Mercy Mission

With my families absence eventually breaking me I decided that a mercy mission was needed. So after training yesterday it was a case of Planes, Trains and Automobiles to St Ives. Being car less at the moment I jumped in with the Plymouth crew (depleted by the Ghoul being on loan and subdued by Ben Joyce' refusal to talk!) and took a train from Plymouth to Truro. A nice relaxing journey (I could easily bore you to death with facts about IKB's bridge, maybe another time!) there was soon a distant memory as my wife and a sleeping Hatty arrived in a screaming, clutch deprived, car! - it must be those Cornish hill starts!.
An hour and a half later, a few phone calls, a detour to a friend of a friends garage, and, after a limp home, we had arrived at the cottage. Then followed a hugging session, a round of darts and a catch up.
We then walked down to the harbour for a British classic, fish and chips on the seafront (well restaurant!). I had forgotten how nice St Ives was, after all, it is twenty five years since my parents piled us into the car and headed South. Funnily enough I do still remember the ten hour trip, eye spy marathon and buried football mystery ( my brother's ball, I buried it, we couldn't find it, I was in trouble!).
I'm sure I speak for a lot of grandparents out there in saying that the time they have to spend with their grandchildren is very treasured. It seems that it is a case of making up for lost time, having probably not had as much time to spend with their own children as they would have liked. I our children will have been spoilt rotten this week so it will feel like cold comfort farm when they return home and have to go to school!.
After the fish and chip supper, a drop of red and the obligatory ice cream (thanks again Iain!) we walked the 1000 calories back to base.
More hugs and kisses (children of course) and it was soon alarm setting time. Another car and train journey to Plymouth and I was back in with the PLY crew. It was then that the unthinkable happened, Ben Joyce spoke!!.
Not in a 'went out last night, it was decent' sort of way though. No, the Joyce was full on.... "Moved into a new house last night, I was carrying a duvet and while I was walking up the steps I tripped and whacked my head (he has a big mark on his head) on the wall. I was knocked out for about 2 minutes, my girlfriend was shouting at me to wake up. It's a nice house though and my girlfriend is going to get a job so it will be good".
And then silence!!!. I laughed and said to Hodgy, who was driving, "Wow I can't believe that mate can you", Hodgy replied with "I know he didn't even speak to me when I picked him up". Great stuff from the second most bizarre car school in Devon - after all, an Irishman, a Welshman, an Englishman and Martin 'Gallagher' Rice takes some beating for first!!!!!.


CH