Just Like Being on Holiday!

The start of our first full day in Somerset was spent meeting with the architect and builder round at our actual house. The builders had started work just 24 hours earlier, but already the old conservatory and a number of intneral walls had been demolished, along with the removal of the patio doors and a very large downstairs window.



We then took DC to his new nursery for what should have been a mummy-and-daddy-accompanied 30minute taster session, but what turned out to be a 'go away mummy and daddy, I'm having so much fun why don't you just leave me here to play and come back in a couple of hours' session. Needless to say, we didn't need telling twice and took advantage of a little bit of free time to check out a nearby supermarket and then walk into Ilminster for a browse round the shops and a coffee and cake in one of the cafes.

Ilminster has a few of those shops that time forgot, including the fabulous R.A. Dyer, whose windows were decked out in red, white and blue to celebrate the Royal Wedding. Inside, it's exactly like a very old fashioned department store, all creaking wood floors, wood and glass display cabinets full of proper handkerchiefs, and racks of clothes suitable for demure ladies and gentlemen who still wear suspenders to keep their socks up. We bought DC a new pair of wellies (for his new countryfied life) and were given a hand written receipt while the lady went off to the cash desk, situated in a little wooden booth all of its own in the centre of the store. Fabulous! Here's hubby in the shoe 'department':

I wanted to take more photos inside, but it's one of those places a bit like a library or fusty old museum where you feel very self conscious whipping out a camera/mobile phone and snapping away. Maybe next time.

On Thursday we drove down to see our dear friends R&G in at their wonderful gallery - Lazyhill - in Abbotsbury. Hubby took DC to the Children's Farm while R & I nattered and chattered and generally gossiped the morning away; we then all met up for lunch at the glorious Abbey House; the sun was shining and it was great to sit outside and catch some rays while enjoying crab sandwiches washed down with old-fashioned lemonade. After DC woke up from his nap, we made a move to head back home, but took a slight detour on the way and stopped at the Hive Beach Cafe which is set right on the beach at Burton Bradstock. What a fantastic spot on a gloriouos Thursday afternoon, and how lucky we felt knowing that this is now just a short drive down the road for us, and popping along on a sunny afternoon after nursery/work is exactly the sort of thing we can now do. This is why we made the move!