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today we had planned on a day in Bradford on Avon, it was a village on our list... we decided to go via Malmesbury, for our usual morning cup of tea..

we woke to a grey, dismal day. 

 I made myself a cup of liquorice and lemonbalm tea

went outside & picked a rose from the garden, dropped it in the tea and walked up stairs to do my early morning meditation [I have decided that i must live here the same as I do at home, to keep me balanced, so I keep the same rituals going as I do at home.. because this is my home for two months]..

then had my shower, breakfast and ready to go..

the rain was still coming down but we drove off anyhow... the rain continued to pour down as we got out of the car in Malmesbury and we ran to find a tea room, shook ourselves off like saturated dogs do, took off our raincoats and ordered: for me, a hot chocolate and lemon and lavender cake, Joe ordered a bacon sandwich and we shared. .. and decided what to do next.
 I had no interest in going to Bradford on Avon in this kind of weather... it's really not much fun trying to see old churches in the wet and I am always worried about my camera getting wet in this kind of rain.. so plan B... lets go Christmas and grocery shopping back to Cheltenham..

via back roads or B roads as they are called here..  lots of flooding, so we drove carefully, being overtaken by people in a hurry [still can't believe how fast many of them drive even in the rain].. as we drove I noticed lots of blackberry growing "I wonder if they spray the blackberries here like they do at home.. what fun it would be to pick some for breakfast oneday.. maybe in Cornwall". I think trying to pick them here would be putting your life at risk with the manic cars going past!

dark skies loomed, heavy with rain and I was glad we had made the decision not to continue to Bradford on Avon

On the way to Cheltenham we saw two accidents.. the first a driver had ploughed into the back of another... lots of damage and the other accident caused traffic jams & there was a diversion by police.. so obviously something serious.. the diversion took us through more lovely scenery.. it's quite odd here.. you are driving along an A road, which is like a highway

then you take a B road through fields and forests, then all of a sudden around the next corner is a quaint little village.. looking like you have once again stepped back in time..

with stone walls, gorgeous old stone buildings and really narrow roads, with the buildings built right onto corners. we often wonder how many times these building have been hit by vehicles going too fast..

so we arrived at Cheltenham.. back to the Wholefood store for lunch then to another shop for a bit of Christmas shopping [where I bought myself Rod Stewarts Christmas CD.. I am going to play it at our cottages in Cornwall.. I am also going to decorate a little to be in the spirit of Yule. how exciting!! I am sure I can squeeze any said decorations into my luggage when I go home.. along with the 2 statues of Mary, the Original Van Gogh and an eclectic mix of bric a brac from all of the op-shops we have visited]

.. and then back to the Wholefood store to stock up on groceries for the next few days.. honestly, I am in my glory in the store.. even Joe enjoys it.  if you want to buy cheese, they are only too willing to cut of a little piece to taste.. they also sell all kinds of alcohol and they let you taste that as well... Joe bought a couple of bottles of shiraz and a bottle of port.. I bought lots of things: chia seeds, some spelt bread, some dandelion tea, some more blueberries, some peanut butter, some spice to cook a chicken tagine one night, some chick peas.. the list goes on.. but we are staying in cottages for the next month or so and I want to be able to cook some good meals instead of going out at night.

Cheltenham is actually a nice town. the architecture is gorgeous in part. Georgian in style but with iron juliet balconies under each upstairs door and alot of fancy iron work. beautiful.

I am beginning to see the beauty in this area.. I have started to ignore the fools on the roads and look beyond that.. it is different to the Dales.. but it has it's own serenity.

so we headed back to our little nest - with organic soup and spelt bread for dinner and a cheese platter for after.. to have with the port as we watch National Lampoons European Holiday, which we bought today as well, while Christmas shopping.... and of course, Joe has the usual battle with the fire..