Jasper unlike Amelia and Tabitha didn't need persuading to enter his carrier as we took him to "Cozy Pets Hotel" before driving down to West Sussex for a few days. There was congestion on the M25 but apart from that an easy drive down into the lovely rolling hills of the South Downs. We stopped at South Mimms to patronise "KFC", and took a Chinese meal for two to have when we arrived at the Stable Cottage at Brookfield Farm. Inside a nice supply of biscuits and nibbles, nice high beams so no danger of banging my head, plenty of space. The hot water ceased to be hot after a minute or two for me so I didn't manage to have a shower or a bath, the "Stable Cottage" is right on the road so you have people and traffic shooting past the windows. The code for the entrance gate is the same as for the key safe and I wondered if it was the same for the other cottages on site. We started our tourism on the Tuesday, a quick shop in Barnham Co-op for essentials like milk then off to see Petworth House. "Google Maps" tried to deter us by leading us to the wrong entrance, but we won out by following the physical signs. "Petworth House" has an overabundance of Art, used not so much for edification as for wallpaper seemingly and to impress. One owner amputated the legs on some pictures just to make them fit where he wanted. Unlike some National Trust places some rooms were bare of anything but Art, the family still living there using the furniture elsewhere. On the way back we dropped into Denman Gardens which was pretty enough, I was surprised by how warm and hot it was. It would have been a great spot to sit on a bench and do a crossword or two, admiring the flowers. In the evening we ate at the splendid Black Horse in Binsted Lane, where we sat in a well designed airy area with a spacious view over the South Downs. Shame the sun went down. We both had baked camembert (a meal in itself) and the haddock. On Wednesday we went to see the Weald and Downland Open Air Museum, competing with school parties to see round the buildings of different periods on the large site. Informative staff, well laid out, and I had Welsh rarebit at the bright cafe on site. Once again I came across skirrets, perhaps one day I'll taste one. We had some difficulty finding our way into the nearby West Dean Gardens which had a good pergola and sunken garden to see. The site itself is much more than just the gardens. In the evening we ate at the Holly Tree which remains a local pub yet with a comfortable restaurant area. Here and elsewhere phone reception was bad. An eclectic range of decorations there. Thursday started with rain. We were lucky with the weather, a few days before they were forecasting wall to wall rain for while we were there. We saw the Roman mosaics and hypocausts at Bignor Roman Villa, a blast from the past. In the middle of farmland. Then we went to Arundel Castle which for my money was more impressive than "Windsor Castle". The stonework was very well maintained, castle well furnished, plenty to impress visitors with the power and importance and wealth of the owners. And plenty of exercise walking up and down stairs and corridors. The gardens were designer jobs, mazes and fountains of gold. To round out the holiday we patronised the "Black Horse" in Binsted Lane again.

We made full use of our National Trust membership - we saw Bodiam Castle (a fine castle ruin with a decent sized moat where Virginia used to be taken by her father when young), and also Bateman's owned by Rudyard Kipling whose daughter ended up at Wimpole Hall. At Bodiam Castle we had to wear wristbands - I put mine on with difficulty, almost sticking the paper to me rather than to itself. When it came to try to remove it I couldn't tear it apart! Had to wrestle it over my wrist and off. We had pea and ham soup at Bateman's, a pretty place but not a lot else apart from the house. On the way back Ginny drove and a bird shat on me through the open window! Some aiming that. The weather was mixed - it was damp which dampened the experience of seeing Sissinghurst Castle Gardens. The National Trust have arranged the place strangely, you come to a small cafe and bookshop first, where they leave the doors open so you feel the draft - but there's a much better cafe further on where we had baked potatoes for lunch. The gardens were ornate and styled - the buildings owned by socialites. Interesting seeing book repairers at work. One day it just tipped down constantly and we stayed indoors apart from venturing out for food. It was a fine day however, a nice sunny day and warm when we navigated through Tunbridge Wells to get to Groombridge Place, which was seemingly in its off season, or not open to visitors. Neat formal gardens, we also had a long walk along a canal then through the Enchanted Forest (to the eyes of a child enchanted). The house itself was private, moated, scenic. We then voyaged to the popular Scotney Castle, and had a bite to eat before touring the house (last owner was a lover of cats) and a little of the gardens. We didn't go as far as the Castle itself down in the valley and undergoing repairs. Eclectic set of books on the multitudinous shelves.

Virginia and I had a long weekend in "Eastbourne". This resort on Britain's south coast seems to be a favourite resort for the elderly - Wallace Arnold coaches disgorged OAPs into hotels where they stayed sitting in chairs. Mixed weather - some fine sunshine but also rain - we got wet and had to take refuge in a fish and chip place to have an early supper after seeing the pier. The pier was a little rundown but had a shop making and selling glass ornaments, I got Virginia a small glass elephant (admiring the skill of the young girl wrapping the glassware). Enjoyed a museum of shops of yesteryear as well as the Science Park at the old Herstmonceux Observatory. Some marvellous machines to play with - one turned gears and wheels and conveyors using water power.