The River Files

Most gorgeous day. Still no need 4 a coat. This week has been extraordinary. Indian Summer indeed. Paddleboarding Thurs night into sunset in Kingsbridge. Utter paradise. High tide and under Bowcombe bridge kneeling, to tackle the arches. Motorists casting jealous glances from their cars at we lucky, sunset boarders as I have many a time when hurrying along A379 toward Frogmore. Swans. Ducks. Clearwater and seaweed. But nothing is ever …er….quite as perfect as it seems is it?

Truth be told spent delightful day in BMW garage in Torquay getting “Connected Drive” reset then rushed home, strapping on p. board to roof bars and slithering into wetsuit and life vest. Arrived in timely fashion 1730hrs at “Waterborn” Kingsbridge… only had horrible sense as I parked up that the most horrible scourge known to womankind was rising.. .

Cystitis

The most dreaded of afflictions and yes- in full spate as the hour’s tuition progressed and teacher taught finer techniques of cross paddle stop ….well out into water. No chance of a lav for hour and a half at least. As the sun set and various boats sped charmingly by in gold tinted, millpond calm waters, leaving us to navigate a gentle wash, for the first time in my life I trembled, tried to resist but lost bladder control and did full blown (cystitis) induced wee in my lovely wetsuit. How HORRIBLE. At home I had a very hot bubble bath then put wetsuit in bath to decontanimate and warned all household that black , neoprene person

submerged in water was my suit, not dead body.

Early night last…no hangover this morning. Dinkaware app on phone records … alc free day yesterday. Felt like dynamite. Must do more often…

Also got parking space nearest Hospice for first time EVER

Dogs did not escape on walk

Discovered name of lovely, sheep guesting in our field. White faces, bluish bodied, long tails. Hedgewick? Herdwick.

Waited on a cliff at Wonwell yesterday with Riverfiend and dogs. Camera poised for horses I knew would shortly hove into view – it being day for sponsored ride and perfect one at that. Whie we waited and watched the dogs splashing in low tide below I practised ballet moves and saw my reflection on the rocks or below ageless human with- arms extended moving woodenly. Age or out of practice? Shadows are very forgiving…

Also noticed disconcertingly was looking directly into son’s eyes if not ever so slightly . .up..? into them. Gulp. The day I dreaded and we joked about for so many years has arrived. Outgrown by my littlest boy..

Amazing canoe trip on river Dart last night. Discovered my inner hippy. Elderly, white and skinny Totnesian ladies in kaftans – baggy trousers underneath – meandering along towpath as we heaved our canoes in above the Weir, young girls with flower circlets in their hair and funny shoes. Totnes, twinned with Narnia indeed. We paddled upriver with Kingfishers and swans along the side of the Steam railway . Then sat on carpet tiles with foil backing on damp ground in woods and a “story telling session” commmenced. I groaned inwardly and turned away in the direction of dark trees to pull a face. but ….was quickly spellbound- as were all ages. Complete dark in woods just crackle of fire, occasional croak of rooks and Oli the master story teller , holding forth. “The Firebird’ a Russian one. Afterwards we paddled back in pitch dark. The litte flotilla of canoes bumping along together as the paddles hissed in and out of the inky, mill- pond calm water. Occasionaly the hull of one canoe made a muted, wooden sound as it nudged another. “Stay close” we had been instructed “and keep quiet” even the dogs in another family canoe were silent.

Felt like I was in Last of Mohicans – stealth padding as an interloper into someone’s camp. Had to take care to avoid over hanging trees. “Ouch!” Ahead of me in our the canoe the children’s dark shapes paddling hard and quiet as mice. Something they will never forget. Suddenly there was a deeper hiss of water and a “whoop whoop whack whack” sound and a huge white shape with slowly beating wings came up along the river, so low so that we ducked our heads in alarm. A swan disturbed.

Finally the lights of Totnes in the distance. We were back. 2200 hrs 31st Aug 2018. Sensational evening.

I am on a late night canoe trip on the river Dart. We have seen an abundance of all the above. It is 1955hrs. We have just run our Canadian style canoes onto a bank, disembarked and our leader has lit a fire and is making our burgers. There is the murmur of voices from the waiting diners. The crackle of the BBQ. Chirrup of occasional birds. OFT does not know we are here and may be wondering where we are. Ha bloody ha! He is excluded from our trip and from all fun organised by me, henceforth .

Woke with monster hangover. Had friends round to tea- booze served early then got boozily stuck into Ep 13 Handmaids tale why oh why……? How could she!?

Worst h/over in long time then so onto bike to check horses and off to bottle bank Cali X- bottle bank- feel the shame..so many bottles.

Then to hotel opening Gara Rock too exhaUsteed 2 participate

Lay on returfed grass, all chunky and uneven facing the sun and Bolt head- and went to sleep in hot sun…nice hotel indeed.

9 hour drive Suffolk to Devon yesterday but so glad to be home. Stuck in South Mimns Service Stn over 1 hour due to exit traffic jam . Ridiculous. Only 2 naps en route. M25/A12 junction- that grim, Essex garage off the roundabout and the Reading Services. Children v tolerant as I snore 4 ten mins intensively. Once home Made a cake. Vacuumed car – disgusting to the point of unsanitary after 5 days snacking in it on the by ways of Suffolk. Drank a Seedlip and bed by 2355 hrs. Nephew Henry has A Level success after retakes at Cambridge Crammer and will shortly remove to Exeter. Hurrah!

Aretha Franklin died aged 76. Liked the Annie Lennox and George Michael combos best

As we drove off it was pouring with rain and lashing wind in Suffolk- always best way to leave a holiday. Wipers scarcely able to keep even on warp speed but as we left Essex -so many huge hay bale lorries on A12 and approached Herts, saw pale, blue sky beyond the low, grey scudders. The promise of the West!

Woke in my Mothers bed again. So lovely to be surrounded by her things. Down at 9 in my pegnoir. J v. unsteady and hyperventilating. Clutching the sink. Pale as death. “Feel so ill”

Justine arrived driving boyfriend’s black beamer

She is remarrying in Jan. How brave to bust up when things seriously wrong. I was not so brave. Asked her all about it, How are the kids how was it….really the break up and all? then J barked, “Justine!” From the other room Real force. Remembered how horrible he is after all. Bossy, horrible – hated even by his children, as Mummy used to say. I apologised for delaying her in front of him. Her ex husband re-married last week so all well. There is a lot of it about these days.

We stayed till 2pm. Children on devices me in Mummys study sorting through papers. Found my parents Divorce petition papers. Chilling.

Finally found all the photos I wanted and we were off. Via chat with Mrs Pennant. To Mummys grave via Nacton and old haunts. I stopped and picked Himalayan Balsam to lay on grave. We saw muntjac in a field nearby then via Lev Hall to Orford. I slept while kids went up the Castle. Losing energy for sure. Then via Snape to Sax and Joannie. Dinner and many many revelations… about the family

Tractors with roly polys of straw thunder about the lanes driven by young men with earphones dangling down their chests… still the froideur with OFT endures. Began with the daffodils. continues through harvest and to emergence of blackberrys. We have a Buzzard on our lawn, Kingfishers in river (seen and heard) and a family of Swifts or swallows nesting near our front door. Deposited a lot of poo on river sprite’s surfboard left underneath the eaves. Oops.