our Conservative Government Guidelines, lie. It seems that after surviving the aural hell that is their phone line queueing system, their overworked operators will tell you any old, plausible guff to get you off the line so they can lie to next person and achieve their lie goals for the day.

I have now entered the complaint system, lets see where that takes me.

Not abroad, that much is certain.

#181 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Bobbing, Friends and FamilyLeave a comment

And then the sun came out properly! After 4 days of mist with just an occasional sunny break through, Monday, finally, delivered on some good weather. Our morning walk took us to Mount Wise overlooking Plymouth Sound and the Stonehouse Peninsular. Looking back towards our home and regular swimming, bobbing, location.

We have been home birds for the whole of Easter and we have had many adventures but all the photographs look like this.

This was the view from our Sunday lunch destination, booked for the combination of extensive, breathtaking views and good food. The food did not disappoint. Below is a link to how the view should be.

Fog or mist included we had a great weekend of socialising with family and friends. By Monday evening it was time to get back to normal and an evening ‘bob’ was called. 10 bobbers gathered in the evening sun with tales of Easters elsewhere, and photographs to make us jealous.

Pembrokeshire © Nichola Bobber
Mid-Wales © Gill/Marianne Bobber
East Wittering ©Gilly Bobber

Not that Tranquility Bay put on a bad show last night itself.

Tranquility Bay, though, was in a tricksy mood and had some nasty currents which exhausted one of the bobbers. Last night was a fine lesson in why we are Bobbers who Bob together. Towards the end of our time in the water two bobbers were a little late returning to the chattering zone. After some robust shouting our two strongest swimmers realised there was a problem and took off back to the buoy. Coach Andy has his finger poised to call the emergency services, but the tired and emotional bobber was dragged back to the safe area and we all left the sea, happy that we have each other and that some of the bobbers are good enough swimmers to keep us safe. Easter eggs and hot drinks returned everyone to their normal settings and Coach Andy’s Emergency Finger was returned to his coat pocket until it is next called into action. And with that Easter 2022 was concluded.

#180 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn EasterLeave a comment

What is Easter for those of us without a faith? 4 glorious days to do faith based things with friends and family. Where would the hot cross bun be without a crucifixion? Would we have Chocolate eggs without the Pagans? More relaxed than Christmas and with better weather. We ticked all those boxes this weekend. Persistent Sea Mist even gave us an egg shaped sun while it slightly compromised the better weather aspect of our outings.

Goodness we had some glorious meals and some fabulous walks and conversations. Extra time to read weekend newspapers and books. The sun even broke through a few times for some brief basking in the back yard.

After all the feasting what better way to end the day than with left overs and a chip butty.

#179 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Travels1 Comment

This blog had a theme in the planning stage but an early morning message from a school friend, who lives in Australia slightly changed the narrative journey.

There is an inevitability about being a woman and revealing the county of your birth if that county happens to be Essex.

But life is a path travelled, and for now my path has taken me to Devon, and currently not too much further. I am 14 weeks into a wait for a new passport which has transitioned from being a holiday busting pain in the arse, to a smug sense of relaxation as the news media constantly broadcasts travel doom. Showing over- busy airports struggling to move a whole Easterworth of happy travellers for the first time in two years.

For now, this Essex Woman is going nowhere, and yes I have been many of the things Sarah Perry observed, so maybe not imposing myself on the wider world for a few months is a kindness imposed by the United Kingdom Passport service.

#178 theoldmortuary ponders.

On By theoldmortuary.designIn BobbingLeave a comment

We have some friends who live in Down Thomas, a village opposite our swimming beach, not on the island but on the cliffs that are hidden behind the sea fog that was sweeping in yesterday afternoon. I sent them this picture with the question ” Where are you?”

Our late afternoon bob was chilly and bright and looked, but did not feel, Mediterranean.

When we got out I had received a photo back, from our friend, with the same question.

” Where are you?”

#177 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn art, blogging, Serendipity1 Comment

I have a little store of pre-prepared pages that I can take out with me when I know I am going out for a natter and some creativity. Sometimes, like this, one just an outline of some shapes. The destination of these watercolour doodles is never certain. I had a vague theme in mind but doodles like daily blogs tend to have a mind of their own. I suppose in art I am the opposite of a perfectionist, this may also be my my life planning style too. I like to allow enough space in life and in my creations for serendipity, for happy accidents, for the joy of whimsy. In common with perfectionists and every other living thing I also suffer from the bad things life can throw at an individual. I have found, however, serendipity, happy accidents , whimsy, and the love and friendship of some wonderful people and animals pulls me out of the mire of life in the most beautiful ways. Enjoy your long weekend wherever you are.