What I did on my summer holidays

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside...except, y'know, if I'm ill. That can take the fun away.

Just home from my week in Pevensey Bay with the family. I think this is the 6th year we've gone there, just to hang out as a family for a week. The house we stay in is owned by friends of the family and is literally on the seafront, so much so that the garden gate opens onto the beach. Fantastic. And as beautiful as ever.
A brief description of the week is below:

Day 1 (Saturday) - arrive to find a very freshly dead sparrowhawk in the back garden. Little Sis is fascinated by this and carries the dead bird around until a neighbour lends us a shovel. Brother buries the bird on the beach just outside and to the right of the gatepost. Spend the remainder of the day hanging out and marvelling at how much the beach has changed in the few short years since we started visiting the area.

Day 2 (Sunday) - discover a dead sea kern on the beach with a ring on its leg. Remove the ring and learn that the bird was part of a programme at a research centre in Finland. This makes returning it slightly more expensive than if it was local. Bury the bird to the left of the gatepost, and watch news reports about bird flu with some anxiety. Come to the conclusion that both birds broke their necks, somehow. No visible sign of illness or injury on either.

Day 3 (Monday) - three days, three deaths. Phone call from Nan to tell us that her, um, gentleman companion has died. Although this was hardly surprising, since he was 94 and had been failing for a long time, it is very sad news. He was a lovely bloke. Rest in Peace, Bert. :-(

Day 4 (Tuesday) - develop raging cold courtesy of my generous Brother, and lose the ability to speak. This is not fun. Thanks a lot, Bruv! Still, there are no more deaths, at least.
Do the sightseeing thing around Alfriston (beautiful village - thoroughly recommend it) and Littleton, which has a lovely little tearoom slightly spoiled by the multitude of wasps in attendance.

Day 5 (Wednesday) - house of contagion. We are dropping like flies. Still unable to speak and feel lousy. In the evening, a storm rages. The high tide is absolutely spectacular.

Day 6 (Thursday) - regain power of speech, thank goodness, at expense of scarlet nose. Manage an outing to Paradise Park and discover that black swans make a sound just like a lightsaber. Weird. Are extremely amused by the number of St George cross flags all down the beach that were ripped to bits by the storm the previous night. Our Welsh dragon continues to fly, mainly because we were sensible enough to reel it in at the height of the storm. In the evening sit on the porch and watch fork lightning dancing over the Channel for about an hour.

Day 7 (Friday) - still streaming, with a chesty cough. Being ill on holiday sucks. Take Little Sis to Drusillas Zoo where she invests in a toy bow and arrow. Brother-in-Law teaches her how to shoot with it, and we all realise we may soon come to regret this. Round off the week with a great big bonfire on the beach. It is beautiful.

Day 8 (Saturday) - Home!

What I did on my summer holidays

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside...except, y'know, if I'm ill. That can take the fun away.

Just home from my week in Pevensey Bay with the family. I think this is the 6th year we've gone there, just to hang out as a family for a week. The house we stay in is owned by friends of the family and is literally on the seafront, so much so that the garden gate opens onto the beach. Fantastic. And as beautiful as ever.
A brief description of the week is below:

Day 1 (Saturday) - arrive to find a very freshly dead sparrowhawk in the back garden. Little Sis is fascinated by this and carries the dead bird around until a neighbour lends us a shovel. Brother buries the bird on the beach just outside and to the right of the gatepost. Spend the remainder of the day hanging out and marvelling at how much the beach has changed in the few short years since we started visiting the area.

Day 2 (Sunday) - discover a dead sea kern on the beach with a ring on its leg. Remove the ring and learn that the bird was part of a programme at a research centre in Finland. This makes returning it slightly more expensive than if it was local. Bury the bird to the left of the gatepost, and watch news reports about bird flu with some anxiety. Come to the conclusion that both birds broke their necks, somehow. No visible sign of illness or injury on either.

Day 3 (Monday) - three days, three deaths. Phone call from Nan to tell us that her, um, gentleman companion has died. Although this was hardly surprising, since he was 94 and had been failing for a long time, it is very sad news. He was a lovely bloke. Rest in Peace, Bert. :-(

Day 4 (Tuesday) - develop raging cold courtesy of my generous Brother, and lose the ability to speak. This is not fun. Thanks a lot, Bruv! Still, there are no more deaths, at least.
Do the sightseeing thing around Alfriston (beautiful village - thoroughly recommend it) and Littleton, which has a lovely little tearoom slightly spoiled by the multitude of wasps in attendance.

Day 5 (Wednesday) - house of contagion. We are dropping like flies. Still unable to speak and feel lousy. In the evening, a storm rages. The high tide is absolutely spectacular.

Day 6 (Thursday) - regain power of speech, thank goodness, at expense of scarlet nose. Manage an outing to Paradise Park and discover that black swans make a sound just like a lightsaber. Weird. Are extremely amused by the number of St George cross flags all down the beach that were ripped to bits by the storm the previous night. Our Welsh dragon continues to fly, mainly because we were sensible enough to reel it in at the height of the storm. In the evening sit on the porch and watch fork lightning dancing over the Channel for about an hour.

Day 7 (Friday) - still streaming, with a chesty cough. Being ill on holiday sucks. Take Little Sis to Drusillas Zoo where she invests in a toy bow and arrow. Brother-in-Law teaches her how to shoot with it, and we all realise we may soon come to regret this. Round off the week with a great big bonfire on the beach. It is beautiful.

Day 8 (Saturday) - Home!