Roche Rock, Cornwall

This is Roche Rock, which I visited on the 17th of October during a trip to Cornwall. A DAY trip. Yes, we drove to Cornwall and back in one day. Him indoors was playing a gig with another band, so it was 6 hours there, play gig, 6 hours back. I did get to see some lovely countryside on the journey, and a glimpse of Jamaica Inn, where I have always wanted to go. One day...one day.
Anyway, I did get to see Roche Roche Rock properly. The Fortean Times has this to say:

The ruined chapel on the summit of the Rock's centre crag was dedicated to St Michael in 1409, but you can't help thinking that the Rock would have had religious or sacred connections from more ancient times, even though, unlike Cornwall's many megaliths, this blob-like structure is an entirely natural phenomenon.

And

Famous Cornish 17th-century bad man, the cursed Tregeagle (see FT198:40–41), was chased to the Rock by a pack of headless hellhounds. The crooked ex-magistrate had previously been sent to the underworld for his wrongdoings, including robbing an orphan of his estate, but was needed back on Earth when another court case required him as a witness. Tregeagle's ghost promptly appeared and admitted his guilt, effectively saving an innocent man from conviction. The court took pity on his troubled soul, and ordered him to carry out arduous and imposs-ible tasks so his return to Hell would be delayed indefinitely. His first duty was to empty the waters of Dozmary pool using a shell with a hole in it. Understandably tiring of the task, Tregeagle did a runner one stormy night, fleeing to the sanctuary of Roche Rock. Unfortunately, he got wedged in the chapel window and his pursuers, the headless hounds of Hell, got their fangs – there appears to be a bit of an inconsistency here – into Tregeagle's backside. For an unspecified period of time, Tregeagle's screams rang out, terr-ify-ing the chapel priest just as much as the priest's praying terrified Tregeagle. Eventually, the priest saved the beleaguered Hell-dodger and sent him to a beach to make a rope out of sand. :)

Retro Tolkien!

This is the cover of the edition of The Hobbit that was the first one I ever had. Funny how a book cover can really transport you back in time. I know the drawing is somewhat simplistic, but I think it captures the atmosphere of the death of Smaug beautifully. I am guessing I was about five or six at the time of ownership of this book.

On a similar note, this poster (and I suspect many of us had this!) was a fixture in our house in the 70s. It is doing its time machine job, just like The Hobbit cover, and chucking me right back to the good old days. :)

Edinburgh September 09

I love this place. We went last weekend, and I swear I would live there given the choice. The buildings are amazing, the people are nice, the shops are great, oh I could go on.

Sundy Special

Let's go out for lunch, said I. And for some reason I decided on Frankie and Benny's in Ashton. The last time we went to one was in Livingston in Scotland, as part of a band trip, and I remember it as being actually very good. Or, as good as an eating place can be for a van load of gig-weary musicians and hangers on, desperate for feeding and a cup of tea/glass of wine. Ooo actually, this is a fib. We went on my birthday the other year. I'd forgotten.
Anyway, him indoors had New York chicken (which involved "bbq" sauce, sweetcorn and some very lacklustre coleslaw), and I had Philly Steak Bake, which was really very nice. Rare-ish chunks of steak, peppers, red onions and lots of cheese sauce with penne, topped with more cheese...it was truly very good indeed, and not what I was expecting. Some olives on the side, and some rather chilly Stella and it made for a very low-key Sunday lunch time, with nice food and chat and zero hassle.

Just as well, as I am mid-painting doors and door frames now, and not enjoying this part of my Sunday at all. :)