A "Holiday"

The sun shone this morning.

It was a day off work.

I needed to go into the next town along the coast to get something I couldn`t get here, so having done that, I decided on the spur of the moment to do something I`d not done before. I walked through the town and onto the sea front there. In all my years of life, living in the same town, I`d never walked along the prom in the neighbouring town!


It was beautiful there, the sun shone making the sea sparkle, it felt warm on my bare arms. As it was quite early in the day for most people, there were very few about, so I could enjoy the scene and the silence, listening to the gentle sound of the waves turning over on the sand. Wandering slowly along, I then climbed about 100 steps to the top of the cliff when I found a welcome seat to sit, get my breath back, and look at the view.

I felt as if I was on holiday, relaxed, and content. Yet, I was only 5 miles from home. I suppose it just shows that we should learn to enjoy and appreciate what`s "on our doorsteps"!

Flying time

It`s Saturday already, I`m sure the hours and days of this week have been shorter than normal! It seems almost impossible that I`m at the last day of my weeks holiday. I`ve still got so much that I wanted to do, places I wanted to go, that I`ve not got done.

Apart from one day, which was drizzly rain, I`ve been lucky and had a week of sunshine - yes, sunshine and warmth (by day at least) in October. I don`t normally holiday in October, but circumstances made me cancel a week last month and have this week instead, I`m glad I did.

Have I really had 5 days holiday - let`s see......

• On Monday, I went shopping with a friend (1 day gone)
• On Tuesday, I took my mother out (2 days gone)
• On Wednesday, I emptied a cupboard, spring cleaned my bedroom (3 days gone)
• On Thursday, I had a friend here for the day (4 days gone)
• On Friday, I collected my Mum, cooked fish & chips for our dinner, then took her shopping (5 days gone)
• Today....... ??????

What shall I do today, to make the most of my last day of "freedom"? No, I shouldn`t really say that, I enjoy my work now and it`s not a drudge or a tie. I`ve got a few things locally that I just must do today, like a church flower arrangement, so I can`t go out for the day. Maybe this afternoon I`ll have an afternoon out.


In the meantime, enjoy another photo the sunset.

Holiday time

I`m on holiday this week, and enjoying it The weekend was very good for weather - sunny and really warm, so I made the most of it, by trying to be outdoors as much as possible. On Saturday, I wandered round a local market and bought myself a couple of skirts. Then returning home, I still felt it was too nice to be indoors, so I got to work setting some heather plants and tulips and daffodil bulbs in pots, before in the afternoon, going to a National Trust property - Felbrigg Hall, which, although fairly close to where I live, I`ve never been to before. I first went on the tour round the house - plenty of old paintings filling all the walls, which I don`t find particularly interesting, I prefer in these old houses/halls to see how people lived and especially love visiting the kitchens. This building was ok, but not very exceptional. I still prefer Blickling Hall.


It was nice though wandering round the walled garden when I came out of the house, and seeing all the unusual plants - like a 100 year old "headache tree" (can`t remember its proper name), and seeing a huge cactus and other plants, whilst enjoying the feel of the sun warm upon me. Yes, warm in October - no coats needed!


I spotted this beautiful waterlily in a small pond set the middle of the formal beds, which were all surrounded by neat box hedging.
One amusing feature of the garden was this seat which had been made to look like a barrow.


Chickens and a couple of cockerels were wandering freely around the garden. The only problem about that, said the person I`d met who was showing me round, was that they eat the plants, especially the vegetable ones before they can grow.

Off...

By this time today there should have been a flurry of activity going on in the house, of last minute jobs as we (or I should say I!) packed the car with cases, coats, bags and all the paraphernalia for going off on holiday, checked that windows were shut, rubbish put out and all the hundred and one jobs one does before such an event.

The sun`s shining and it looks the perfect morning for a long drive to the South Coast.

But... it`s cancelled.

For as long as I can remember from a child, we`ve always gone on holiday the first week in September/or first week after the Bank Holiday Monday. And we`d booked to go that week again this year. But, having got my Mum into a place of Housing with Care, because of the way she has become unsteady on her feet, I just dare`t take the risk of taking her away on holiday on my own. So, I cancelled the holiday. I know I could perhaps have gone on my own, but it didn`t seem fair to do that. So, I`ve cancelled it at work too, and will take a week later in the year.

But seeing the sun and beautiful morning that it is today....... no, I must stop thinking along those lines....

I have, however, "treated" myself to something else.... but more about that next week!

Bank Holiday

It`s Bank Holiday Monday..... and.... the sun`s shining! Quite unusual isn`t it?! And this year for the first time ever, I`ve not had to work on the last three bank holiday Mondays. So, I`m off out for a while shortly, and then will probably enjoy the luxury of sitting in the garden with a good book this afternoon for an hour or so.

What a lovely feeling to have a whole free day stretching ahead of me. So I`m not going to spend any more time at the lap-top now, I`m off!!!!

An Evening Stroll

The sun shone all day yesterday, and what more perfect way of ending the day than enjoying an evening stroll along the promenade with a friend. How beautiful the sun beginning to go down over the sea was. The silver path it was creating across the water and the rivulets of water on the sand.

But, what a sad sight too was this beautiful ship that had run aground earlier in the year and was lying on its side stuck in the sand.



It is hard to show how huge it is, and it really does make one stand in awe and wonder at the strengh and power of waves and water.

Today`s the Day

In under an hours time, I should be on my way. The start of my holiday. I think I finally got things sorted so that my mother cannot put any more obstacles in the way. My aunt is kindly coming up to sleep here, so Mum`s not on her own at night.

The only problem getting away this morning, is that it`s a bit of a misty, foggy morning here - so... you can imagine what my parent goings to say about me driving with it like that! The weathermen say it will brighten up, so I`m not over bothered about it.

I had a day full of "nervous energy" yesterday, doing this and that, and all sorts of bits. I couldn`t settle down. I`m a bit that way this morning too. I always hate the day before a holiday because, for some reason, I think I must do this, I must do that, I must get that ready,.....etc....etc..... Yet, a lot of those things could be left until I come back. Why, I wonder is it that I do that, or are others the same? Yet, too I think keeping busy stops me thinking and getting nervous myself about the holiday.

Holiday treat!

I`ve just spent at least 5 hours today looking at someone`s holiday photos!... I enjoy seeing holiday photos, but this was too excess even for me. They`d been on three holidays during the last months and had taken what seemed like hundreds of photo`s. One set of rocks and mountains from Peru got to look much like another to me by the end of it.

So, for your treat today you can see a few more of my photos

The Bright Lights

Ships that pass in the night!

Oh, I do like to be beside the seaside!

The sun shone again all day yesterday, so a walk by the seaside was called for. It was a typical sea-side scene with even donkeys on the sand, something I`ve not see for years. But then further along we can across something that was more unusual to see on the sand..... this.....



..... a helocopter taking people for rides, and No, I didn`t go in it!

A miracle of life

I apologise that this picture isn`t too clear, but I`ve tried to enlarge a portion of the "What is it" picture which I posted on Sunday.

In the tank, as you may now be able to recognise were baby seahorses. It was such a wonderful privilege and sight to see such tiny life forms, they were no bigger than 1 cm and many were smaller than that, this was about the biggest one in there. (yes, I know I usually use imperial measurements, but they weren`t as big as half an inch long).

It was so fascinating to watch them actually swimming about, and to think that as small as they were they had hearts beating - whatever size must they have been?, and eyes so minute as would be all their body parts, yet they had the distinctive shape and features even at so small and young a stage.

It really is a miracle of nature. I could have stood and watched them for hours, I was so transfixed by the sight of them.


And, here`s a fully grown one, aren`t they beautiful creatures.

A Wonder of Nature

Can you identify what these are?

Holiday Images 7

A Last look at the Sea for this holiday

Holiday Images 6

A Sweet Delight - (not eaten by me, I hasten to add)

Exotic Flowers by the sea

Fishing Time

Holiday Images 5

An Underwater adventure today - spot the fish!

Holiday Images 4

Beside the sea!

Holiday Images 3

Beautiful Lake and parkland

Holiday Images 2

View from the Window seat

Holiday Images 1

A French Market Stall - anyone for garlic?!

Just one day to go

Yippee! One more day to work and then I can have 17 days holiday (counting weekends), what a nice thought that is. Not, that I mind going to work now-a-days, but the thought of a holiday and a break is always good, isn`t it.

I`m going to be busy for the first week of that holiday though, but enjoyably busy doing something I always look forward to, and plan my holiday for. I know a holiday is supposed to be time to have a rest and to relax, but I`ll do that on the second week - at least I hope I will, although I`ve already got a few things in mind that I need to do that week too!

And, then maybe I`ll find time to get back to writing a more daily post on here.