Just Humans Being...

Our love affair with France began back in 1991...  We decided to head off in our little campervan on a journey following the sun. Sal was 3 years old & Rose had just turned 1. We didn't have a plan, we'd sold pretty much everything we owned & the rest was put into Bebe's spare room... We had a fantastic adventure - travelling slowly through France, over the Alps, into Switzerland & Italy, then eventually back into France - where we settled for 3 months on the south coast, in a small village called  Cavaliere.  We rented a cheap caravan on a little campsite & I found a job as a housekeeper in the next village. While I worked, Sime & the girls spent their days on the beach & I joined them when I was finished. Back then, French families would have the whole of August as a holiday & every evening on the campsite during that month - families would get their tablecloths out & eat outside on huge tables, the food was abundant & the wine flowed.

Soon to be released ... Hope you like it! Sime x

We've worked today, but it's been a wonderfully straightforward day... Our first B&B guests cancelled their stay with us - due to the weather... Luckily, we still got paid, so nevermind & it means I get to go out instead, as tonight Sime's off to the most westerly village in mainland Britain - where The Dolphins Fly have a gig... We've also got 2 days off - which is nice! Hope you're all having a lovely weekend. Kay & Sime  xx

Thank you for all your comments over the last couple days... We promise to catch up properly tomorrow. We've worked all weekend & in the morning we have builders coming in to take over our dining room, so we're busy moving our clutter from here to another part of the house! The guys will be here at 8am, so we're going off to bed early ... Last night,  I had my arm twisted to venture out & see The Dolphins play - which I enjoyed, as I've not been for a while.  Sime's old band turned up too to watch, which was a surprise - a nice surprise! Anyway, I managed to fit in a quick video in between stuffing CDs & their inlays into cases - which was a thrilling job! Sime says you'd all love to see it, so here is University by The Dolphins Fly:  Hope you enjoy it! Kay & Sime  xx

From The Idler We've had this poster on our kitchen wall for many years & thought the beginning of a new year is a good time to share it with you... The last days of 2011 have been very busy for us.  Full of great times with family & friends... The Dolphins Fly had a great last gig of the year & are all fired with enthusiasm... And New Year's Eve was fun... Sime joined up with local band Tin Fins in our local village hall & we had a good night. Our Firework Video But I got very drunk... Spent most of New Year's Day in bed... And felt so much better later on... Back to work tomorrow! Kay & Sime xx

Yesterday we spent another long day cleaning other peoples' homes... We didn't get in until after 7pm! With all the hassle this (or was it last?) week, I'm really wishing for an easier life. What would be really nice right now is a few days off to potter around the house, read one of the ever growing pile of books, do things in the garden, get on top of our business accounts, cook, sit & chat...  Though I should be careful, as the last time I complained about wanting to spend more time at home - I fell & sprained my ankle! So I'll just be content that we have money coming in, we have good health & we are happy! This Saturday, The Dolphins Fly are performing at The Eden Cafe - which led to the band being invited to an interview on  BBC Radio Cornwall .  Unfortunately, Sime & Bill couldn't make it, so Dave & Mart did a couple of acoustic tracks. We've just got a few days left to try & get as many folks as possible to come along on the nig

This is a compilation of some recent gigs with  The Dolphins Fly ... Hope you enjoy watching as much as we love playing them! I'm really loving "We Lost" & "She Runs" at the moment. Would love to know what everyone else thinks... Some more videos to bore you with soon! Simon x

We can't believe how busy we are at the moment. And not just with work... The Dolphins Fly  have lots of gigs... Then there's all the admin work to do around the band. And with some big shows coming up - means lots of media interest! So they had a photo shoot last week too... We've had lots of cleaning work, although today... Got cancelled, so we had a bite to eat out... Sime has become a bit too obsessed with photo shoot posing... And is very excited about a guitar he's piecing together. So has had the back plate engraved with his band nickname & a bass clef! (He is a bit odd at times...) Exhaustion has crept up with us yet again! And of course we just get silly... I know - we are sad!  And there's probably over 20 of these... But we'll spare you for now... And get off to bed! Night, night. Kay & Sime xx

We're finding work so hard at the moment. The two cleans today have been spring cleans - step ladders, extending dusters, buckets of hot soapy water & exhausting elbow grease... The folks we've worked for are all lovely & very grateful for everything we do, but when they say things like: "If you have time, could you just do..." We feel obliged to do it all & it really is a challenge at times. Today was one of those days & now we've been home for several hours - we're beginning to ache, but at least we feel satisfied that we did it all. It was a very different story at the weekend, one of the holiday lets we clean is attached to the owner's house. The owner always comes in & drives us mad with silly requests to do unnecessary tasks, one such task is for me to go into the grounds & find several flowers to place into old bottles... I do this each week, but the other day - she saw my pathetic attempts & said that she will show me

The Dolphins Fly are going to be playing at The Eden Cafe  on June 4th. The Cafe is part of  The Eden Project  & opened in St Austell's town centre, earlier this year. It's going to be quite an event & Eden is keen to promote the evening, as it will be the launch of music sessions held there. Yesterday, the manager contacted us & requested all sorts from the band - posters, flyers, bio, photos, links to their websites & a quote of why they want to play there... So it's starting to feel exciting, this is the kind of venues they should be playing & I'm pretty sure that soon - it'll be even bigger places! We've become quite fond of the place...  They do free WI-FI, so we've spent several hours here during the last few weeks! Today, we visited just before closing time... So it was practically empty. It will be amazing if the place is full on the 4th! Now have to think of ways of persuading all their fans & potential fans to come alon

It's no surprise that Sime & I had to have a proper lie-in this morning... We've worked really hard over the last few days, especially yesterday - getting jobs done & houses ready for guests. To top it all - we were invited to an album launch by a local band last night, so we went along. The band, in my opinion were pretty awful... They were competent musicians, but had concentrated on spending money on equipment & image - instead of on their music. The Dolphins will be playing the same venue next month & I know that the night will have much more of a buzz about it, so really looking forward to it! Our eating habits have gone up the creek again this weekend - we were eating pasta at midnight last night, as we'd skipped a meal & were then hungry when we got home. Today, we ended up having breakfast at 2pm & nothing else until 10pm tonight! Tomorrow, we have a big clean to do, so no doubt - we'll go without breakfast, but have a good lunch ins

It's always nice to get-together with all the kids...  It's also very rare! But last night we managed to all see the old man's band play... Which was a nice thing to do, though I have to admit - I really didn't like the pub! There were certainly a few characters around.  Being country bumpkins - a Friday night in a large town centre pub isn't really my idea of a good time & I just found myself feeling very uncomfortable in that environment, just so glad the kids were there too! There wasn't any trouble, but it felt like there could have been at any time! The band played well, but only the landlady of the pub seemed to really appreciate them. Such a shame for great musicians to play to a disinterested crowd, but that's the way it goes...  I suppose these experiences will only spur the guys on to get what they really want & take a step up to the next level - where they deserve to be!  Here's a video of them performing  California  from last ni

We've had another busy weekend - So this is just a quickie... Just want to show off our new Sony compact camera - which I've used at Sime's gigs. Have put a few videos on Youtube, but this one has come out the best. Enjoy & night, night! Kay :)               

Another busy day yesterday... We had three holiday properties to prepare for guests & then had to drive over 40 miles to a festival in the West of Cornwall - where Sime's band were performing. We have friends who live near there, so they joined us too - which made for an enjoyable evening! The guy behind the festival is known as Bones & this was his way of showing folks the way! Our friends' Daughters - Biby who had a great time playing with all the little people... And Madi, who was bored & tired... Along with Hugo! Only a few years ago, the 2 of them would have been running around & exploring... There were lots of young families there & it brought home to us how removed we are from all that now, our kids have moved on & we do things differently. For instance, lots of families were camping overnight in small tents on a slope, we would have done that too - years ago, but now we prefer to be comfortable & the three of us were happy to be coming h

I think everyone will start getting very bored if we keep posting photos of Sime's band, but it is his 2nd gig with them & in a pretty cool venue - so it's worthy of a mention! Bunters Bar in Truro is well known in Cornwall for it's live music & our friend, Sheila came along too - which was lovely, as we haven't had a proper chance to catch up for ages! Sheila's not keen on having her photo taken! This is one of Sime's photos of the guys setting up - I love the lights! Another setting up one... There are screens all over the place, so everybody could watch the band! The chaps in action... And another dark video of one of Sime's favourite songs, you can just about see him on the right... He has yet another gig tomorrow with them at a festival in West Cornwall - we're also working, so another busy day ahead! Kay :)

Have finally been able to upload our weekend photos! On Saturday, we went to Treyarnon Bay near Padstow in North Cornwall. Although, it's only 40 miles away from where we live - it looks like they haven't had rain for a long time! It's 7 years ago since we last visited this beach & it hasn't changed... The tide pool to the left of Hugo is where the kids used to love swimming... It was a bit chilly, but we walked from Treyarnon... To Constantine... And back... Then it was off to Sime's first gig with the new band. Some photos with the flash... The guy in the wellies loved the music & danced all night! Mart on the left, his brother - Dave on the right, Billy on drums & some old man on bass... Who had to refer to his notes now & then... Great music, Hugo & I really enjoyed it... If all goes to plan - I'll be a lady of leisure by next year! Wouldn't that be nice? After an incredibly late night, we woke to blue skies & very war