Cornwall getting ready, a moving tribute – and Bonnie holed up!

We’re gearing up to Easter here in West Cornwall and already there is much talk about the ‘Poldark’ effect.

No, not just Aidan Turner’s impact on women of all ages – though that is a certainly there.

Let’s face it, Mr Turner is not the only one easy on the eye. So too is the incredible Cornish scenery, basking in last summer’s sunshine.

The prediction is that the county will now attract even more visitors wanting their real life fix of those beautiful TV shots.

It will be fascinating to see if this turns out to be the case. Certainly last summer’s amazing weather gave a boost to the tourist industry, so an added dollop of prime time TV coverage is likely to have another positive knock-on effect.

Meantime, for those of us lucky enough to live down here, it is that lovely time of year when you can still walk your dog on the beach and watch as the visitor preparations get underway.

Businesses are being given a new lick of paint, gardens tidied up and those little niche gift shops are stocking up.

It’s a bit like a huge community ‘make-over’ – an all over scrub, a manicure and a dollop of war-paint just to finish things off.

So hey you visitors out there – we’re ready for our close-up.

Talking of community, the thousands who turned out to pay tribute to the popular Falmouth police officer, Andy Hocking, made for a truly moving sight.

Andy died suddenly, aged just 52, and the idea was for people to join his family and colleagues on a walk along his usual Falmouth foot patrol.

Organisers expected several hundred but instead thousands turned out, literally ramming the streets of Falmouth.

It was a great and uplifting example of community support and not surprisingly, the pictures featured in a number of national newspapers.

The images represent a poignant mix of sadness for a life cut short and a celebration of his lasting impact on the community he loved.

His family must have been touched beyond words.

Now over to Bonnie for her latest take on things….

‘Hiya folks,

It’s been all go at chez Bonnie over the past few days.

What with a new front garden rockery being built and then a path laid all the way down the length of the back one.

Apart from the usual walks, (yeh – love those!), I’ve been holed up in the living quarters while the rent Paul and his helpers have been doing all the interesting stuff outside.

I’ve tried barking and whinging as a protest, but it hasn’t worked.

Instead, I’ve had to hang around the office with my other rent Maggie who is busy writing the follow-up to her new book and trying to sort out the publicity for the latest one.

Yikes – indoors ain’t for me. I’m an outdoor gal through and through and would rather be digging holes with the other guys.

Still, I’ve had extra rations of my favourite ‘smart bones’ – made of chicken and sweet potato no less – for being a good-ish mutt.

Hey-ho, looks like the garden work is finally coming to an end, so Bonnie can be out and about more.

Meantime, here I go again acting as a one dog book promotion agent to earn my keep….the things we pooches have to do. Woof and out. ‘

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Pub talk, Poldark and Pie-Bald Bonnie…..

The main talk in our local pub last Sunday was the new Poldark drama. Will it be as good as the 1970s original?

Will it result in the A30 getting even more jammed over the coming months?

Could Aidan Turner be the sexiest leading man to hit our screens for quite a while?

The usual stuff of light pub banter and quite rightly so.

Well the first Poldark episode – always notoriously difficult – got off to a flying start.

Yes, one of the fight scenes went on a bit and descended into silliness.

Yes, someone said they had spotted what looked like a very 21st century burglary alarm lurking in the background.

But overall it is escapist Sunday evening drama at its best and the reviews so far have been pretty good.

I expect we will experience a ‘Poldark effect’ with even more visitors arriving this spring and summer, which will be great

news for the local tourist industry.

As for the A30, let’s just hope that everyone from ‘oop country’ staggers their journeys.

And Aidan Turner? Well he really is drop dead gorgeous isn’t he?

So that’s last week’s pub debate sorted then.

Now over to Bonnie, the very Cornish cockapoo, for her news…

Hiya folks,

My coat has started to grow back, so I’m feeling a whole lot warmer.

Well, that and the sun poking its head out from time to time.

Been riding out a lot in my rents’ open top car now the weather has got warmer.

And don’t I just love it? Wind in the fur, outside smells, other mutts looking on enviously.

Hey, I’m a soft top kind of gal and prefer it to that other big boring sensible set of wheels.

Now then – everyone has been talking about a stupid dress. Is it black and white or gold and blue? (Who the hell cares?).

So here’s my challenge – is my coat red, gold or blonde?

I see myself as a blondie but I did overhear one of my rents calling me a ‘ginger whinger’, the cheek.

So which is it? Let’s get viral!

Bonnie in the sun

PS: I’m told I’ve got to help promote my rent Maggie’s new book ‘Dear Mr DJ’ . Hey ho….http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00U2X77AQ

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