Grapestock - the countdown

[tricky]

Sarah ,thanks for organising everthing.
Its was great to see and meet everybody.
Got home safely ,had a great time meeting people and chatting
Blimey was it cold and damp ,the views was fantastic.
Hope you all get home safe.

[di]

Well, Norfolk has been suggested. Would suit me as I'm only one county away.

I know officially you're a county away...but wouldn't stones throw be more apt?

Would suit us too...although after our short break last week I can't say it would be any less windy.

[OverWyreGrower]

Had a lovely day today, loved putting faces to names! Am definitely on for Grapestock 2! Sitting here scooping all the cakes and sweetie from Bernie!

[its hilly]

Sarz, you are a treasure. It was a lovely site and such a lovely day, thank you so much for organising it. Hope you get a good nights sleep tonight.
After scoffing Bernies picnic (thanks Bernie) and the lovely cakes all day I'm too full to eat any tea.
It was just Brilliant meeting everyone. Actually meeting and putting faces to avatars was great fun. And I can't wait to see Ollies explanation for the bruise
Shame you'd gone HW, was looking forward to meeting Lady Wayne and Bean, but it's a long way with a little to settle when you get back. Maybe next year?
Windy? Zazen you should try where I keep my horses..the wind blows harder than that on a calm day
And thanks to my OH to looking after my animals for me so I could go..and yes..Sid the gander did give him some bruises

[lottie dolly]

HELLO ALL,what a grand weekend,MANY THANKS TO SARAH FOR EVERYTHING,so you see,all that time spent ooohhh eeeerrr,it was like we had all met before only not recognise the face,LINDA re-named CHIEF FIRE STOKER what a scream,kept us all laughing,every time a log was droped in the bin,it looked like fireworks for a few seconds,it was great to meet other peeps,faces to names,was great how everyone turned up with just the right things needed as in food /drink,kettle duty /cup washing,and making the merriment,am sure we had more fun than the scouts at camp,it all brought it together,what one didn't have another did,the barn and stables were a great idea SARAH and worked brilliantly,was not only the meeting house but the canteen as well,i know it was very windy,and it rained,but the sunset FRIDAY EVENING,the views,good company,a good time was had by all,
OF cause,there has to be one,said our goodbys,and got stuck in a bit of mud lol, so a BIG THANK YOU TO OUR LADY RESCUERS x x

[SarzWix]

My phone's nearly out of battery, but me and Lynda have just been reading all the posts and I had to snatch a reply!
Jackie is still on the way home, she did miss her connecting train - my bad! Ailsasyl and HappyBunny have arrived home safely, and BarleySugar and family are all enroute. Gojiberry is still toughing it out in the field, but me and Lynda have run away to the empty cottage adjoining the house - airbeds on the living room floor is much more appealing than gale force winds and freezing temps

Huge thank you to all of you - despite the very difficult conditions, nobody whinged or complained and when lack of sleep nearly caused me to 'come undone' everyone mucked in to make a fantastic night round the campfire
More tomorrow, but (((((massive hugs))))) to you all for now, and night night - hopefully I' ll sleep tonight!

[di]

Pleased you all managed to have a great time despite the weather.
Well done Sarah for all the work.....now sleep well.xxx
PS.I note you're still 'online'...ain't no way to be sleeping x

[jackie j]

Hi everyone, got back at just after 11pm last night, too tired to come on here. I slept like a log last night, after two nights with hardly any sleep due to the freezing cold ( dont forget how warm it is down south ).
I had a great time and took loads of piccies much to everyone's annoyance when the flash went off round the fire lol. Will get them on later.

I arrived at Leeds station just in time to see my connecting train leaving the platform next train was an hour later so got a coffee and read my book.

I would just like to say a HUGE THANK YOU to Sarah, she was amazing and worked very hard to put it together and was getting stressed, the weather is the weather and no one can do anything about it. South next year and MUCH further South lol.

I have a really good pic of ollie's face lol.

Forgot to say how lovely it was to meet everyone, I have never eaten so much CAKE, thanks lottiedolly for letting me into your lovely van and for feeding me CAKE. Thanks to Bernie for lunch yesterday, and Ginge and jeanied for more CAKE.

[ginger ninger]

Good morning from Jeanie & myself.
Well what can we say...Sarah, you're a legend. Thank you soooooo much for organising such a great get together in such beautiful surroundings with so many wonderful peeps.
The day was excellent it was lovely to put faces to names of grapes we love and admire.
Really enjoyed the big fusses I received from Dexter the doggy and the appreciation he clearly had for my CAAAAAAAKE . Also thanks to his mummy for all the sandwiches & snacks.
Thanks to JJ for the ever full cup's of coffee she provided to warm us up. Also to other peep who provided all the chutneys, jam's, jellies, eggs, seeds, munchies, books for swaps, the car was under strain on the way home.
Sorry we missed some of you who left before we arrived hopefully we'll get to meet you at another grape get together...darn sarf.
Love you all, Thelma & Louise. xxxxx

Once more a BIG THANKS to Sarah. XXXXXX

[ailsasyl]

Hi All
Got back last night,nipped in to see mum, then home emptied the car mostly into the kitchen, a drink and then to bed, slept like a log last night, HB up for school this morning.
She talked for a good part of the way home about what a good time she had Ollie Lynda Jackie and Sarah you have a new best friend
She also wants to make the marshmallows that GN talked about and the chilli jam and courgette cake.
It was great meeting everyone and really was like meeting up with folks that you had known for a while.
Many thanks to Sarah and Jackie for coming to find us when we arrived in the dark and got a little lost and for all helping to set the tent up in the dark!
Sarah, you did a fantastic job organising everything and despite the weather everyone had a good time and lots of laughs.
I actually have a touch of sunburn on my face from yesterday afternoon when the sun did finally decide to come out.

[OllieMartin]

Didn't manage to get many photos on account of being on Bean duty quite a bit, but thought I'd share the one of Ollie I took just before leaving.

I'll leave him to explain....

That's the worst picture in the world. I look drunk or stone!

[rustylady]

That's the worst picture in the world. I look drunk or stone!

Well I did wonder Ollie, and what's all this talk of an axe??

[BarleySugar]

First off, I'd like to add my heartfelt thanks to Sarah for all the hard work she put in for all of us. We had a great time, and a good few laughs as well . The story about the sighting of a small, red eyed, green creature invading our tent might be the subject of a post another time. As has already been mentioned, the CAKE was amazing (we ate far too much), and the company even more so. Collecting wood, preparing salad and watching big, strong men chopping wood were all experiences not to be missed.
Fair, the weather could have been kinder, but no one's tent actually blew away, although we wondered a few times, and I know some people suffered with the cold. I think we were luckier than most as our 'bedrooms' provided another buffer between us and the outside.
I swapped jams for other jams and chutneys, and came away with more seeds than I took , as well as obtaining some allotment books for our new society.
After everyone but Gojiberry had gone the field looked so empty, we decided to go too. It was a bit like being the last to leave a party, all quiet and forlorn (until I went down to the stables where I could hear Lynda's laugh before I got to the pond). It was the most efficient packing up ever, from waking up Kissykit and son no2 at 5.35 pm, we were all packed, tent down and on the road by 7.40 pm. That was despite of (or because of?) Kissykit being out of action from twisting her knee, and no it wasn't a rabbit hole, she just stood up awkwardly!
The journey was great, we were home by 12, and it seemed to go so fast, probably because I slept all the way!
I logged on earlier, but haven't had time to post before now.The tent has been unpacked, cleaned and repacked ready for next year . The sleeping bags are stowed away, and the numerous bags and boxes unpacked, so why does the place look as if a bomb's hit it? Ah, Kissykit and son No2 have been catching up with technology, so their stuff is still littered around.

[Brengirl]

That's the worst picture in the world. I look drunk or stone!

Is that really you Ollie. I thought it was Boy George

Thank you everyone for giving me an insight into the great adventure.

[SarzWix]

HI GUYS!!!! I'm home, I'm showered, and just about to eat roast chicken dinner

Photos and reports and big-ups after tea