Cornish Holiday September 2008
The quintessential British holiday - Cornwall in late Summer - means raincoats, wellies and soggy sandwiches eaten in the car peering out the window at the teeming rain.
Sadly we were to be disappointed on most fronts. We did use our raincoats but more in anticipation of rain that never really seemed to materalise; the wellies were used to slosh around in the vats of poo on the farm floor where we stayed; and soggy sandwiches weren't even seen. Neither were too many cream teas which for a holiday involving any member of the Drinkwater family is extremely alarming.
We stayed at the Come to Good Farm near Feock in south Cornwall with our hosts Robin and Sue and their lovely kids Olivia and William. Oliver declared Sue "nice" on the second day of our great cooked breakfasts and from then on continually asked after her, even when we got home. Every day started with a walk round the farm collecting eggs laid overnight and letting out the ducks and chickens. We saw sheep being sheared, ferrets being fed dead rabbits and I even ate a duck egg (it was duck egg blue too). Oliver got over his chicken phobia (developed at Birdworld when the chickens pecked at him whilst he was eating his sandwich), but still had to reassure us that "chickens don't bite" whenever he saw one.
We had a brief moment of panic when we walked into the barn to get the chicken feed to see a pile of dead rabbits shot by Robin and William, hardy country folk, to feed the ferrets. Oliver noticed them straightaway and pointed to the pile of rabbits who were "awake". To make matters worse, the border collie Jess decided it was the time to have a spot of breakfast and started to tuck into the guts spilling out on the floor. Thankfully Oliver decided he was "biting" the rabbits and then insisted on telling Jess not to bite the rabbits everytime we went into the barn. What is it they say about learning about life, death and sex on a farm?!
The rest of the time was spent wandering round the beautiful gardens of nearby Cornwall with its amazing temperate microclimate. Being truly middle aged, we joined the National Trust and took advantage of the free car parking and ability for the children to run riot at nearby Tresslick Gardens. We visited the Eden Project which was extraordinarily slick and built dens in the stage area with Jeff as Head of Design/overengineering, and were blown away by the Lost Gardens of Heligan. I now have designs on the acre large veggie plot that takes two full time staff to work by hand. I feel that I have enough time to manage that.
I had a birthday surprise in Truro from Oliver and Fred who had thoughtfully booked a mini-facial, manicure and pedicure at a local beauty parlour. So a 3 hour break for me, a 3 hour crying fest for Jeff. Who got the best deal there then?! At least, it made me feel slightly more sophisticated when wandering around various gardens in my kagool.
All in all, a very welcome break and we have fallen in love with Cornwall. So much so we're planning our trip to North Cornwall next year already.
Classic Oliver Quotes
'I can't. I haven't got pink toes'
on going to bed after Mama's fabulous manicure.
'Good Morning sweetheart Pippy'
On seeing Pippy first thing in the morning.
'I don't want to get dressed. I want to get nudey'
This could have been anyday of the week for Oliver but it was on the Tuesday.
'Can we wear them? Yes we can.'
Putting on his Bob the Builder pants.
Sadly we were to be disappointed on most fronts. We did use our raincoats but more in anticipation of rain that never really seemed to materalise; the wellies were used to slosh around in the vats of poo on the farm floor where we stayed; and soggy sandwiches weren't even seen. Neither were too many cream teas which for a holiday involving any member of the Drinkwater family is extremely alarming.
We stayed at the Come to Good Farm near Feock in south Cornwall with our hosts Robin and Sue and their lovely kids Olivia and William. Oliver declared Sue "nice" on the second day of our great cooked breakfasts and from then on continually asked after her, even when we got home. Every day started with a walk round the farm collecting eggs laid overnight and letting out the ducks and chickens. We saw sheep being sheared, ferrets being fed dead rabbits and I even ate a duck egg (it was duck egg blue too). Oliver got over his chicken phobia (developed at Birdworld when the chickens pecked at him whilst he was eating his sandwich), but still had to reassure us that "chickens don't bite" whenever he saw one.
We had a brief moment of panic when we walked into the barn to get the chicken feed to see a pile of dead rabbits shot by Robin and William, hardy country folk, to feed the ferrets. Oliver noticed them straightaway and pointed to the pile of rabbits who were "awake". To make matters worse, the border collie Jess decided it was the time to have a spot of breakfast and started to tuck into the guts spilling out on the floor. Thankfully Oliver decided he was "biting" the rabbits and then insisted on telling Jess not to bite the rabbits everytime we went into the barn. What is it they say about learning about life, death and sex on a farm?!
The rest of the time was spent wandering round the beautiful gardens of nearby Cornwall with its amazing temperate microclimate. Being truly middle aged, we joined the National Trust and took advantage of the free car parking and ability for the children to run riot at nearby Tresslick Gardens. We visited the Eden Project which was extraordinarily slick and built dens in the stage area with Jeff as Head of Design/overengineering, and were blown away by the Lost Gardens of Heligan. I now have designs on the acre large veggie plot that takes two full time staff to work by hand. I feel that I have enough time to manage that.
I had a birthday surprise in Truro from Oliver and Fred who had thoughtfully booked a mini-facial, manicure and pedicure at a local beauty parlour. So a 3 hour break for me, a 3 hour crying fest for Jeff. Who got the best deal there then?! At least, it made me feel slightly more sophisticated when wandering around various gardens in my kagool.
All in all, a very welcome break and we have fallen in love with Cornwall. So much so we're planning our trip to North Cornwall next year already.
Classic Oliver Quotes
'I can't. I haven't got pink toes'
on going to bed after Mama's fabulous manicure.
'Good Morning sweetheart Pippy'
On seeing Pippy first thing in the morning.
'I don't want to get dressed. I want to get nudey'
This could have been anyday of the week for Oliver but it was on the Tuesday.
'Can we wear them? Yes we can.'
Putting on his Bob the Builder pants.
posted by Emma Sweetwater at
September 18, 2008
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