  Beautiful I have just had one of the most perfect weekends in my life. Thursday - the man from Parcelforce took away our immigration application.
I tracked it online, and it was delivered at 9.35 am on Friday 14th May and signed for by somebody called Chin. Graham and I cracked open the bubbly as soon as I got home and then it was all romance and happiness from there. We had a lovely meal in Over the Moon, drank more wine and finished up with a cocktail in a bar by the river - Graham didn't want to go home, but it was just as well we did as I had a hangover in the morning as it was.
Friday - off to Cornwall at 10am. We arrived at Boscastle in good time, and as we descended down the hill through the countryside to the hotel, a mist enveloped us and it was just as I had imagined a Cornish ex-smuggling village to be. We walked down the steep hill, past lots of very very pretty cottages and beautiful houses with beautiful gardens, into the village centre and along to the harbour. I ate the best sausages ever for lunch and then we walked back up the hill to check into our hotel.
The hotel, though only 2 stars, was just right - it was small but not so small that the proprieter pounced on you and didn't give you any privacy. We were served some excellent coffee and Danish Butter Cookies whilst she made our room up, and we sat on the chaise longue in the lobby grinning at each other. The finishing touches in our room were superb - a super-king-size bed with the most comfortable mattress and duvet ever, beautiful furniture and a bathroom with a swanky glass sink and stainless steel accessories that had Graham getting the camera out.
The floor was also covered in very expensive seagrass carpet, which looked impressive, but was a bit hard on bare feet! We went out again after check-in - driving towards Tintagel and the sun decided to come out and it stayed out all weekend. The ruins of Tintagel Castle were fab - and because it was a Friday and nobody expected the weather to be so good and it was a weekend between 2 bank holidays, the place was virtually ours. We climbed down the steep steep steps to go across to the island and spent a good few hours wandering around the cliff tops gawping at the spectacular scenery - we were so high up that the twin waterfall below looked like a little trickle.
We sat at the cliff edge for a good while, basking in the sun, feeling serenely happy and deciding that if we don't get to Canada then Cornwall might just have to be our Plan B. It was so romantic and the day brought the best out in both of us. I was also very relieved to be finally stress-free about the Canada application. We went out for dinner in the 16th Century pub next door to the hotel in Boscastle and then had an early night.
Saturday - we got up mega early to yet more sunshine. We sat down to a lovely full Cornish breakfast which filled me up for most of the day and then set out towards Padstow. We went via Port Isaac, but because it was still really misty on the hills and by the sea, we could hardly see any of the village as we drove it's tiny narrow lanes - but we could appreciate what it would be like on a clear day.
We reached Padstow early and walked around the harbour, up the alleyways admiring all the houses and eventually found ourselves walking through a clifftop meadow with stunning views across the harbour and beach. The sun was shining brightly and just cutting through the mist, trying to evaporate it - Graham took some fab photos. When we got down towards the centre again it had got a lot more crowded. We thought about taking the ferry over to Rock but decided instead to get ourselves a Cornish pastie and then head back towards Polzeath. We did a bit of surf shopping in Polzeath and walked down the beach to watch the surfers and swimmers and lifeguards.
Graham wanted to swim but hadn't brought any swimwear with him. We ate icecream, and laughed at a woman promenading by with her dog that looked exactly liked her. We kissed and cuddled a lot and were very happy. By this time I had started to get quite sunburned. We headed back to Boscastle where we had a drink in the old Cobweb Inn and then walked up to the harbour, climbing the cliffs to the top where we had an amazing view of the harbour below, and the coastline to either side of us.
I got more burnt and so we headed back down to get me a hat. Had a drink in the haunted Wellington Hotel's garden and then back to the hotel for our evening meal. The food was gorgeous. Graham had what he described as the best chicken he's ever eaten and I had monkfish and mussels. For start I had crab and Graham had the most delectable goat's cheese. Pudding and port were also amazing - we were very content.
Sunday - breakfast was special - eggs benedict with smoked salmon. Yummmmmmy! Graham had really hurt his toe stubbing it on the bed so we had to forget the harbour walk that we had planned. We headed off to Bude but didn't stay long after walking along to the estuary and beach as it was a bit too big and bustling. We carried on to Devon - stopping at Hartland Quay for a drink and to take in the dramatic scenery, and then onto Clovelly - which was sooooooooo quaint and cute and romantic.
After stroking all the cats, twisting ankles on the steep cobbled streets, reminiscing about Graham's school trip where the tide came in and soaked his socks, and having a cream tea overlooking the harbour there we got the landrover back up to the carpark at the top (you think we were going to walk back up?). Then we started on the long drive home. I can't believe how gloriously sunny it has been - and it's set to continue all week.
Woohoo! I didn't want to come back from our perfect holiday away, but I think we will definitley be going back. It was a great great birthday present anyway, and one with memories that will last us a long time. 
