Uninspired!

Haven't felt inspired to update this Blog, for a combination of reasons.

The weather is totally getting me down, for various reasons, both personal and weather related, I've been very depressed and as a lifelong, periodic suffer from depression, I know that I have no motivation, whatsoever, in the bad times.

We managed 5 days back at Sandy Balls, where the weather was atrocious, we didn't even go swimming, as it was cold and wet and dark all the time. The walk across and the thought of getting wetter didn't appeal at all.

Our first morning back there was a small window of dry weather, although blowing a gale. I thought it would be good to drive to Avon Beach, park on the road above the beach and cook our breakfast and have a walk on the beach, to blow the cobwebs away and see the big waves.

That was enjoyable, for me and the dog. Mike didn't like it at all, he was too cold. When we got back to the site we found our hook up cable and water hose had been stolen. So the rest of the week really was spent under a black cloud, in both senses.

All the other campers around us were shocked at the theft, this sort of thing doesn't normally happen. What did amuse me was the reaction of the men staying around us, as some of the campers were very camp indeed. We then realised we seemed to be in an all male community and when we saw the rainbow stickers with GCC on them, the penny dropped, we were staying in the middle of a Gay Caravan Club Rally. Who knew? I think I shall have to join, they seemed a lot more cheery than some of the straight, married campers we've seen, who never seem to even speak to each other.

So all in all it was a bad week, with the theft and the weather. We had to move back to M-I-L's for the weekend as Sandy Balls was fully booked for the weekend. More Happy Campers arriving!

At the weekend we were having a bit of a family Do, at my Sister-in-Law's, which was a pleasant diversion from the weather and I did what I do best, catering for 12 and making sure they were all well fed.

The forecast was so bad for the following week, we didn't go back to Sandy Balls but stayed in the house, which was sensible really and due to the high winds delayed driving to our next booking at Chichester.

We drove down here yesterday and it was a lovely sunny day, we took a short cut on a B road as we got near to the site, which was an exciting drive, although just about passable, the road was a river, for about 4 miles, with ditches running like raging torrents.

So here we are, grey skies again and windy but at least it is dry, at the moment. Planning to get the bus into Chichester in a bit and then hopefully a dog walk this afternoon.

These are a few of the photos from our breakfast at Avon Beach.

And on the 13th I thought I had better take advantage and take a photo of the Moon in her glory, as I suspected, rightly, there wouldn't be a chance the next night of the Full version.

The Peace Pagoda, Willen Lake

If you've ever visited Milton Keynes, you'll know what a confusing place it can be to get round. On one of our trying to find Sainsburys trips, we saw this interesting building and decided to take the dog there for a walk.

Surprise surprise, there was a freezing cold wind, so again, wasn't as long a walk as we would have liked. It is a lovely, peaceful place to go though and in better weather, would make a lovely afternoon out.

Olney

We'd seen Olney on a recent Michael Portillo, Great Railway Journeys programme, as it's just up the road from Newport Pagnell, we thought we'd go and have a look. It was famous for it's Lace Making. There are some nice old buildings there but it was a cold wind, also Sunday, so the shops were shut and we didn't stay too long but of course, I did take a few photos.

Two Weeks at The Mother in Law's

Moving back into a house for a couple of weeks didn't agree with me at all! I suppose the bad weather didn't help, as we all know, the amount of rain we had in January has been the most probably since the time of Noah's flood. My heart goes out to those who have been flooded out, or surrounded with water since the New Year. And the poor creatures that have died just doesn't bear thinking about. I wonder if the ecology of the Somerset will ever recover.

Anyway, I didn't like being in a house that seemed too dark and had net curtains at every window, it made us lazy and we didn't do out much. Even on a dull day, sitting in the MotorHome is almost like being in a glass bubble and you get the maximum amount of light, so being a SAD sufferer, it's a great help.

We had planned to do a fair bit of work in the garden, whilst staying in Mike's Mum's house but the never ending rain made it impossible. I'd also wanted to go dog walking with Mike's sister but Rowley hates getting wet, as his coat isn't waterproof at all and besides, the river meadows were so flooded it wasn't going to be pleasant anyway.

One pleasant afternoon in the house was spent helping M-I-L sort out some boxes of her stuff. There were all sorts of random things in these boxes, plus photos and we had a good laugh at some of them and chewed the fat, over memories from the 30 years I have been her daughter in law and discussed other older photos, who the people were in them and the stories from those times.

We did manage to get out a little bit and I'll write about those events separately.

Where Did The Time Go?

So, catching up. 

The weather continued wet for the majority of our time at Sandy Balls and we did little away from the campsite. What we did do, was to join the Gym for a week and had some, for us, strenuous sessions on the simpler machines there before our afternoon swimming time.

One evening last week I received a sad call from my sister, with the news that an old friend of mine had died. She was the younger sister of my boyfriend from my late teenage years.

The relationship with her brother was quite intense and lasted nearly 3 years. We saw each other almost every day, even though he lived about 12 miles away and I spent most weekends at their large country house. His sister and I became like sisters ourselves, doing so much together, even having a joint 16 and 18th birthday party.

I'd known the end was near for her, as even though she was living in America, family and friends were in touch and would pass on news of her battle with breast cancer.

That wasn't a good day for me, as on the same day, we discovered The Goddess had an oil leak. Bad enough in a car but this is our home. I was in a very dark place that evening, partly fearing for the immediate future and possible costs, which to be honest, after all the December vehicle expense, was a big worry but also I was transported back to those happy teenage years with feelings and memories to many to put down here.

We’d lost touch when I split up with her brother and married outside our circle of friends in 1973. Looking back at the 3 years when we were so close is like looking at a photo of a summer’s day in the middle of winter. I am not a poet, as will be obvious but I wanted to capture what the loss of Debbie meant to me.

Debbie.

Giggling secrets

Whispered confidences

Long, shiny, golden hair,

Endless tanned legs

Shortest of skirts

We wanted to make the boys stare

We were the teenagers

Everyone wanted to date

A carefree happy pair

That is how you will be

Forever in my mind

Life is so unfair.

How Times Change

No pretty pictures today, in fact I hadn't intended to post at all. 

The morning started bright and sunny, early on but quickly became grey and drizzly, so ideal for our plan of staying on-site, joining the Gym and then having a swim.

I just felt the need to record my thoughts on this, as it occurred to me, how the world has changed in my lifetime.

I was born in 1953, shortly before the Queen's Coronation. By the time I was old enough to remember, I would see bombsites in Birmingham, still not redeveloped. Everyone was still living with a post-war mentality, even though rationing was finished, folk were still very 'Make-Do-and-Mend'. Furniture was 'Utility' and horses were still sometimes seen making deliveries on carts.

My Grandmothers were born, one in the Victorian era and the other in the Edwardian. My Maternal Grandmother was an old woman and died, well before she reached the age I am now. My Paternal Grandmother was 69 when I was born and frankly, was ancient from when I first knew her and did little more than sit in a chair until her death at the age of 82, when I was a teenager.

What would these ladies think of me, now, almost 61. Living in and driving a large MotorHome. Working out at the Gym and swimming and in general behaving pretty much how I would have done in my 20's.

I wish I could bring them back and show them how life has changed for us all but in particular for women. 

I'd show them how their Great Grandaughter now lived in Germany and how I would fly there, on my own to visit. How I would drive, on my own, 350 miles to Scotland to visit my Son and his family. 

There is still a lot wrong with this world but we have seen some incredible changes.

Keyhaven

We had to cut short our walk yesterday at Milford on Sea, due to the weather but as today was just beautiful for a January day, we headed back to the coast, this time parking, as recommended by my friend Sue, at Keyhaven,  by The Gun Inn.

On a day like today, it would be hard to imagine a lovelier place to walk. The sun was warm on our faces, the sky was blue and reflecting in the still waters. The birds were calling, the Curlews giving out their haunting, melancholy cry and an Egret was putting on a balletlike performance of catching its lunch.

I'd have loved to have walked further but both Mike and the Dog were flagging and we'd only paid for 2 hours parking. But if we get any more days like today, we will be going back and for longer.

We arrived at midday and took Rowley for a short walk, just to get the measure of the place. Then we headed off to the Gun Inn, where my name was on a Crab Sandwich. On such a lovely Saturday, I knew the place was going to be packed by 1pm. And I was proved right, so just as well we went in at 12.15. 

Above, one of the many interesting artefacts at the pub.

The Gun is a lovely little 18th C pub, with a real fire. Crab is their specialty and something of a passion of mine. So no questions about what I was having for lunch and I wasn't disappointed.

After lunch we did an hour walk, towards Lymington, it was getting so warm, we both wished we didn't have our coats but that's a happy complaint in January.

When we returned to the Site, the Moon was putting on a daytime display again for us, so, would have been rude to not take a photo.