Dartington Hall estate

A super morning walk with Indie across CK heath, in the sunshine when we found it. Back to Mum's. I'm concerned about her sudden confusion & forgetfulness, so think when I go to walk Indie tomorrow morning I'll spend a bit of time with her on my return. She's lost her daily routine since Suzanne & I have taken on walking Indie everyday, the Covid situation has'nt helped as although she did'nt go out much she did go to the Friends of Chudleigh Knighton meetings once a month so got to chat with the older folks, & occasionally meet people on her walks with Indie. I must try and get her out with me at least one walk a week, that will definately do her good as like me she loves the sights & sounds of the countryside. The best place to enjoy some space away from others.
Speaking of which I met Josie at Dartington Hall for a takeaway drinking chocolate & mooch through the estate gardens after leaving Mum's. Flippin' 'eck!!! The world had descended on Dartington Hall estate, it was like Oxford street. RE-DIC-U-LOUS!!! The snack  ordering etc. brilliantly organised. A very nice man served me, & wished me an enjoyable day. Nice touch! We made a hasty escape from the masses, found ourselves a seat at the entrance to one of the banqueting rooms in the inner quadrangle & had a catch up. The sun disappeared & it got quite chilly. We had a walk around the gardens, some of the trees are an amazing size, the gardens very well maintained, the box hedges beautifully clipped, big plump buds on the magnolias, must make a note to go back again. Many of the trees are of foreign origin, the Cornus capitata in the blip was loaded with edible fruits. Damn! I miss identified it thinking it was an Arbutus unedo. Anyway, the fruits are edible, we should have tried them. Perhaps I'll go back. The chap casually lounging on the stone plinth was just  attention seeking. His attire totally unsuitable. Earlier I'd spotted a very trendy young lady walking with her beau dressed entirely in cream. Cream Breton cap, cream wrap over coat, YSL handbag draped jauntily across her body, cream leggings, & green Hunter wellies. She stood out slightly .. Totnes is rather "alternative". I had a feeling they might have been looking at potential wedding venues. I love people watching. EArlier I'd spotted a couple of women down on their knees photographing something  ... they were there for quite awhile, then I realised they were snapping snowdrops. I remarked on the flowers as they passed. We had a chuckle. It transpired that Santa had brought a new camera to one of them, & the idea was that she would use a photograph taken each month to make a 2022 calendar for Xmas pressies. :-)
By the time we returned to our cars the sun had disappeared & it was very chilly. A lovely catch up shame the sun did'nt honour us with it's presence a little longer.

Plenty of traffic heading north on the A38. Probably should have been home already. Saturday being changeover day. Checking their destinations would have been an interesting exercise.

The film Bridge on the River Kwai film on tv. A brilliant film.  I visited the Kanchanaburi area on numerous occasions during the time we lived in Thailand. One such trip was with Jorgiesmum, C, & N ... when I did the "Alternative Travels of Thailand" tour. A bit of shock for some. :-)) but plenty of laughter & cocktails.