Dartmouth Castle

As Hannibal on the A-Team used to say: I love it when a plan comes together! After years of intending to take my mother on a river cruise, we finally made it today. Inspired by the fact that her eldest grand-daughter (my niece) and family are in the area for their holidays, we aimed to join them in Dartmouth for the trip.

It was a nail-biting effort - it usually takes 30 mins to get my mother out of the door - today it took 45. Luckily, the holiday traffic didn't delay us too much (most people had taken to the beach for the day). Then, parking in Dartmouth - in theory, impossible, but I have this arrangement with The Great Pal: He promises always to find me a parking slot and, in return, I promise to believe in him, even though, for the most part, I'm not superstitious. Well, it worked: there was ONE space, and we got it. Prime position, right outside Boots, where it's fairly easy to negotiate the wheelchair.

Then, off we went with 10 mins to spare, met up with family, bought tickets, and boarded the boat. "There is a small step" they told us. Well, no, there were two quite substantial steps on to the boat, and then another hurdle to step over inside the boat. My heart fell, but it was OK - my mother literally stepped up to the mark, yea, almost took it in her stride (though she admitted later that she was scared). She didn't show it and maybe The Great Pal gave her a helping hand and kept her Parkinson's Disease under control long enough for her to enjoy the trip.

And an added reward: we saw a seal - the first I've ever seen in its natural setting. So now, if you're averse to sentimentality, please look away, as I've broken into hurl-mode on the poetic front!

We went for a cruise round the harbour,
and rode to the mouth of the Dart.
We saw a huge cruiser and a surfacing seal,
then we sailed right back to the start.

But we did it! We made it!
We got Great-Granny on the boat.
She had to step lively, and she had to lift her feet,
but we got Great-Granny afloat.

Oh, we loved our cruise round the harbour,
and the little ones grinned like mad.
We saw Raleigh's home, and Agatha Christie's
and ... (someone's uncle's dad?)

But I heard the children's laughter,
and I saw, mile after mile,
on the face of one Great-Granny
a great big happy smile.

NOTE: 'someone's uncle's dad' is actually a Dimbledroid or two!
ANOTHER NOTE: It's my great-niece's one-and-a-halfth birthday today, too!
:-)

PS Thanks for your kind wishes re my twisted ankle. 24 hours ago, I thought I'd not be taking my ma out today at all, but it held me up OK, and is only a little sore now. Perhaps it was helped by my spending hours last evening with my leg up and an ice pack round the ankle.