Wot we did on our holidays!

We decided it was about time to go "up North" and see Douglases side of the family.

We went up on Thursday the 5th November to a small border town called Jedburgh, where Douglas was born, as its many years since he last went there.

I had booked a most superior B&B for our one night there.. and lovely it was too. Willow Court is a large bungalow set up into a hillside. I think they have about three double rooms that they let out, and according to our host (with the most) they are the oldest B&B in town!

We had a meal in a cafe very close to the B&B called Simply Scottish. Douglas enjoyed Haggis, Neeps and Tatties, and I had a really lovely spicy bean burger. The meals were rather large so with that and the best of a bottle of wine on board we staggered back to our room.

Friday

After our one night there (with a lovely breakfast) we had a look round Jedburgh. We drove around and after a while found both of Douglases old schools (primary and secondary) The house he lived in with his family was very close to the B&B, and hadnt changed much.

We went to Melrose, another small town nearby, where Douglas went to private school for a year, and had a wander round the shops and a drink in a little cafe.

We drove a little further North, had lunch in a shopping centre that D's mum used to frequent, then on to Douglases Auntie (TBAITW) who lives in a lovely little village on the Firth of Forth.

D's Auntie had very kindly agreed to put us up for a few nights, so we took all our clobber up to the spare room, with lovely views out over the water.

On Friday, TBAITW and partner cooked a wonderful lump of Roast Beef, Yorkshire Puds, roasts and all the trimmings. Ds sister and gang came. Our Hosts with the mosts kindly made me Yorkshire puds and roast with veggie fat whilst the others enjoyed theirs with goose fat. I was (still am) very grateful for their care and understanding of my diet!!

On Saturday we got the train up to Dundee, where we met up with Ds Sister & Partner, and two kids, and his older Brother and his two kids. All the kids (yes, us included) had a really fun time in the water - the pool there is fab.. it has 3 or 4 flumes, a river rapid and waves!

Douglas did the biggest of all the flumes, and was shot out of the exit a few meters above water. The momentum from the descent and turns in the pipe caused him to shoot out and twist and a strange angle (Douglas says "elegantly" lol) he landed with an almightly splash belly first into the water, giving his poor insides the fright of their lives.

According to Sister, sisters partner and big brother, Douglas displaced an impressive amount of water at that moment (they got a perfect view from the stands) . Newton would have been delighted with the result!

After a while the "adults" got bored of watching us "kids" and slipped out into town to find us a good place to eat. We met up and wandered slowly up a hill to a great burger joint called Ketchup. I had another bean burger, but it didnt quite match up to the one I had in Jedburgh!

For meat eaters, the menu was vast and varied.. various family members had the "Who killed Bambi" burger (Venison) and one nephew, who likes trying new things had a CROCODILE BURGER!! (YIKES!!) He ate it all much to my surprise!

We got back to our base exhausted having done swimming and some shopping (after lunch we took the kids to Waterstones, and let them choose a book each as an early Xmas present)

Our Hosts with the mosts were also exhausted. They and their dogs had been at a shoot (Pheasants and such) being "beaters" and the dogs had been "collectors", so we settled on some dishes from a local chinese takeaway, which was huge and very pleasant.

On Sunday, Douglas and I took charge of the kitchen, and spent a few pleasant hours making a large veggie curry, bombay potatoes and lots of little Sambals (a bit like chutneys) to go with it. Ds sister and clan came down again to help us eat it.

After an impressive firework display which we could watch from the garden, we had a drink to Ds late mum, Elaine (DMIL) who loved watching the fireworks with a glass of Noilly Prat in her hand. We still miss her very much, but it was nice to be with family and raise a glass or two.. or three to her. I'm sure she would have approved totally :-)

Monday was packing up and going home day. We went home via a lovely farm shop that both Elaine and her sister (TBAITW) and then Tebay Services near the lake district.

We had such a lovely time, but it was good to be back home again with our two moggies that were really pleased to see us again.

Photos to follow!