Buying bicycles and a bathroom in Barnstaple

I don't need to write anything now. It's all in the title.


It's official: our bathroom is fucked, and so is the floor below the bath where water has been leaking.
But although it was important that we ordered a new bathroom and tiles, it was obviously far more important that we picked up my birthday present for Monday -> a new bike! Whoop!
Joel also got a new bike today because he's been working hard and saving his money all summer. Well done, Joel.

It took ages sorting out my bike and Joel's bike and an extra roof rack (our bike rack only takes 3 bikes). When we got home we didn't want to waste time getting lunch because it was warm and sunny but we knew the weather was on the change. so we had a quick snack and set off again. We had to go back and pick up Joel's bike, then we cycled off down the Tarka trail to Fremington Quay. I haven't cycled for years but I seemed to remember what I was doing. It was a bit like riding a bike! The problem with cycling where we live is hills. the bloody things are everywhere, so you're either overdoing it or freewheeling and I really don't enjoy or see the point in either. But the Tarka Trail is different - it's almost flat. Lovely. We had to go at Tess's pace but it was fun.
We finally arrived at about 3.30 and ordered a very very late lunch. Then we had to turn around and hurry back to Barnstaple.

I am really rather fond of Barnstaple. I think it has some lovely little nooks and crannies and historical buildings. They are rather overshadowed by unimaginative concrete and hasty planning permissions but it's good to see it from afar and look its shape in the landscape sometimes. the estuary is really rather lovely too.

Eventually at 5pm we got back to town and ordered our bathroom and tiles to be delivered next week. Yet another month squidging stuff onto the credit card.
SIGH
We went for one of the cheapest bathrooms we could find and on a 20% off day too.

It's been raining, thundering and lightninging (<-word) since we got home so I'm really glad we managed to get out and about today. Tess goes back to school on Monday.