We've SOLD Warren Cottage!
It was the 31st May 2013 that we handed the keys (and responsibility!) for Warren Cottage onto its next owner!
Not an easy decision to sell her, it's very hard to let go of something you have a deep affection for.... but we had realised our dream of "living in her for the last 5 years" and if money were no issue we'd stay and maybe, build a house, maybe!.....but life is short and so is money and we're ready to let go of the old dream and find some new ones!
Before we go I just wanted to let you know what we've been doing for the last year! Pictures say it better than words! It also shows that our focus wasn't entirely on saving up money to build a house! It was more about getting out there and having fun trying out new stuff!
November 2011 - New activity "Off-Road" riding
I hadn't ridden a motorbike for 18 months and our new friend Anthony Brown suggested we might like to give "Off-Road" a go if we were looking for a "challenge"! I didn't have a bike suitable for that type of riding...I took advice and guy and I decided on a Honda CRF230.....
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My first time out! First time on this bike!
Great fun! |
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| May 2012 - Riding in the county of "Wiltshire" |
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| Lots of deep and "Smelly" muddy puddles!!! |
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I was wet and stank of cow poo!! That puddle
had been festering! I had so much fun! |
May 2012 - CROATIA - First off-road Rally competition - "Rallye Dalmatia"
Me, Gordon, Geoff and Vanessa on the first day! I was just about to cross the start line and was nervous!!!! Gordy was making me laugh though!
Anthony Brown and me having just crossed the finish line on day 5 and having ridden in the dust for 8 hours.....I was elated and very dirty!!!!
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| L-R Gordon , Guy, George, Me, John and Anthony - ALL in one piece at the end! |
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5th day, exhausted, happy and it looks like I've been
eating someones dust!!! Best get out in front next
time! |
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| Guy's bike and mine to the right |
WATER SKIING!!!
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Before we left for the UK
Gordon took us all water skiing! |
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| This was another FIRST! |
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Gordan was trying to give me some tips, but it
doesn't look like I'm paying attention! |
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Gordon says in a STRONG Scottish accent
"Keep you arms straight, it's very important!" |
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| "Take up slack!"...I'm laughing, I'm nervous!! |
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| "Whooaa!" |
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| "Stand UP!"....everyone yells from the boat to me!!!! |
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I dragged by arse along the water for a long 400m...
before I let go....now I know what an enema feels like!!!! |
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Guy stood up first time and "Aced" it....
no surprise he's grinning! |
May 2012 - Cynthia visits from Brazil
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| Cynthia Gilbert, my friend since Uni! |
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Cynthia visits London for business twice a year
so we always try to meet up! |
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| It's Spring and Cynthia was having trouble "acclimatising"! |
SUMMER 2012 - Guy's Flat Track Racing season begins......
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Guy's ride for the "Inappropriate Road Bike" (IRB) Class in the "Dirt Quake" Fun competition
He WON it! |
Oxford GNC 2012
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| Guy no.97 |
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| Guy and Geoff Cain (Co-Buit Geoff!) |
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| Guy no.97 and Geoff Cain no.45 |
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| Guy Sutherland no.97 and Norm Joss |
Summer 2012 - BIKES!
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My bike (CRF230F) and my first lesson from Guy on how to do my
"Oil Change" and "Filter Change" |
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| My 2nd Rally competition, this time in the UK the "K2 Rally" in the Kielder Forest June 2012 |
2 x NEW BIKES.....Summer rides 2012!!!
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| Suzuki TU250 "Big Boy" |
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| Love this bike! |
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| Both my feet reach the floor at the same time....a unique feeling! |
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| Guy's BMW R100 |
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Guy's BMW R100 outside the Ace Cafe, London
with "Co-Built Geoff's" pipes and Guy's
new paint job on the tank |
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| "Shed time" with the BMW R100 |
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My new Suzuki and Guy's BMW with Co-Built Geoff's pipes
and the tanks new paint job!!
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| Summer view from living room at Warren Cottage....how could we ever leave....but we have!!!!! Tough decision! |
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| The wildflower meadow in July...so attractive to a varied species of butterflies...loads of them! |
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| My friend Anne-Marie comes over for a summer snack! |
"BEAUTIFUL" THINGS AT WARREN COTTAGE
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| A "MAY-BUG" or it's other name "Cockchafer"....Ouch!! |
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| The most delicious smelling Iris ever created....heaven! |
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| My shy friend the "Slow-worm" that I found lurking beneath a wood pile |
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| Bluebell |
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| Aquilegia or Columbine...home grown, they took 3 years to flower! |
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| Fragrant orchid! These liked the chalk soil! |
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| A poor iPhone photo of the lovely "Bee" Orchid! we only had 2 of these on a 2 acre plot, so I was thrilled to see them! |
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| Can you spot the slow-worm? |
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| A "Marbled White" |
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| A "Comma", another iPhone shot..not that great! |
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| A "Large Skipper" |
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| ??? Maybe a "Gatekeeper" or a "Small Heath"! |
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| A "Peacock" |
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I got this night shot from a video camera with a motion sensor
so cute, though the local farmers don't agree! |
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| A "Bumble Bee"....so cute! |
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"Common Green Grasshopper"...Can you spot him?..
I took this from my "instagram" page so it's a bit blurry! |
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| Daisy.....beautiful in its simplicity! |
Scooter Fun Summer 2012
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Guy buys a Scooter for fun! Great fun for whizzing into
London...loads of space under the seat to stash
your stuff! |
September 2012 - North Wales - Mountains!!!
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| Guy enjoying the challenge of scrambling on the windy knife edge of "Grib goch" |
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Approaching "Y Lliwedd" on the "Snowdon horseshoe" route
a quiet and peaceful peak after facing the hordes of people on Snowdon! |
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Looking at "Snowdon" in cloud from Grib goch"
doing the "Snowdon Horseshoe" route |
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Me on top of a Trig Point in the cloud somewhere on the
Snowdon Horseshoe route! Having a great time...
love the mountains! |
October 2012 - PYRENEES - Biking Off-Road
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This trip was great....500km motorbiking off-road in stunning scenery...only problem
was that I was riding (unknowingly!) with a broken Tibia! I broke it in the car park before we
set off on the first day! I did the first
200km, but I had to miss day 2 & 3 sadly. I was in
a cast for 2 weeks and a brace for 7 weeks! |
February 2013 - AUSTRALIA!
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| February 2013 and we go on holiday to visit my brother and his family living in Australia |
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| The beautiful Bundeena beach NSW |
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| Me on the beach at Cronulla NSW, my brother's local beach, great place! |
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| Guy chilling out |
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| Love driving over the Sydney Harbour bridge |
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| Visited the Deus shop in Sydney, ate in their cafe and did some shopping...couldn't afford this delightful bike though |
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| Loved this wall art! |
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| Back at Bundeena and just didn't want to leave! |
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Love the sun and sea, wish we could have stayed all Summer!
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Me, Gordon, Geoff and Vanessa on the first day! I was just about to cross the start line and was nervous!!!! Gordy was making me laugh though!
