This weekend we took Mr Foggs Fat Boy Harley for a spin over to see the Folks in Scarborough.
What a lovely trip. Saturday afternoon in a garden centre buying loads of plants (nope we did not try to carry on the bike!). Then a BBQ and some falling down water. Cue a brief snooze….
This morning we strolled along the coastline on a beautiful sunny Sunday. The weekend was magical and really relaxing. Thanks Mum & Dad. Lovely visit!
And now we’ve cleaned up the Beast, it’s BBQ time
Two weekends ago we bought a beautiful pink Magnolia shrub. I wanted to plant it right in the middle of the garden.
So today, after the gym (are we mad???), Mr Fogg helped me dig a large circular border (13 sqm) so I could plant out a new flower border (helped, really, more like did it all!!!).
The result is lovely. Some additional new shrubs, the blossoming Magnolia and a view of it from the Fogg Cabin.
What more could a girl want? Other than a rest and a large glass of wine. Oh and a BBQ.
And did I mention the fruit trees are happy?
Well what an awesome weekend with The CaddyFrogs, The Barty’s and Kevin at Zip World.
We’ve stopped at the awesome Glynwrog House in Betws-y-Coed, eaten at the funky Ty Gwyn Hotel, with awesome food and interesting waiting staff.
Yesterday was the Zip Wire, just under a mile from 222m high and flying at 70mph!
Followed by fun on the Fforest Coaster
And today sees us in “The Plummit” a 100 foot free fall drop.
Today we planted five fruit trees to create an orchard in the top field. Two varieties of old English Pears, two varieties of old English apples and a Plum tree.
Now, they are still baby trees and we will not let them fruit this year, but we should have a harvest in 2020.
Of course, our habit is to do something fab then move house! These will at least be lasting legacies of our time here (no, no plans to move honest) and in 20 years time so long as we don’t totally kill the planet, someone will be swinging in a hammock from the apple tree perhaps.
It’s a lovely thought that what we create here will be still there in years to come. Much like The Folks who planted trees in that there Ireland, we are giving something back.
We’ve also invested in another Magnolia tree, so I’ll be planting her tomorrow. Did you know Magnolias were here before the bees. They are pretty much prehistoric trees. Cool eh?
Having dug five holes, hammered five stakes in I’m now shattered. Time for a small glass of something nice.
With the days brightening its garden time. Today we put in four trees. Two Prunus and two Sorbus. They look lovely across the middle of the garden.
Then on to a baby border in front of the cabin. This is a conifer mix. There was definitely a building in this garden once, maybe a few. We found a concrete floor as well as a garden of glass. Makes digging very hard!
But a day well spent.
But such a a shame you can’t choose your neighbours.
A long time ago we had BamBam, a competitor for the UKs fatest man (sorry strongest, my bad), who put a “weight studio” in the garage and subsequently dropped his weights on the floor every night without fail. We also had Mr Chimes, the man who despised wind chimes since they hampered his afternoon sleep.
So all is nice and quiet here with a “you never see her” old lady on one side and a house still to be completed on the other, the only minor wrinkle is “Jamie”, our neighbour from two doors away who, without fail, goes out on a night time and shines his magic torch everywhere, ground, trees, windows, sky you name it, he puts a spotlight on it. Funny at first but at 11.30pm not so funny seeing a large spotlight shining through your window.
Tonight it appears that Jamie wanted to set a bonfire going at 10.30pm, lit it and walked away! Well it makes a change from doing it in a howling gale as is his norm.
Oh well, fun to watch but “Wordsworth” fails me (come on catch up, for those of you that ain’t Millenials).
Night y’all, lights out.
At Christmas, young Kevin gave us an awesome chocolate fondu set and last night with the help of the folks it was devoured. Unfortunately one of us struggled to stay clean
I’ve finally completed the jigsaw I got for Christmas from Mr Fogg. Thankfully it was easier than one he got me last year. It looks super now:
Unfortunately the next one is a 300 piece challenge. Not only is it a picture of rice but the puzzle requires you to use chopsticks to assemble!
Oh boy
Last night was our last in Japan and a final trip to Shinjuku. First it was a visit to the Park Hyatt where “Lost in Translation” was filmed. My two colleagues seemed to remember the film more for Scarlett Johanssen than what it was about. Still – a lovely view in a very expensive bar with a cover charge of ¥2,500 each before you start.
I managed to get us moved to a table right in the windows to better enjoy the view.
Then a trip into downtown Shinjuku and a Korean BBQ of beef which you cook yourself. Now don’t be shocked Mr Fogg but I was the cook. Well I am female and this is Japan so when in Rome!
This is my colleagues trying to bbq spiced cabbage. It’s not meant to be cooked!
Finally, lights of Shinjuku at midnight before we took the taxi back to our hotels.
Visited Arishiyama Monkey Park this morning. Very atmospheric in the low cloud and lots of monkeys to feed.
And we saw the first spring blossom too.
Lovely visit. Time for food now.
