Most people believe that a picture is worth a thousand words. When it comes to my words, most people prefer a thousand pictures for one word.

In this case, please look at the Photo Album. Lee arrived back from Cheltenham at lunchtime. We thought to take her somewhere close to Southampton for the afternoon. Drew suggested Netley Abbey which is only 20 min. away. He and Keith recomended buying fish and chips and having a picnic in the ruins.

If you really want to know about the abbey, read the blog from last June when Ches and I visited.

On this visit, it was closed indefinitely.

Trees had fallen on the site and destroyed fences to adjoining properties. Their owners aren't sociable types and insisted the abbey be closed until the fences restored. There were also minor concerns that trees might continue to fall and perhaps hit a visitor.

There were two security guys inside the locked gates. Lee and Ches played the "Oh no!, we've come all the way from Australia just to see these ruins" card.

Their response: "OK, bring the car in and park it out of sight behind the wall. Now, walk over to the ruins quickly and wander around inside. Don't come out of them anywhere people might see you and ring the council to ask why you had special permission to be there when no one else could."

We spent half an hour there. Long enough to soak up the atmosphere and take another 65 photographs to add to the 116 I took in June.

A picnic of fish and chips on the banks of Southampten Water had been Drew's other option. That would have been OK if the Jolly Friar opened befor 4.00pm.

Wonderberrys was an excellent substitute. Warm, great decore, bacon sandwiches and hot chocolate. All right with the world.

No word count at this blog site so I don't know how many pictures I owe you.