Surprise !

                         

It's my birthday tomorrow but this morning Peter presented me with a card inside which was sailing confirmation for early tomorrow morning. We're off to the wonderful island of Lundy. It wasn't a total surprise to me as a month ago he had called me to look at an email and there in the middle of his inbox was an invoice from the Landmark Trust. So I knew the destination but not when or how long for. I think I got as much fun hiding the fact that I knew and also I was able to quietly plan what to take. Peter had organised for someone to look after the house and the cats but I had made sure I got in food for Squeaky as she needs different food to the plain cat biscuits the other 2 get. I was amazed that Peter had been able to book something for this summer as a lot of the properties are booked up several years in advance. The first time he looked there wasn't anywhere but a week later Old House North became available so there must have been a cancellation. Lucky for us. We have to be at Bideford at 8.00 tomorrow morning for the 2 hour sailing to Lundy. Once I've taken my travel tablets and don't stay below deck I am fine out on the sea, the rougher the better. The first time we went out from Bideford we were standing in the bow and when we looked back not only was the stern going up and down but it was also making figures of eight. The Oldenburg is flat bottomed so not best suited to rough seas. 

I spent my day pottering around collecting everything to pack and ticking off the list I made last night. Once we deliver our bags to the ship they then magically appear outside our door some time in the afternoon. Even taking the minimum, just clothes to layer on if it gets cold and one change in case we get soaked it soon adds up. 

Lundy is electronically silent, no internet, radios or tvs and no phones etc allowed in the pub but I shall satisfy my blogging desires by writing daily in the log book. There is one in every property and they make fascinating reading. Many writers are humorous, others are more specialised depending on the writers' interests; climbing, bird watching, bell ringing, diving or nature in general. We plan to spend our evenings in The Marisco enjoying the  good cooking and playing scrabble or other board games.