Salty has had his chips

We have ordered a new microchip cat door from this company in Guernsey. http://www.petport.com/about3.htm It is expensive, but if only our cat is eating the cat food it will probably pay for itself eventually, and we will all have more peaceful nights as the only animal that can come in is the one whose chip number has been programmed in.

We went to Stanmore, and paid bills and got more provisions as the snow is coming! We had lunch at the Man in the Moon. Mason managed to get an appointment at the vets, so now Salty has a readable microchip.

I saw Wynford and chatted a while, and when walking down to the library met Poppy and Ben with Lilu, and we chatted before going off in different directions.

In the library somehow I lost my glasses, but just as I was going to panic the librarian luckily found them on the floor. I got several books out, including an Alexander McCall Smith book called The World According to Bertie, which I am looking forward to reading.

It began snowing in the evening, and snowed all night.

Guernsey getaway

Mas and I had breakfast and did our usual things until it was time to leave. Mas drove me to Mill Hill Broadway station, then I bought my ticket to Gatwick and got on the train which soon arrived. There were many delays and hold ups, but I eventually arrived at Gatwick and Pete was there soon afterwards, and we checked in. We had a G & T, and full of bonhomie found we had to run up long corridors to our gate number.

We had a pleasant trip over, and leaving the plane found that the weather was mild and sunny and the air smelled familiar and clean. We got a taxi to the Barbarie hotel where the red Camelia bushes were in full flower. We were shown to our rooms, mine being next to the bar, and very nice.

Before long Pete and I went off for a walk down all our familiar lanes, listening to the rather evocative sound of the foghorn as it was also rather misty. I remembered that when Toby was born in June so long ago the fog horns were sounding for at least a week day and night. On the way to Icârt we noticed lots of rabbits, all of them looked very healthy and large. The cliffs were bright with gold gorse, white blackthorne flowers on bushes, celandine and primroses and we also saw a peacock butterfly.

We had a drink in the bar before dinner where this familiar sign is displayed.

We had a wonderful diner in the restaurant at La Barbarie; towards the end of the meal the lights failed and candles were placed on all the tables which added to the atmosphere.

Back to Guernsey

I flew over to Guernsey for a week, and was kindly met by Ben at the airport, and whisked off to La Barberie Hotel where my son was also staying. Pete and I walked down to Moulin Huet and looked in the Moulin Huet Pottery at some of the pottery and artwork that was for sale.

Later I walked to Saints Bay and strolled on the beach before walking to Icart, while Pete did some writing.
Ben and Poppy met us in the bar as we had planned to have an evening meal together as the hotel was participating in the Tennerfest. This is where the restaurants compete to provide outstanding meals in order to win awards for their cooking. One of the recommended wines was Chat en Oeuf (a cheaper version of Chateau Neuf ). We had a really nice evening chatting and eating.