Day 27: Come to Marlboro(ugh) country.....

.... in Wiltshire that is.  We are now ensconced in our last cubby before returning home  - Buckerfield Barn in Ogbourne St George, 3 kms from Marlborough. We'll be here till next Saturday. It seems very comfy and well-appointed, and Camp Dad gave us eggs, butter, a loaf of bread and a bottle of wine by way of welcome.


This is the view from the kitchen and sunroom.
The barn owners also run a plant nursery.

And...we have a proper shower cubicle! Again!  Can't believe our luck.

We left Tavistock in Devon earlyish this morning after a Skype with Susanna and Rebel. Always reassuring to know all is well on the home front.

We liked our smart digs in Tavistock, all very shiny and new with an utterly charming mine host, but it really was very small. Two steps from my side of the bed to the ensuite.  A good thing Geoff and I weren't on our first date.

En route to Marlborough we detoured, at Geoff's insistence, to a donkey sanctuary at Sidmouth.
The sanctuary has nearly 6000 donkeys in its care at a number of different places.




Oh, it was lovely!   Geoff's chatting here with 11 year old Sue.  She was quite receptive to pats and attention but her boyfriend Casper-Skipper, a young and narcissistic stud of 7, was less interested in attention and spent his time snorting and ee-awwing and farting, like most blokes do.                                              

Casper-Skipper (left) lets rip.

Apparently donkeys like to have a special donkey friend. I don't think the friend's gender matters and these ones are all desexed anyway.  But it was nice to see that when a donkey needs hospital treatment, their special friend accompanies them and stays with them while they convalesce. This aids recovery. 






I will be handing over to Geoff imminently. Our millions of blog readers will be delighted to know that he is largely recovered from the 'ailment' that afflicted him last night and which created a new level of intimacy between us.

Looking forward to revisiting Avebury stone circles tomorrow (a spit down the road), where my bronze age Wiltshire ancestors heaved rocks, sacrificed goats, carried spears and, significantly, knew the meaning of 2*pi*r ......

My 'ailment' has actually been much exaggerated, but in the spirit of charity I'll let it pass.  Anyway, feeling much better thanks very much.

We loved the Donkey Sanctuary, and what a good cause it is, looking after needy donkeys that would otherwise go uncared for.  They all looked pretty healthy to us, even those who were in the 'hospital', recovering from medical or dental treatment.  Anyway, for all you donkey lovers (and who isn't?), here's a couple more photos to savour.

 

Who is that bloody woman?

 

The fellow in the last pic resisted all efforts by others to come over for a cuddle until Anne turned up, whereupon he bolted for the fence with gay abandon.  And he knew he wasn't going to get a feed, because there are signs saying you're not allowed to, and he can read.

The trip to Ogbourne St George was largely uneventful except for our luncheon stop at the Bridgewater Services, near Taunton.  Some of you will be familiar with the concept of the English motorway services, meaning fuel, dunnies and the worst food this side of Berwick-on-Tweed (the most northerly point of England, so a useful place to start).  They are uniformly bad, but this one took the cake for us.  From the exit from the M5, you are directed (following a couple of roundabouts, each with 6 exits, just to make it a challenge) via a one lane narrow road to a multi storey car park reminiscent of the Belconnen Mall (I'm not kidding).  Once you find a park, you then hike for about 10 minutes to where you get your plastic sandwich, hamburger or pork pie, following which you then retrace your steps, hoping you can find your car and then the entrance to the M5, hopefully heading north, not south (if not you're in big trouble, and I don't even want to go there).  All in all, a truly dreadful experience, not to be repeated if you possible can.

Anyway, things can only look up from here, hopefully starting with Avebury tomorrow morning, weather permitting.  Oh, and the local in Ogbourne St George is called the Inn with The Well (all with capitals), which surely can't be all bad.

Love to all. XXXX