An explanation

We have just moved from Brussels to West Dorset and it's not a 'flop' in the sense of 'not working', 'everything going wrong' (although things do go wrong ...). We arrived at the cottage on a Thursday and on the Sunday evening were down in the local which has a skittles alley. The guys were playing and we were given a demonstration of the Dorset Flop. This is only to be undertaken when you have been drinking all day as otherwise, if carried out sober you will possibly find yourself in Dorchester A&E with a broken nose. It is beyond my powers of literacy to explain the Flop, so if you want more information about Flopping and skittles in general, click http://www.tradgames.org.uk/games/Skittles.htm. Well, don't actually as good old Blogger won't let me cut and paste. If I can't put in the link and you are fascinated by skittles, just google Dorset Skittles and see what comes up.

(As I write it is quite late in the evening, very dark and there is a lot of shooting in the field above the cottage. Either someone is committing mass murder, slaughtering the herd of cows in the field or killing the rabbit population in the village. As long as it isn't the first two that's okay, especially as GW is away today in Brussels and I am home alone - I'm not afraid being by myself but shooting at 9 o'clock is slightly odd).

We live in a lovely village about 5 miles east of Bridport - a village we drove through two years ago but hadn't remembered the name. It was only when we moved that I remembered pictures I had taken on that occasion! We are also about 4 miles from the sea on the Jurassic Coast and at the top of the road/lane with passing places that drops down into the village there are sea views to Lyme Regis.

We don't have a village shop any more so all help and information is to be found in the pub - run by a lovely lady who works all hours that God sends to keep her pub busy. Basically one side of the room is the bar with an open fire and the other side is for food. Lots of themed nights (the other night was an Italian Night, recently there was a Thai Night) and she has also started a monthly pub quiz. A few weeks ago there was a sponsored bungee jump in the car park with money going to the Air Ambulance. GW did film that but hasn't got around to putting it onto youtube yet ... we are all waiting!

There are some lovely houses in the village, either rather grand or very quaint with their thatched roofs - unfortunately it would appear that quite a number of them are second homes and from what I hear the 'weekenders' are not too well liked - more 'ignored' rather than 'disliked' perhaps.

We run a small online grocery company (www.theinternetgrocer.com) which basically ships English food into Brussels at a cheaper price than the few sad English ingredients found in supermarkets in Brussels. We suddenly found ourselves in Food Central here in Dorset so we have been busy starting up a section of wonderful local products to take into Belgium. Having been away from England for so long we didn't realise how popular food-wise Dorset had become but of course with Hugh FW here and the winner of Master Chef Mat Follas opening up his restaurant down the road in Beaminster and lots of terribly famous people having houses here, the county has become a food paradise. We arrived here just in time for the Dorset Food Festival so we spent a month travelling around Dorset gorging ourselves on local produce and meeting so many charming, enthusiastic and dedicated producers.

I will try and add some photos later if allowed! The shooting has stopped so it's time for bed!