Before I forget .....

... I meant to tell you about the wonderful wedding celebrations that we covered in Chagford recently.
Masked ball theme in a very pretty setting. Nip on to http://www.jillpendleton.co.uk/ to see a few more shots, but I am having to hold back on showing you any more as a magazine will be having exclusive rights to some of the pictures and that's not been sorted yet.... I have made the most wonderful selection of photos to go into the album which is now on order.... will let you have the link once all the legals are out of the way.

No doubt I and a million other women who will never get to ballroom dance again in our lives will be back at the box again to see the 2nd instalment of Strictly come Dancing. I watched part one last night and felt grieved on Arlene Phillip's behalf. She was sacked and we have Alesha Dixon as a replacement. BUT it is clear that what she knows about dancing could be written on a postcard compared with the enormous amount of dancing knowledge that Arlene has.
All this for a younger audience ???? What cheek. I'd like to bet that there are far more of us over 50's loyally watching each shimmer of sequins and glide across the ballroom than young 'uns. and anyway wouldn't we prefer the professional observations and suggestions of Arlene to those of the limited Alesha ? - "Well I liked it, it was nice" as a role model to our kids ? This is a professional show and thousands of would be young dancers enjoy the show for the expertise that Arlene has in spades.

Maybe I should start a petition to bring Arlene back.....hang on a minute, I will see if there is any such thing already showing on the web .....
......
Yes !!!! Brilliant. I had better copy the above and add it to my signature on this petition. Let me find the website for you....... It's http://petition.co.uk/bring_back_arlene_phillips_to_strictly how about that ?
If you agree with me, then please add your comment too

Ain't the Internet clever..... ?
Too clever for me. I'm off to bake a sponge cake and pick some of my runner beans.
Rob's having a bit of an off colour day so I made him stay in bed all morning and now I am going to find
him a Top Gear to sit in front of. That should cheer him up..... Mind you I loathe that opinionated Jeremy Clarkson. Funny how they never show you his lower torso. He has got the worse knocked knees I have seen for a long time. Maybe it's in his contract that they never show you him walking away from the camera..... Am I being catty or what...... ?

Sorry chaps.
Cheerio again..... JP

Stems and Stitches exhibition at Chagford Church

Nipped into Chagford on Saturday morning , won a bottle of Pinot Grigio at the Morecare Coffee Morning raffle, then went along to the exhibition of Stems and Stitches in our church...

What a superb display of work on offer. Wonderful flowers and the most amazing needlework, especially that of Elinor D'Albiac. She showed me a hood that she had been repairing for over a year. It belongs to a beautiful cope that is part of this lovely exhibition.

Some of the vestments are truly inspiring. I have submitted a couple of photos to The Okehampton Times, our local rag.

A day off at last... yeah !!

Had a super time today....
We took a day off and struck lucky with the weather...

One thing we were looking forward to was meeting the new
owners of The Cherrybrook on Dartmoor at Two Bridges.

I was delighted when one of the new owners got in touch, as the
previous incumbents had let the place run down and were not
noted for their friendliness towards guests.
When David Martin rang me to introduce himself earlier on in the year, I did tell him that he would have his work cut out to overcome the hotel's poor reputation, but talking to him for half an hour on the phone it was clear that he, his wife Judy, his sister Pat and her husband were as keen as mustard to get started, and that their enthusiasm and will to succeed would get them off to a good start.
We arranged to call in for coffee, and I must say that the building is on it's way up.
There's still masses to do, but they are pulling out all the stops and coping with increasing numbers of guests. New bedlinen has gone a long way towards improving the bedrooms, the tellies all now work, it's all wonderfully clean, if still rather outdated, but there are workmen up ladders, a gardener helping David to turn the wilderness back into a thing of beauty, and they have sensible plans in the making for Autumn breaks and the festive season.
We were treated to the most delicious carrot cake ever and there is a general air of optimism in the air. They were happy to show me rooms and keen to point out that as soon as the Summer rush has abated, they will be tearing out the old beige and avacado sanitary ware and updating.

So, all is good. One thing they have now on offer is Afternoon Tea, and if Judy's carrot cake is anything to go by, they will do well at it. So if you are passing and you see the sign out for Cream Teas, as yet only at the weekend, then give them a try, they are very nice people and they deserve to do well.

Lunchtime saw us in Tavistock where we had lunch at Brown's, but I am hoping to turn that into a food review, so more on that later.
I shall also be writing a piece about this very pleasant watering hole too which is tucked away in Tavistock. If it were on the main street, there would be a queue out of the door. Very sweet couple in charge.... will alert you when to read all.

In the meantime, I hope that you caught my latest food review on www.dartmooraccommodation.co.uk - it's about a recent visit to Castle Drogo...

I took 400 photos today. I know, I know..... some day off !! and Rob is telling me that I can look at his photos now, and soon it will be time for bed, so I'm off...

As the late great Beryl Reid used to say 'Cheerio Each !'

Back on the up at last....

At last following the rotten swine flu, we are back in party mode.....

Sam and Ian threw a brilliant party a couple of Saturdays ago now, and we got our act together and dressed up at the last minute....

Great food, brilliant music and there is a picture of me with some joke glasses doing the rounds... will see if I can secure a copy for the blog.
If you think I look a little bleary, it's because the pic of me was taken when we returned in the early hours.
Poor Rob, he hates dressing up. I once talked him into dressing up as a woman to accompany me dressed up as a schoolboy. He only agreed because the party was about 20 miles away from home, and he thought that no-one would know him. We walked through the door straight into one of his customers...... that was a great event too. I dipped my licorice stick into many a whiskey that night..... will check out the memories drawer to see if I can find the only shot of the night, but don't mention it to Rob or he will 'throw one' - hard to imagine I know !