Time flew by with new friends -

I do like being at home again. . . . . . but getting away and flying across

 the pond was so enjoyable after such a long time.

Seeing family and old friends, and meeting new friends or making

 acquaintances was fun.

Our new friends included a sweet elderly blind man, Monty, from Wales, 

whom we breakfasted with at the hotel on several mornings, and two

 amazing ladies, Myra and Pat who are gorgeous, funny cousins in their

 eighties. They were on holiday from Newcastle. They kept us in stitches

 even when we couldn't quite understand their Geordie accents. 

There was also Wendy whom we met on a bus ride and discovered

 we were at the same school together. We talked about the teachers we

 had and the silly things we did as teenagers. Such as sit in the classroom

 seats next to the French doors and stick our legs out sideways to get a

 tan on those few and far between sunny days of early English

 summer. . . . before the school holidays started and we were

released from uniforms, Panama hats, ankle socks, and uptight

 rules and regulations of an all girls' Grammar

 School back in the 1950's!!!

An evening visit, one of several, to our favorite pub, and luckily

 just a hop and skip away from our hotel, was interesting. We ordered

 drinks and food and settled in to listen to some awesome live music. 

We sat at a table next to two men, one a surgeon, both part of a 

Trauma Team who go to Africa to help provide free surgical care for

 patients with broken bones and traumatic injuries in rural Kenya. 

Very interesting conversation for us as we have visited there and have

 seen how botched, or often no surgery, leave men, women and children

 unable to walk properly, or to use their arms to work and provide for

 their families.

If interested in reading more about, or supporting this worthwhile charity,

go here:  https://www.futurehealthafrica.org/traumateam

Bob outside the Hole In The Wall, favorite Torquay pub.

Bend your head though, the beams are very low!

Torquay's Oldest Pub – Circa 1540

With its cobbled floors and low-beamed ceilings, the Hole in the Wall has been a regular for smugglers and business people alike. Providing a traditional pub atmosphere with great food and quality beer, the Hole in the Wall aims to provide first class service with a great social experience for all. Good selection of ales to include Doom Bar,  Butcombe Bitter, Otter Bitter and with as many as four changing guest beers and traditional real cider too, you will not be short of choice!

I'm busy catching up here at home. Unpacking and laundry, lots of garden chores as lack of rain and very high temperatures - it was 99F when we disembarked our flight in Raleigh - have wreaked havoc on plants and shrubs, and the grass is browning out. However the figs are plumping, daylilies blooming, and some hydrangeas survived and welcomed us back with paler shades of blue.

 Have a great weekend - I'll be around to catch up with you soon, and hope to add more stories from our really fun trip.