Cnorwall

Thursday: to empty Chipping Campden. Friday easy journey to Porthleven then unloading the car in a thunderstorm. Caught A and P just before they left for France.

Friday: sunny intervals so trip to praa sands with the Edwardses walking down from the Rinsey car park. A bit choppy for decent surfing and rain coming in.

Sunday: lashed down with rain all day and I think we stayed in. Kids might have gone for souvenirs and we might have met up with mum and dad for coffee in the morning.

Monday: was a nicer day. We were going to do a walk over at helford but someone had driven into my car so I spent the afternoon at Gartul sorting it out with dad's help. Smax was towed away in the evening as the rain came in again.

Tuesday: Took possession of the hire car with dads help again in the morning and then. Then what? Porthleven beach, that's what. Sun sun sun.

Wednesday: Gartul rocks with the children. Caught some fish, lots of hermit crabs and a brittle star. Never caught a starfish before. Nauti but ice in the evening. Saw m and d taking a trip to Porthleven before their departure tomorrow.

Thursday: Perranuthnoe trip with VV and Rick and the Edwardses again. Good weather and good surfing for the children. Saw the Edwardses in the evening before their departure tomorrow.

Friday: Tried helford walk and got further at the third attempt. Will need a fourth to do the gillan creek and slash or frenchmans creek sections. May have to do it on my own or with Jim. C had face like wet weekend all day. Amy irritating. Min and Jim fighting occasionally, although to be fair Min was mostly positive today. Still, would have been idyllic with a very slight attitude adjustment.

Saturday: Much better day. Weather cloudy but we went on a good walk to Church Cove via nice lunch at the Halzephron. I was last there in march 2009 to have 3 pints before falling asleep on the coast path. Anyway, we looked for silver dollars on the beach and fed Sam in St Winwaloe's church yard. We popped in - shamefully, Sam's first visit to a church. The whole thing was just under 10 miles, with just a little complaining from Jim at the end. The kids did so well I rewarded them with double portions at NbI.

Sunday: Porthleven day. Shops for tacky souvenirs, Sainsbury's with Minnie, hunting crabs with Jim, then a stint in the sun on the beach.

Monday: prevarication in the morning while children monged but then decided with the weather improving to go for picnic at Logan rock followed by trip to porthcurno. Picnic great bit Sammy v grumpy with possible teething and definite tiredness so I sat with him while C clambered over the rocks. Had one of the moments I have in this part of the world when I lay with my back against a slab of lichen covered granite, Sammy sleeping on my chest and my face in the sun. Only the sound of the gentle waves. Then to a busy beach. The water looked tropical but felt anything but.

Tuesday: phone calls re insurance in the morning then over to Gartul for pasties and rolls for lunch. Hung out there for a bit with P @ A then the Chambers arrived to talk to them about downstairs bathrooms and we pushed off. Went to the Ship in the eve for dinner with kidz - aspect great but food not what it used to be. Fun time though and then a late trip to NBI and v late bedtime.

Weds: inertia really set in with the grey sky and we stayed in p11 rather than going to falmouth as planned. C and I had a bad night so were toired but the kids and I spent a good part of the day catching crabs at the fish slab then they spent another part of it filming the victims in their buckets.

Thurs: grey again and did the Rinsey to Gartul walk with VV Rick and Martha. Were introduced to geocaching by Rick and Martha, and the other children seemed interested. They did very well indeed - sort of didn't notice it really. Attempted to put the Rocket together at Gartul afterwards and failed due to a faulty gas tank. I suppose it has been sitting around in the shed for 30 years so not surprising. UA is sourcing a new part for next year. Picked up my Hyundai i800 in the afternoon - it is enormous but needed to be. Am not particularly looking forward to tomorrow, not so much because of the drive but because of the hire/courtesy car faffing about afterwards.

Drive home took 11 hours. Eleven.