We’ve been out! OK we are still under stay local rules, but we have ventured out to explore a bit more. We got the bikes out for their first trip. It was a short one, as I haven’t really ridden a bike since I was a teenager, and it turns out my right leg really needs a lot of work to get any strength for cycling. Ever since I had my new hip, which was 14 years ago now, that leg hasn’t been as strong. I can do most things, it’s brilliant, but I really want to try and strengthen it a bit more by cycling, so off we went. To be honest it was quite successful and we found a road free route from the back of the house that was beautiful. It wasn’t where I planned to go. We turned off too soon after the golf course, but it turns out, if we had kept going a bit further we would have found the red squirrels!
As the weather gets better, doing jobs outside becomes more attractive, so we decided to investigate the gutters, just in case they needed cleaning out. To be honest I am thankful we have a bungalow because it was my job and they certainly needed doing. Half the beach and a forest full of moss were in there, particularly in the gutters between the breezeway and the garage. While I was up there I said to Ian, “can you take a photo for me?” Clearly he took my best side!
Having filled a bucket from this short section I moved on to the rest of the house, luckily the rest weren’t so bad, but that front and centre issue came back to get me as I struggled to get the bucket between me, the fence and the gutter again... I was going to call this blog “boobs and buckets” but somehow it didn’t feel right.
Having got all the garage equipment back, the final big job of the clean up could take place. The cleaning of the drive. It is a big drive and it was really filthy, so out came the jet washer and Ian got to work, it looks so much better, the photos don’t do it justice with all the sunlight and shadows, but it really does look great.
Having started on jet washing, it seems Ian couldn’t stop, so Agy got a good wash too. Hopefully it won’t be too long before we can be out and about in her properly, you know, travelling and seeing people.
As we missed the turning on our cycle ride I had been looking for previously, we decided to head off for a walk and weren’t disappointed. We live fairly close to the only train line on the island that goes from Ryde to Ventnor, it’s being renovated at the moment and is closed, but the island has a lot of cycle ways and footpaths along old railway lines that are perfect for getting out and about away from the traffic, and this is what I had been looking for on our ride. There is the old railway line that goes all the way from Sandown to Newport, and it is really close to us so off we went along the red squirrel trail and this is what we discovered.
Highland cattle (I love Highland cattle),
and a community orchard. Originally Sandown Community Orchard was part of the cottage gardens for people employed at the waterworks nearby. The first waterworks were built in 1861, and the waterworks just across the road still serve the town now. It’s great to have all of this on our doorstep and we are really looking forward to learning more about our new home as restrictions lift and we get our second vaccination. Fingers crossed it won’t be too long now!
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