The Buchans 2014: Wet, Wet, Wet

Despite the title we have had some nice days in between the rain.
This is a photo of the fishing lake close to where we live.

During January Neil and Jen came to stay so Neil and I could go cycling and the ladies could do a little retail therapy and check on the coffee shops. Neil and I managed the two bike rides I had planned, but the weather could have been very much better. We were soaked on both occasions and the only weather we didn’t see was snow. One of the rides was around Moors Valley and behind Verwood and the other was in the New Forest.

Neil and Stuart at the Canadian Memorial, Bolderwood.

The Canadian Memorial recalls World War Two Canadian forces present in the New Forest before the D-Day invasion of June 6th, 1944 - the first day of landings at the start of the Allied invasion of Normandy, a momentous assault on German-occupied France.

At this site, during the build-up to D-Day, Canadians of all denominations who were stationed in the area would regularly gather for church services.

Surprise Surprise

David, as usual, likes to surprise Carol on her birthday and he managed a good one this year. Maybe not as good as the free fall parachuting, but one where friends can join in. David took Carol for a quiet birthday meal on the outskirts of Southampton and just happened to bump into some old friends. Here we all are at the White Hart, Cadnam.

David, Sue, Ron and Trish

Ron, Trish and Stuart Sue and Colin

Carol blowing out her ‘relighting’ candles!

Photo of Gussage All Saints Church taken just before the start of a ramble. One of the few rambles to take place this January.

This early 14th century church stands on the northern slope of a shallow chalk valley above the water course after which the villages in the valley are named. Gussage is Anglo-Saxon for "the place where the stream dries up". Maybe not this year!

The churchyard