At breakfast we met a couple from Leicester and we discussed education (she is an English teacher) and music (he used to be the drummer in a Leicester folk rock/psychedelic pop band called the Junipers that had some success). We never exchanged names, but I did some online "research"--okay, stalking--because I just can't help myself. I think his name is Stuart Pratt.

Our next destination was Fowey (pronounced "foy"). I had originally planned to have us drive along the Lizard Peninsula and maybe stop at Kynance Cove and Coverack on the way, but both of us were weary of the narrow roads and decided to take a faster route on more major and somewhat wider roads. It's interesting that after only four days they now seem almost spacious, and I can tell I'm getting more comfortable because I can do other things in the car besides hanging on to the Hail Mary bar for dear life. I was even able to work on a crossword puzzle.

Our bed and breakfast for the night was a 20-minute coastal walk from the village of Fowey, downhill and partly through some woods. We were able to check in early and the owner offered to make us tea, which we drank outside so we could enjoy yet another beautiful summer day. Then we set off for town.

The walk was a little longer than 20 minutes since I didn't have hiking boots (that's my excuse anyway). We had contemplated taking a ferry to Mevagissey and back, but decided to wander around instead. We shared our first Cornish pasty, which was surprisingly delicious, and later we went to the Galleon Inn and sat on their porch overlooking the harbor. I had a Rattler Cornish Cloudy Cyder, my first since arriving in the west country.

After walking around some more, we took a harbour boat tour that took us past Ferryside, a house that once belonged to Daphne du Maurier's family and where she wrote her first novel.

Following a fresh seafood dinner at a place called Sam's, we began the long ascent home, taking 45 minutes this time. We are getting a good amount of exercise.

As I write this there is a cat meowing and scratching at our bedroom door. I'm debating whether or not to let it in. Missing our cat Maggie back home. . . .

Favorite flowers: Hydrangeas, still.