The Journey to the Coast
I started writing this post yesterday, while packing bags ready to travel – and then realised I had nothing to write about that hadn't happened the day before. That has happened a lot since I started working from home. Today was more interesting – I promise.
After scraping myself out of bed at about 8am, jumping in the shower, and downing a coffee, I ran around the house like a headless chicken – picking up the last few bits and pieces strewn around the house so the lady looking after our cats might not think TOO badly of us in our absence.
By ten in the morning the bags were in the roof box on top of the car, we had asked the kids repeatedly if they had packed wash kit, phone chargers, and whatever else, and we set off. It turns out we should have asked our youngest if she had packed both of her shoes, but we didn't find that one out until six hours and two hundred and fifty miles later.
The journey to the coast was almost pleasant – or at least as pleasant as spending several hours confined to a car with your family can be. After running out of half-decent radio stations we played eye-spy, stopped for something to eat, and then finally knuckled down to the last two hours into the back of beyond.
My parents live quite some way from anywhere. Which is lovely. And a bit of a nightmare sometimes.
After arriving, making a very English cup of tea, and unpacking most of our bags, we walked off in search of the ocean. The path to the sea falls downhill for about a mile from my parents home – past farms, remote holiday cottages, and endless fields filled with sheep and bordered by bramble bushes.
After perhaps half an hour walking and after drinking a cider from the beach cafe, we stood ankle deep in the ocean for the first time in quite some time. We appeared to have timed it just about right – missing the hordes that would have inhabited the beach earlier in the day.
A little later we began the climb back up the hill, and I accompanied my Dad to the local fish and chip shop – which would normally be fine – except my other half is vegetarian, and two of the kids are gluten free – which immediately removed 95% of the menu for them. I ended up ordering a random assortment of cheesy chips, beans, mushy peas, and a veggie burger. The burger turned out to be a fishcake.
After dinner, the children retreated to their rooms, and fell fast asleep – it's funny how the sea air does that. I suppose tomorrow might be a somewhat slow start – after which we'll buy groceries, and start making plans to fill the days ahead.
Fingers crossed the weather is kind to us.