standing on the edge: Two months to go: ticking things off the list

We leave in Cornwall in just about two months. I can't quite believe it, just the other day it was three. We've started sorting through our flat, trying to reduce our 'stuff' to make moving as stress free as possible. We've started thinking more about our travels in August and about what on earth life might look like come September. And we're trying to make our weekends fun and full of making the most of people and places that we'll soon be leaving.

Between February and May 7th, my life mainly consisted of rolling from my bed to my desk, working frantically for 9 or 10 hours, possibly going swimming to train for the 5km Swimathon I'd madly signed up to, and then going to bed again with hubby and an episode of House or Nashville.

But in and amongst all that I did manage to tick a few things off my 'before I leave Cornwall list' (that may not actually exist anywhere on paper but is in my head!). Now, as life returns to a slightly more normal pace, and I recover from election madness, hopefully I'll tick off several more.

Visitors

Hooray hooray, we love visitors. The number of friends gracing our home from afar has definitely dwindled since our first summer in Cornwall, once people realised quite how far away we live. And to be fair our flat is rather tiny and fitting two people on the living floor is quite a struggle. But my sister and her husband came down just before Easter and it was a great opportunity to take some time off and enjoy this lovely place we live in. The weather wasn't great but I got to tick off some firsts: walking the coast path west of St Ives, playing pitch and putt, watching election debates together and a visit to the Eden project. We also took them to our local Mexican and they got to sample the infamous Open Mic at Studio Bar! Good times and very thankful.

Eden Project

This deserves a paragraph of its own. I'm really glad we went, although I'm also glad my sister got us all tickets using their Tesco points! It would be a pretty pricey day out, bearing in mind the distance, the entry cost, food, etc (and we were gutted to find out the entry price doesn't include the zip wire that goes over the site!).

I think it would be pretty cool to go as a kid when you're learning about the rainforest, or different climates and how plants adjust. Or to go as a grown up for a meal in the evening in the Mediterranean Dome (where Mr Q got homesick for South Africa from all the familiar vegetation) or to one of the gigs that take place during the summer or on a warm day when you can really enjoy the gardens and surroundings. None of those things happened for us, but it was still interesting, informative and enjoyable. I especially liked the variety of flowers to photograph (of course!) and the view point from the top of the Rainforest Dome. The food was also well worth the price. Nom. It's quite awesome that the Eden Project is in an old quarry and that the focus is all around looking after and appreciating our amazing world.

Swimathon

It seems like ages ago now but I did it! First time swimming 5km (200 lengths), having only ever really swam about 100 in the past. I swam with two other guys who were a similar pace which was great, and I kept going and going (just one quick wee stop at 120!) until I was done - in under two hours which I was super chuffed about. And yes just quite amazed by my body and what it can do. AND I raised £185 for Marie Curie - thanks so much to everyone who sponsored me!

Plenty of poetry

There's quite a lot of poetry stuff going on for me at the moment, which is really cool, and also feels a little 'typical' seeing as I'm not here for much longer. Ah well. I got to perform at a new cabaret night in Penzance (with a rebellion theme), at the St Ives Literature festival (on a stunning sunny day), almost at the Telltales event in Falmouth and I've got a few more bits coming up in Penzance including a their Lit fest. Woop! Happy days. Our Sunday Speakeasys continue to be a joy and I keep meeting lovely people through it all :-)

Returning to the Mount

We came down to Cornwall on our honeymoon and spent one lovely sunny day at St Michael's Mount, walking across the beach at low tide, paying the extravagant amount to enter the gardens and walk round the castle. The sun shone, the sea was blue, the views amazing. It was a good day. A falling in love with the place day.

Since then, despite the Mount being an almost constant background to our lives in the past two years, we'd not gone back to it. So on Monday I persuaded Mr Q to join me in walking around the sweeping Mounts Bay - from the station, through Long Rock, to Marazion. It's a nice easy walk although fairly long so takes a little while. The tide was high so we jumped in one of the many boats zipping back and forth (only to find out halfway across the way that they're not actually free. Cheeky!)

I then realised that actually without paying to go into the gardens or the castle, there's very little you can see or do on the island - apart from the expensive cafe! Basically - this is not a budget day out, people! Haha! We did find a patch of grass to lie on and admire a mural from, and then we walked around part of the base of the island, scrambling over the rocks, separated from paying customers by a high wall! Nevertheless, the view of the castle from 'the other side' is pretty awesome, and if we'd had time I would have liked to go all the way round. Peaking over the wall, I wish we'd made more of the gardens last time, as they were full of flowers, birds and beauty. Next time I'll go with someone with a National Trust card!!

I think if you can pay, it is worth doing the whole thing, what I loved from when we went on our honeymoon were the views of the sea and the bay from the castle walls, and learning about its interesting past - from monastery to private home with plenty of pirates and battles along the way.

Another way to get in is to go to a service in the little chapel that adjoins the castle. I think that would be a pretty cool experience. Maybe one day, who knows.