Not all about blogging after all!

Firstly a huge thank you to all you lovely followers who have left such encouraging comments on my Bus Pass trip posts.  And to the many who have viewed but not left comments too!  I have checked out Nuts in May Judith and it looks fun must see if I can get a copy

 I am currently thinking of other similar trips I might do and planning routes and so on so that if and when a time arrives when the weather forecast is suitable and the diary is empty for a few days I will be ready for the off!  I have been meaning to go back to the Forest of Dean since I started writing my childhood stories and so far have never got there and I am looking into whether that might be an option by bus - a fine October few days would be good there as the trees should be lovely and if not then maybe next Spring.  It wouldn't be via Cheltenham but some of the route might be similar to the one you did in the 70s Where the journey takes me!  And Kath I'd love to travel the whole country and write about it but financial restraints would prevent that I fear unless I could get a sponsor to pay for my B&Bs or find people willing to put me up at suitable stop offs!  For although the travel is free one must have somewhere to rest a weary head and also something to eat along the way!!

I'd also like to go the other way along the Jurassic Coast towards Exmouth and end up in Exeter another place I remember from my youth!  Then again there's Southwold on the Suffolk coast where I lived for a short time in the 1950s so you see I have plenty of indoor entertainment doing the planning of routes and possible B&Bs etc.

 

Mr M and I took a trip to Weymouth last Wednesday where we wanted to visit the Radipole Nature Reserve - an area of wetlands and reed beds right in the middle of town.  We didn't go all the way by bus but took the car as far as Dorchester where we left it in the Park and Ride car park and set off from there by bus using our passes.

I imagine it would be really colourful and pretty in early summer when the wild flowers would be in full bloom as it was lovely even now and there were plenty of butterflies and insects about.  I know nothing about birds so couldn't really appreciate the different species but it certainly seemed a popular place for wildlife of all kinds. 

It was the first proper outing apart from the short visit to the Roman Villa that Mr M had done for nearly 2 months and the level walk was good for him and although surrounded by busy roads and buildings the reserve itself was tranquil and the sound of the wind in the reeds could be heard in spite of the distant traffic sounds.

I assume this little glade was for the use of school parties with its circle of carved wooden seats in the shapes of wildlife creatures.

Here you can see not too far away the Sea Life Tower which I rode last time I was in Weymouth.  On researching it and the London Eye I can understand why I didn't think it nearly as good since the Sea Life Tower rises only 170 feet above sea level and the London Eye is 443 feet at its highest so you can see why the distance one can see would be greater in London.

We meandered slowly back to the town and noticed the many boats in the marina and in the harbour - there were some seriously expensive boats there but it was this one that took my fancy!

We wandered round the harbour to our usual little cafe where we ate a sandwich sitting just inside the open door out of the wind looking out onto the sunny square at Brewer's Quay before wending our way back to M&S for a cup of tea and purchasing something for dinner on our return.

I can't believe that just 10 days ago I was sitting in the sunshine enjoying the varying blues of the sea and sky and today we are enjoying a different kind of weather altogether - it's pouring with rain and windy here today and we have had to resort to putting the heating on!  Still into every life a little rain must fall and it gives me the opportunity to catch up on some indoor pursuits.

I had intended to write a post about blogging but this post just illustrates what I had been going to say - that my blog has a life of its own and that when I sit down to type what I intended to say isn't always what comes from the keyboard!  Maybe I must save that idea for later!