Our (Mud) Island Adventure: Festivals and fun in the sun.

Hello dear friends,

News first. We are now officially house hunting on the mainland with the sale of the current home confirmed. Sammy and I will be leaving the island this weekend to go and look for houses. We did this last weekend too. It didn't go so well. We had Cam with us and I mentioned that in a previous blog. When I say it didn't go well, I mean that we had chosen to look at some places in the country. Maybe a little too much "Escape to the Country" on TV for me apparently, because both places were seriously out of the way. The one place was so deep into the English countryside that the locals don't even have a corner shop. Or a post office. Or restaurants. But they do have a pub. Go figure. Anyway the place we looked at was not too bad, but far too much money for what it offered, and it did not have cellphone signal. Can you imagine me without my ~~umbilical cord~~ mobile phone?? Never! So that was that.

But it is a good thing that we are going house hunting because the island is seriously over run this weekend. With people from all walks of life. All coming over for the Isle of Wight festival. (see here) Now there are a number of festivals here during the year because the island is seriously a great place to be! The Isle of Wight festival is a music festival with 75 000 tickets sold. Last week we went to a smaller local festival, The Old Gaffers Festival in Yarmouth to be exact. Not a music festival but more erm, like a smallish flea market with food stalls. Pictures below. It was fun, and a pleasant way to spend an afternoon. But I digress. The Isle of Wight Festival brings a eclectic mix of people onto the island, all with the one aim of partying and listening to music, whilst camping and generally chilling out over a whole weekend. What it actually means is sleeping in tents, walking around in the mud if it rains (which it hasn't) hangovers, and shopping at the local Morrisons. Sammy and I made the mistake of shopping there at lunchtime (I know, school boy error!) But it was fun to watch all the people in the store because you could tell their age simply by looking at what they were buying. It was easy. Lots of beer, in cases of 24, Ciders, Vodka, bottles of Sprite Zero - 18 to 25yrs old. The same combination but with a few bags of crisps and some rolls thrown into the mix - 25 to 35yrs old. Some beers, some wine, some fruit, some expensive shooter type liquor, rolls and kleenex - 35 to 45yrs old. Two disposable braai's, pre packed salads, sausages, a bottle of cider, brown rolls and serviettes - 45yrs + Oh and six bottles of J&B, 10kgs of ice and a soft fold out chair - Glenn but he is not here so I didnt see that one.

The festival should be a lot of fun for the people attending and a bit of a nightmare for us who live here, but that's fine, Sammy and I are very adaptable nowadays. Speaking of which.... Sammy went to have her hair done on Tuesday and it is now seriously blonde! She is not sure she likes it, but I actually do, I think she looks funky and I like it. A lot *grins*. Pictures also below! I think the hair dye must have done something to her because she is bouncing around like an energiser bunny. She has been to two Zumba classes and a yoga class this week and is not showing any signs of slowing down. I also mentioned a new addition to the family and I really meant a new car. This one is for work and I have done 2800 miles (that's 4480kms) in her in the first three weeks!!! She really is lovely and her name is Angie. Pictured below. So now we have two cars and two cats and the two of us. Fantastic! Right and one last thing today, click here for a picture of our latest nephew Travis Morgan Wills. Standing at 7 months!! Wow, strong like his dad for sure. We are so proud and have not even met him yet! Oh and also, we have a new and very cool shop in town called Wine Therapy. Great name and a great shop. Smells like a proper wine cellar (may have been the fresh paint) and you can do wine tastings etc cheaply. Awesome! Have a great weekend everyone.