Just back from Mevagissey a lovely village next to the sea in South Cornwall. Stayed in our caravan in the hills above Mevagissey on an Alpaca farm.  What delightful and friendly animals these are. We popped over the hills to Goran Haven where the dogs are allowed into the sea.  Two Labradors love to swim.  The tide goes out quite a long way to reveal a lovely sandy beach but comes back in quite rapidly.  It was on its way back in when we noticed further along the beach a very smart four-track motor up to the top of its wheels in the sea.  An equally smart speed boat came back in from the sea and it looked as through they had driven their car with the boat on the trailer way out on the beach and into the water to launch their boat.  Unfortunately they clearly omitted to drive it back up the beach to safety BEFORE setting off in their boat. People came from all over the beach to give a hand to pull on a tow rope to try and get it out but it was stuck fast and the sea was coming in fast.  We had to leave whilst all was in disarray - does anyone know what the final outcome was?

Not a Student in Sight

I had a great day on Sunday. 84 of us played Bridge in Morning followed by a good lunch and in the afternoon bridge till 4.30 p,m.  It was a beautifully organised day in very pleasant company.

The Venue was a hotel on the outskirts of Oxford. It had at least one wedding reception over that week-end and catered for them as well as the 84 of us.  The staff were extremely polite and efficient but it was interesting to note that there did not seem to be a single student working their Sunday to help pay for their college/university fees.

There are literally thousands of students attending the colleges and universities in Oxford and places such as this hotel should be a heaven sent opportunity to pick up at least minimum wage plus tips each Sunday.

Where were they all? I hope not striking or demonstrating when the opportunity to help pay their way through college was present.

I guess I am from a different age where a work ethic was a blessing and University was a privilege.

I am reading through a manuscript for a new book  by Ryan Keith - Travels with Ernest - that TwigBooks are going to publish in a few weeks time.  Ernest is the name Ryan had given to his trusty Vespa Motor-scooter and this new book tells the story of Ryan's journey with Ernest around Northern Ireland.
From an unlikely sounding event has come a  beautifully written and tremendously interesting book.  Ryan's style reminds me a little of a Bill Bryson.  Let us hope Ryan achieves a similar success. TwigBooks hope to have it into Print by the end of this month.
Our Apples are fermenting as Pure Apple Juice, Cider and Wine.  Some of the Cider seems to be galloping along towards fully fermented and we sampled some this week-end - hence the title of this blog. Your very good health.

Friends & Neighbours helped on our Apple Pick at the weekend and we picked until the trailer was full. Lots of Apples left on the trees for the birds and on the ground for the wild animals. Apple Press tells us we have 300 litres of Apple juice - wow! Half is being fermented for wine, the other half will make (we hope) cider and Apple juice. It should be a very merry 2011.

After a 4 years of walking with a limp and a very painful 2010 we finally discovered it was Osteo-Arthritis in my left hip. Had it replaced 8 weeks ago and am able to chip and put for the first time for 6 months.  Hope to be back on the Golf Course by the end of Dec. Meanwhile our kind neighbours have helped me pick about 350 kilo of Apples,  I have booked time on a commercial Apple Press so hope to turn it all into cider. apple juice, and wine.  Could be a good year ahead!!!!