Making The Most Of St Andrews Before Winter Sets In

Although moving to Suffolk is a big adventure for us - a retirement step into the unknown; we know nobody (apart from brief introductions to the neighbours and a friendship we developed with Dave & Lyn who rented us their cottage) - there's the builder, the architect and that's about it. So, after fifty plus years of knowing our neighbourhood and many of the residents very well we're looking forward to new people, new places and, hopefully, a long and happy retirement. We're off there tomorrow to see how things are progressing.

Until we move we will continue to make the most of living in St Andrews. It really is a beautiful little place. We took advantage of a glorious autumn day to get out on our bikes again on Sunday. The light was fantastic and I wish that I had taken my camera with me although you will get the idea from these shots taken on the iPhone. We're going to miss living here but we won't miss living in the caravan - we've made do for over three months now and we're on the home straight but the luxury of a bit of space even in our downsized new house will be something to savour.

I got out with the detector again yesterday for what has become almost a regular Monday outing - it's been good weather every Monday for the last four weeks. I tried a new field. It was a meadow but when I started to find tin cans almost a foot down I realised that anything historic would have sunk out of range and headed back to the field I've searched for the past six weeks. You would think that after six visits I would have found everything but no, I managed to dig up almost a hundred more items and still haven't walked over the whole enormous field.

There were no important finds but I dread to think what damage this .577 lead musket bullet (probably for an Enfield musket c1860) would inflict on a man. These were used throughout the American Civil War and the injuries must have been horrific.

Although they don't look much I think that three of these bits are medieval buckle plates and the tiny buckle dates back to the 13th century. I haven't got a clue what the ring is. It looks like a finger ring but it's very small and has 125 stamped into the bezel.

It was interesting too to find this saddler's name badge. Although unclear it reads J Mackie Cupar. I looked him up on the internet and he's recorded in the Cupar parish records for 1861.

Time to get ready for tomorrow now. It's a major feat of organisation from Marion who gets everything ready brilliantly and never forgets anything (if it were left to me it would be a last minute rush and something would definitely be overlooked). We aim to head off at 5.30 (fog permitting) and we're staying at The Crown Hotel in the centre of Framlingham. It has had dreadful reviews on Trip Advisor but has recently changed hands and the latest reviews have been positive. As it's the only hotel in the town we've not much choice unless we want to drive. I'll let you know what we think.