I was talking to Ma today.....we were saying what a lovely time we had last week......and wishing we were still on holiday...well, except that the Isle of Wight will be over run with pop music lovers......and both of us are a bit long in the tooth for shaking our booty.

Ma was saying that if we ever go again and it is in the season, we are going to get tickets for the Island Breezer...this will let us be more independent about where we want to go....and of course we will be able to stay in places of interest a little bit longer.
That is one of the problems (if you want to call it that) with coach tours......you sit all day on the coach and are given maybe an hour at places where you'd like to perhaps spend half a day....

Margaret Pilkington

The island was getting into gear for the forthcoming Isle of Wight Festival......many of the hotels were full and had the 'No Vacancies' signs up.
Newport was off limits towards the end of the week as there were roads that were either blocked off, or so busy that it didn't bear thinking about.

So Thursday, we gave Cowes the flick and instead we went off to Godshill. It was a beautiful sunny morning...though rain was forecast. (it never happened)
Ma and I went into the lovely posh shop and had a browse...then we went into the tea rooms.
Ma ordered us both a coffee......and a ginormous meringue for herself to take away.......she bought me a Millionaires shortbread....I protested, but it didn't make an 'apporth...

Margaret Pilkington

In a bad mood ...... will explain why later!!!

Anyway what else have i done - been an idiot - nowt new there really is there, not been too good either.

So whats the idiot bit about. Well my back has been sore from doing the garden when i finished work on wednesday went down Rawtenstall ... and bought a couple of tomato plants from Focus ... as well as the rest of my shopping round at Tesco 2 ..... next up getting them into a plant pot big enough so they will grow and hopefully flower and so have tomatoes.... well having to do that means bending over dont it .. oh my back was sore on wednesday night and it didnt get any better cos on Thursday i went and had my hair done (the grey bits are now coloured!) and on my...

shillelagh

I did plan to leave it there......after all much of what we did on this trip was similar to other trips.....but with SUN and WARMTH.....yes we have had winter sun, but it doesn't warm your bones.

I somehow thought the summer trips might be a bit different....and they were....a bit.
This trip had more elderly folk and more of the (frankly) infirm.
There was one lovely lady who transferred to our coach at Lymm. She had to be man-handled(literally) to get her on board.
In fact three elderly gents nearly pulled their tripes out getting this lady's substantial frame into her seat on the coach....and in doing it exposed her midriff and her ample bosom.
The lady was most embarassed.....as was her hubby too....

Margaret Pilkington

Ma and I arrived home last night......goodness it was a long ride.
We got caught up in traffic a couple of times, and although we set off at 8am it was 7pm by the time we hit Accrington.
I was bushed!
I don't know how you can get tired just sitting on the coach...mind you we were up just before 5am.
Ma has this dreadful fear that we will both oversleep on the morning that we HAVE to get up......it has never happened yet, but she insists that I set the alarm on my phone.
So......being the good girl(!) that I am, I do as I am told....only to wake up at something past 4 and turn it off....then I lie there willing myself not to go back to sleep.

We have had a lovely five days.......and Ma has been very...

Margaret Pilkington