FAMILY - Cornish holiday 2011 - INDEX

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This was a busy week with lots to do and see and a chance to spend a longer than usual time together as a family. It was good to have Donna's Mum and Dad here as well as Paul (her brother) and Vanessa.

The Methodist Church in the photo is now used as a house, our cottage is hidden right behind it.

This index will take you to the individual daily posts.

• Saturday 3rd September - Two journeys
• Sunday 4th September - The coast
• Monday 5th September - Dartmoor
• Tuesday 6th September - Plymouth
• Wednesday 7th September -
• Thursday 8th September -
• Friday 9th September -

These pages just record what Donna and I did and the places we visited. We did a lot as a group of six together but not every day.

IMAGE - Ocean Countess

(Click the photo for a larger view)

Ocean Countess - Photo taken 9th September 2011

A cruise ship docked at the small Cornish town of Fowey (pronounced 'Foye') on a misty day. The ship looms mysteriously and the land beyond is almost invisible. Ocean Countess is operated by a British company, CMV.

It was not a cold day but devoid of sunshine, and the trees were collecting the tiny droplets of mist and dripping as they moved in the light breeze.

Click the 'image' label below to see other image posts.

FAMILY - Plymouth

< Dartmoor | Index | No later items >

This was a wet day and we didn't fancy visiting the beach or a garden or a walk, so we decided a day in the nearby city of Plymouth would fit the bill.

Plymouth is just across the River Tamar from where we are staying, it's in the county of Devon.

We made our way to the Tamar Bridge, paid our toll, and headed for the nearest park and ride site. We were surprised to see it doubles as the car park for the Plymouth Argyle football ground! With the car parked we caught the bus into the rainy city.


We walked to the Hoe in the rain and had to take shelter at one point. The Hoe would have looked much nicer on a sunny day, but it was interesting to be where Drake had played bowls as the Spanish Armada approached the shores of England. Later we made our way down to the Barbican area where we had a fish and chip lunch (or in my case cheesy chips).

Plymouth is a lovely city and full of history. We stood at the place where the pilgrim fathers had set out on the Mayflower and I wondered what they must have felt as they left England for the very last time. Did they watch the shoreline fading into a narrow grey line and then slowly dropping below the horizon?

Back at home in the evening we texted Paul and he and Vanessa came over to join us. Paul cooked an awesome risotto for us, he is a very good chef and we ate well!

After that it was TV, chat, or sorting out photos according to preference, then off to bed ready for another day in Cornwall.

< Dartmoor | Index | No later items >

FAMILY - Dartmoor

< The Coast | Index | Plymouth >

One place we wanted to visit and explore during our holiday was Dartmoor. The moor itself, the famous prison, and the villages in the valleys on the east side of the moor were all places we wanted to see.

After breakfast we headed north east to Dartmoor and drove through some spectacular scenery to Princetown right in the heart of the moors.  This is where the forbidding and infamous Dartmoor Prison stands bleakly on a remote hillside.


Then we turned north, stopping for coffee at Widecombe-in-the-Moor. We found an unusual place for a coffee break here; it included the village library, clearly acted as a community centre, and had logs stacked around the walls. The tables and chairs were made of cane wickerwork and heavily painted.

After our break we returned to the A38 at Bovey Tracey. The mix of cloud and some sunny patches send bright areas scudding across the dark, moorland hills - very beautiful to watch.

On the way back to Landrake we stopped for an hour or two at Buckfast Abbey to explore the gardens, the abbey itself (rebuilt on mediaeval foundations from 1907 and completed in 1930), and enjoy another coffee in the little restaurant. It seems extraordinary that this mediaeval-looking building is still less than a hundred years old!

Stopping at a supermarket on the way, we bought what we needed for a sausage and mash evening meal (using potatoes dug from our garden late on Friday). Paul and Vanessa joined us for the meal and an evening of TV and chat.

< The Coast | Index | Plymouth >

FAMILY - The coast

< Two journeys | Index | Dartmoor >

This was our first full day in Cornwall. We travelled west along the coast and met up with Paul and Vanessa, ending the day with a nice pub meal.

We visited Looe in the morning, travelling west along the A38 and then heading south. We had arranged to meet Paul and Vanessa on the seafront, and we all ate our lunch together sitting on the big concrete steps of the coastal defences above the lovely sandy beach. It was a glorious sunny morning, really summer weather although we're now into September, but from 13:00 onwards an Atlantic weather system  moved across and the sky steadily clouded up.

In the afternoon we left Paul and Vanessa in Looe and travelled further along the coast to the pretty little fishing village of Polperro. We parked at the top of the village and as we headed downhill towards the harbour the first raindrops started falling. We didn't stay long and were lucky to get back to the car withoug getting drenched as the rain was setting in more earnestly. It rained hard all the way home in the car but was easing off again by the time we arrived back at the cottage.

For our meal in the evening the six of us tried the local pub in Landrake, 'The Buller's Arms', and were not disappointed. Roast dinners at a good price and friendly service. And I was pleased to find several ciders to choose from with two on draught.

< Two journeys | Index | Dartmoor >

RESPONSE - Giving a milkshake

I was very encouraged to read the latest post from Chris Duffett. Chris lives only a few miles from us and he excels at finding innovative ways of engaging people with the Good News that Jesus brings truth, light, and a new way of living.

If you want to know more, read his blog. Here are some extracts from his latest article.

I sense that I should give my milk shake away. The one I really love, strawberry, all thick and delicious. So I offer it to a guy who is selling the big issue and it turns out that it is also his favorite kind of milk shake.

But Chris didn't stop with the strawberry shake.

I also give him the sandwiches and yogurt too. The guy seems happy to receive his lunch and thanks me.

And then he understood a much greater truth.

This simple act of sharing opens up my heart as to what God wants to do in me and how he wants to meet with me and for me to enjoy his company. I fetch another lunch and ... simply enjoy the presence of God. Wherever and whatever I’m doing I am able to meet with the one who is so vast and mighty and holy and yet who is Emmanual, God with us, who enjoys walking with his kids and meeting with them and sharing strawberry milk shakes.

Why did this so impact me? It's because he heard (to give away a milk shake), obeyed, was willing to sacrifice (go without his favourite treat), went even further (gave away his lunch as well), and understood what the Father is like (enjoys our presence and shares with us). This is something we all need to practice every day - even every minute.

• Listen
• Obey (no ifs, buts, or maybes)
• Sacrifice what we are and what we have for others
• Go beyond what is asked of us
• Understand what Father is like and how he enjoys walking through this life with us

It's really a question of being like our heavenly Father. He pours out lavishly on all of us. We should pour out lavishly too. What Chris has found is that the Father, the Son, and the Spirit love him and enjoy the time they spend with him. This is so awesome that most of us, most of the time miss it! But we only really understand when we do what our Father does, then we begin to see that his nature is also to give. Chris says that a simple act of sharing opened up his heart.

I'd suggest that love, hearing and obedience are the key, whatever we're called to do in this amazing Kingdom of Heaven. We may be called to do a new and different thing every day. As we hear and obey we'll always receive a rich blessing from our awesome Father and a deeper understanding of his greatness and love.

He is our supply and our inspiration and he wants us to know him more fully. 

HalleluYah!