1. Cape Cornwall Street Christmas Fair
Christmas Fair 3rd December 2011
The brain child of our neighbours in the new and brilliant St Just Art and Crafts Gallery next door to the Cook Book, we look forward to welcoming you to our first Christmas Fair with a glass of mulled wine and a mince pie.
In The Cook Book we’ll have a number of stalls offering beautiful work by Bosorne Leatherwork, Helen Jay Pottery, Evocative Cornwall and others, as well as genuine book bargains and Julie Chapple’s scrumptious mini Christmas cakes and rum truffles.
Tea, coffee and cakes will also be on sale.
2. Morrab Library Book Fair
Philippa really loved her first Book Fair. Once again John Lewis shared our stand and was a huge help in setting up and striking down, as well as on the stand throughout the day. The Book Fair is the only one we attend and is a great shop-window for us, as well as, of course, being another place where we sell books – and buy them too. It’s good to report that we always sell more than we buy!!
Setting up – it’s an early start
John Lewis & Philippa unpacking boxes
3. Family News
Out in Canada
Rowan, aged six, is a serious chess player. He went to two ‘Chess Camps’ during the summer holidays and recently took part in a championship match where he came third, beating young people at least twice his age.
Third Prize
Chess champs – first & second prize winners are at least twice Rowan’s age!!!
He regularly competes all over the world online on Chess.com. He’s been beating Ellie. Now it’s my turn! “Don’t worry, Grandpa, you’ll learn from your mistakes.”
October is the month for birthday parties out there, with Miranda, Jake and Liv all celebrating within a couple of weeks of each other, as well as Jake and Miranda’s seventh wediing anniversary. Happy times.
Down Under
Ellie and Tim have bought a fabulous house together on the edge of a 52 acre nature reserve, yet really close to the centre of Brisbane. From the photos we’ve seen it looks palatial – and right now they are entertaining my sister Jo and her husband Jamie, who are having the holiday of a lifetime visiting friends and family all over Australia.
Ellie’s heavily into gardening. We keep forgetting it’s spring out there and continue to be amazed at the speed with which her various plants are shooting up. So is Ellie!!
4. Back at The Cook Book
Nine years after the surveyor told us the roof should be replaced, we’ve finally plucked up enough courage to get on with it. Actually, we didn’t have a choice as it had got to the point where it couldn’t be patched up any longer.
A big thank you to Cornwall’s Conservation officer, Penny Stokes, who advised us that we didn’t have to replace it with a wet-laid roof, providing planning permission was granted. This would enable us to make savings of at least 1/3rd of what that would cost.
Farewell ancient roof. You did us proud!
South Shore Scaffolders build our tent
Starting at the front
Encased in steel
And tented over
Slates come off
Going...
...Going
...Gone!
Timbers go on
But first this must go...
...so the roof looks like it did in about 1790
Felting & battening
Lunch-break
Insulated by recycled plastic bottles, felt & battens going on
Reminds me of building a ship – the sweet lines of our new roof
The next stage is leadwork and then the slates!!!
5. Down to Earth
Autumn visitors
Great-nephew Jesse, over from Madrid
Jamie waiting for a mug of Latte
Becky Watson...
...and her new son Sam, just a few weeks old
We put our best foot forward....
...for Feast Monday
Out on the Cliff
Why we live here
Surf on Trafalgar Day
Evening light on the silver sea
Christmas and New Year
We close at 2.00pm on Christmas Eve and will be closed on Christmas Day & Boxing Day, 25th & 26th December.
The Cook Book will be open again on 27th December and remain open daily from 10.00am – 4.00pm until we close at 2.00pm on New Year’s Eve.
The Cook Book will be closed from 2.00pm on New Year’s Eve until Monday 23rd January 2012.
