Friday 9 May 2014

Word of the Week - England

Posted by Rosie

The Reading Residence


England

ˈɪŋglənd 
A country forming the largest and southernmost part of Great Britain and of the United Kingdom, and containing the capital, London; population 51,446,000 (est. 2008).


England is our word of the week as rather than being in France, Tom, Ben and I are in England this week (and Simon is back home in France on animal and polytunnel duties!). 

Ben came over before us with his rugby club to play in a tournament at Wimborne and Tom and I followed on Sunday, meeting up with him in time to see him play in the Under 11s final.  The score at the end of the match was 3-3 but English rules say the winner is the team who first scored and unfortunately that wasn’t Ben’s French team.  They were gutted but getting to the final was a great achievement and Ben had had a brilliant weekend acting in the vital roles of both team captain and translator for everyone.  

Team talk before the Final

Then it was on to Exmoor for the 3 of us to see my Mum.  On Monday we went down to see friends for a BBQ in South Devon.  Up to mid afternoon it was quite pleasant weather but then we took a stroll along the sea-front at Sidmouth which was decidedly chilly and damp ... well it was a Bank Holiday so that was really to be expected ... and in fact it was our second Bank Holiday as Thurs was also a Bank Holiday in France which had been sunny and warm all day!  One and a half out of two isn’t bad then!

Bank Holiday Sidmouth

Tuesday we headed to Minehead for my fix of charity and book shops and the obligatory fish and chips.  We won’t mention the fact thought that I put the Sat Nav on the car roof before I left and forgot it take it off shall we?  Well I know the way to Minehead so didn’t need it and I was SUPPOSED to put it in the house but I forgot to!  If you happen to be driving between Withypool and Minehead via Exford keep your eyes open for a Tom Tom on the side of the road.  It’ll probably be ours!

Wednesday was planned as a grand meet up of friends from the forum, Downsizer that I go on but by Monday evening people were dropping out like victims of the plague.  However 3 plague immune friends made it to Escot Park in South Devon for lunch, fun in the park and cake.  Yummy cake!  And I got there safely without needing a Sat Nav (phew).  At Escot there is a herd of wild boar and having never seen a wild one I was keen to meet them.  I was not disappointed, they were gorgeous, especially the stripy piglets.  And the boys had a fabulous time sliding down the Devil’s Drop exceedingly steep and very scary looking slide!

Wild Boar Sow and Piglets
The Devil's Drop - where only the brave dare. Well done Jo!

Thursday was catch up with more friends day and allow the boys to have their Internet fix!  I had then planned to park the boys in the cinema whilst I went shopping but not being English school holidays there was nothing suitable on.   Bang went that cunning plan and I ended up shopping for bras (which are much cheaper than in France) with 2 slightly embarrassed boys in tow!  It did mean I was quick though.


Friday, today, is our final full day here and we are still deciding between Tropiquaria (the boys’ choice) and Dunster Castle (my choice).  I am playing the “If you go to the Tropiquaria then you won’t complain when you have to come food shopping with me afterwards” card!   Hopefully that will work.

Tomorrow we head back to France.  It’s been a great trip back to ol’ Blighty but it will also be nice to get back home.  I’ll add some pictures to this post when I am back in France and also catch up with other Word of the Week blogs when I am back on a proper Internet connection.

6 comments :

  1. OOohh a busy holiday! I am amaze on how you are ever present in here even when you are on a holiday =) #wotw

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    1. It certainly was a busy holiday .... and I cheated with a few blogs, scheduling them before I went ;)

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  2. Sounds like a full week! I do love Devon, and as we're in the Midlands, trips to the seaside are rare and precious to us! Shame about the sat nav, though ;-) Hope you have a safe journey home x Thanks for sharing with #WotW

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    1. I actually found the sat nav a couple of miles from Mum's house on the edge of the road. Well I found half of it at least! It won't ever guide us anywhere again though LOL.

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  3. Sounds like you had a fab trip Rosie! Shame Ben's team didn't win, but as you said it was an amazing achievement just getting into the final :-)

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    1. Exactly. They were the only French team there and some of the rules played were a bit different so we reckon on a level playing ground they may have won!

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