August round-up

Met up with Helen the first Saturday in August for one of our as ever long overdue catch-ups. We had lunch in the branch of Byron at the Central Saint Giles Piazza, before making our way over to the British Museum - I had been devoid of cultural ideas so Helen had noted the free exhibition of Francis Towne watercolours. I had never heard of Towne but he seems to have painted a lot of pictures of Italy during a jaunt there in the 1780s. On arrival at the museum, we had to queue to go through what seemed to be a mammoth bag-checking operation in a specially erected tent in front of the museum. Can only assume heightened levels of security for some reason – whether connected to the previous week’s attack in nearby Russell Square I wasn’t sure.

Once inside, we opted for a general browse around some of the galleries before seeking out the Towne exhibition, though as it was a hot day we found ourselves spending a lot of time intently studying the exhibits that happened to be near the pedestal fans dotted about. The Towne watercolours were in room 90 in the Raymond and Beverley Sackler Wing, which, blessedly, was air-conditioned, meaning that we spent perhaps more time in it than we would otherwise have done. We had tea in the Great Court Restaurant before Helen had to run off to get her train back to Feltham as she and Greg were intending to travel to Tunbridge Wells later that evening. I inexplicably went to the Speedo shop in Covent Garden and bought a swimsuit, which I intend wearing as soon as I’ve lost a stone and a half.

View down to the Terrace Gardens

Ruth and I spent the second weekend in August on a two-night Secret Escapes break at the Richmond Hill Hotel. We arrived mid-afternoon on the Saturday, slogged up Richmond Hill in some heat and checked in, before going out again for a wander around the Terrace Gardens and looking down at the famous view which is apparently the only view in England to be protected by an Act of Parliament. This seems a bit disproportionate, surely – it’s a nice view but there are many such around the country. Just a reflection of the many rich/influential people who’ve lived in the area? On returning from the park I went for a relaxing swim and steam room session at the Cedars Health Club just behind the hotel.

On the Sunday morning we did a walk that I’d found in 'Walking Village London', starting by walking down Nightingale Lane past the splendid/monstrous (depending on your view of Victorian Gothic architecture) Petersham Hotel and walking to the ludicrously posh village of Petersham – never seen so many thumping great houses in a small area. Visited St Peter’s Church briefly (churchyard only as there was a service on) before walking to the neighbouring village of Ham. Crossed Ham Common, stopping for a while by the pond for Ruth to photograph some ducks, and made our way down Ham Street (where we were very excited to see a Huf Haus going up) past Ham House to the Thames Path. Walked back along the river to Richmond and had lunch at the Old Ship. Wandered round the shops for a while after lunch and Ruth bought two rings from Eastern Adornment. In the evening we had a nice dinner at Adesso, a Sicilian restaurant further down Richmond Hill. On the Monday morning we had a walk in Richmond Park before heading back to Reading.

Trees in Richmond Park

The hotel was OK – plus sides: friendly staff, nice though small room (a Hill Collection Double on the ground floor), Sky TV, nice steak dinner on the Saturday night. Downsides: ludicrous wine mark-up in the restaurant, atmosphere-free bar with big screen TV showing the Olympics, disappointing breakfast buffet, odd ensuite arrangement with a frosted glass wall on one side which coupled with the unfortunate positioning of a mirror enabled a bird’s eye view of your partner on the toilet.

The front at Paignton

Spent the following weekend down in Devon as part of a Book Group deputation to visit Claire for the August meeting, following her relocation to Newton Abbot back in February. I took the train down early on the Saturday morning, joining Helen, Alison and Ali who’d already arrived by car. Claire took us on a tour of nearby coastal towns thanks to a Torbay Dayrider bus ticket, starting off in Torquay, where we walked along the front a bit and ate ice creams, then on to Paignton, where we spent a couple of hours holed up in The Boathouse - Claire had planned this as a spot for us to wait out the storm that had confidently been forecast, but in the event it remained sunny. Helen ordered a cream tea and the rest of us picked at some snack food. After this we walked through Paignton to catch the bus again to Brixham, where we had a drink in The Blue Anchor and discussed the August book, Natsuo Kirino’s Out. After this we walked via the pretty harbour along to the Breakwater Bistro, where we had a lovely fish dinner seated at a table with a great view of the bay. Took the bus back to Newton Abbot and viewed Helen’s photos of her recent open water swimming holiday in Lithuania.

Brixham

View from Scout Point

The others left around 11am on the Sunday and Claire drove herself and me to visit Coleton Fishacre. The 1920s house is attractive-looking from the outside but we decided against going in, opting instead for a walk around the grounds despite the on-off rain. Very pretty grounds with some lovely viewpoints, albeit it was unfortunately not a clear day. The grounds border the South West Coast Path and you can look down to Pudcombe Cove, though the former access to the cove is now blocked off.  Had a look at a couple of things through Claire’s binoculars and pondered whether I might buy my own at some point. After a cream tea and some fat-chewing, Claire drove me to Dartmouth via the cute little car ferry from Kingswear. We parked up in Dartmouth and walked around the pretty little town, taking in Bayard's Cove Fort and and finishing with a waterside pint.

Dart estuary from Dartmouth

Over the two days we saw several rhinos that are evidently part of Paignton Zoo's Great Big Rhino Project, including this one - 'Rupert' - at Coleton Fishacre. Also this one in Paignton.

Ali, me, Claire and Alison behind a rhino

On the Monday morning we had a walk around Newton Abbot and back to Claire’s house via a pretty walk along the little River Lemon. Browsed in various charity shops and a New Agey shop where Claire bought me a ‘goldstone’ bracelet. On investigation, goldstone is not a natural material but a type of glass, but is quite pretty. Apparently, Goldstone is believed to bring luck to people who have the star sign of Leo. Leo is indeed my star sign, though I don’t have much interest in astrology.  This crystals site claims the following for goldstone:

Goldstone is said to help attain one's goals. Goldstone is also said to help one stay calm and stabilize the emotions. It can be used as an energy generator and can deflect unwanted energies, making it used as a protection stone. It is also used for long distance healing and revitalizing one's energy field.

That’s a lot of potential benefits. Must wear it often.

Returning to the book: I quite enjoyed Out, a Japanese crime novel about four women who become embroiled in dismemberment and other shady dealings after one of them murders her husband. There's an interesting interview with Natsuo Kirino here, noting that she started out writing romance novels before a seemingly rather dramatic change of genre.

Spent this last weekend at Mum and Dad's, coincidentally in the company of Ray who'd also picked that weekend to arrange a visit to them. We all had a walk along the Usk on Saturday followed by a visit to Dad's allotment, where we contemplated quite a number of courgettes that have now grown into marrows. Mum and Dad seem to have decided that they don't have a use for them and they'll have to be composted. I think I remember cooking stuffed marrow once, but it was decidedly uninteresting, so I didn't volunteer to take any.

On Sunday morning I took Ray for a walk from the Llanfoist Crossing car park along the disused railway line and then back along the canal. We were joined for a cottage pie lunch by Hannah and Henry and by Dave and the girls, followed by Mum and Nia appearing with a surprise birthday cake for me and a symbolic single candle. After lunch Ray had a rousing game of football with Nia which she allegedly won by a quite incredible hundred-and-something goals to his one. I participated briefly and tried to invoke the offside rule at one point, but didn't push it in case Nia challenged me on it.

Returned to Milton Keynes yesterday. Disquieting realisation that it's September on Thursday. Where has the year gone, etc.