Saturday, February 14, 2009
Sunshine on the beach
Today has been a good day.
What more could I ask of St Valentine's Day?
I don't ask for red roses or cards, nor jewellery or champagne. I would not feel pleased that our money was paid out to swell the coffers of those cashing in on the Valentine's Industry.
But I have felt pleased to have been out with Bill, doing things that we like - and we did go out for a meal too!
We left home this morning at 7 o'clock - the thermometer in the car told us that the temperature outside was down to minus 5 Celsius; white frost was thick on the hedgerows. As we drove south, a big orange sun crept up the horizon and the temperature crept up too.
The car boot sale at Ford was full of the usual collection of sellers - ranging from those dealers who think they have things of value to non trade families, selling the things from their homes that they no longer want.
I found it quite difficult to buy today. I cannot forget that business is slow at the moment and I resolved not to buy china or glass, just because it was there.
I have bought 1950s china - and hope that maybe, in time, the buyers in Pilgrims might include the 1950s addicts.
It was only last Monday that a woman told me her daughter collects Homemaker china. I told her it was hard to get hold - and today I bought 3 items.
I bought 2 tea plates - just like this one and also a bowl.
Bill spent more than I did. He bought a clock - very art deco, some lead figures and 2 long measuring tapes in a leather case - like would have been used at the athletics track in the old days.
By 10 o'clock we were in Littlehampton, walking along the beach.
It was low tide - and the flat sandy beach is delightful.
I think I like it best in the winter.
Bill's eye was drawn to the beach huts and we both vied with each other to take good beach hut photos.
The next photo has little detail - it just shows the wide beach as we looked westwards towards the estuary of the River Arun.
I love the way the fast flowing tide makes deep ripples in the sand as it ebbs and flows,
This was a final look back along the sands before our breakfast - good and tasty. It must be the only cafe where you have to walk through the kitchen and out to the back garden to find the loo! I love their garden - interesting plants and artefacts abound.
As we walked back to the car, we spied a Valentine's Day picture.
What more could I ask of St Valentine's Day?
I don't ask for red roses or cards, nor jewellery or champagne. I would not feel pleased that our money was paid out to swell the coffers of those cashing in on the Valentine's Industry.
But I have felt pleased to have been out with Bill, doing things that we like - and we did go out for a meal too!
We left home this morning at 7 o'clock - the thermometer in the car told us that the temperature outside was down to minus 5 Celsius; white frost was thick on the hedgerows. As we drove south, a big orange sun crept up the horizon and the temperature crept up too.
The car boot sale at Ford was full of the usual collection of sellers - ranging from those dealers who think they have things of value to non trade families, selling the things from their homes that they no longer want.
I found it quite difficult to buy today. I cannot forget that business is slow at the moment and I resolved not to buy china or glass, just because it was there.
I have bought 1950s china - and hope that maybe, in time, the buyers in Pilgrims might include the 1950s addicts.
It was only last Monday that a woman told me her daughter collects Homemaker china. I told her it was hard to get hold - and today I bought 3 items.
I bought 2 tea plates - just like this one and also a bowl.
Bill spent more than I did. He bought a clock - very art deco, some lead figures and 2 long measuring tapes in a leather case - like would have been used at the athletics track in the old days.
By 10 o'clock we were in Littlehampton, walking along the beach.
It was low tide - and the flat sandy beach is delightful.
I think I like it best in the winter.
Bill's eye was drawn to the beach huts and we both vied with each other to take good beach hut photos.
The next photo has little detail - it just shows the wide beach as we looked westwards towards the estuary of the River Arun.
To show how quickly the tide comes in, I point out a pebbly patch and a black blob not too far away.
Before we had gone much further those pebbles and the black blob were under water.
I love the way the fast flowing tide makes deep ripples in the sand as it ebbs and flows,
Littlehampton beach it quite shelly. Up where the pebbles have all been tossed by the sea, it is thick with shells.
Having walked along the beach we continued by the river - heading towards the Balaton cafe for breakfast.
We have been there many times now.
Today we learned that we had jumped to conclusions about the owners. They are obviously of foreign origin and we assumed they were Hungarian - because the cafe is named after Lake Balaton.
They are in fact a Greek family who have been there 11 years and it was the previous owners who were Hungarian.
This was a final look back along the sands before our breakfast - good and tasty. It must be the only cafe where you have to walk through the kitchen and out to the back garden to find the loo! I love their garden - interesting plants and artefacts abound.
As we walked back to the car, we spied a Valentine's Day picture.
I wonder if that couple went in for cards and sparkly jewels and things. Or maybe for them, too, it was enough to be together enjoying the sunshine and the ocean.
This afternoon I wrote up all my purchases and they are stowed in a box ready to go to the shop on Monday - if only there might be space on the shelves!
Bill has spent time thinking of the work that needs doing once Jim has finished in the bathroom. Do you know you can't get 4" white tiles any more? That's what he wanted to match what has been used before.
I am glad I was with Bill when he looked at floor covering. He had seen carpet tiles which were the same as the landing carpet - and had been in the bathroom. I definitely didn't think they were the same! We just might have enough in the loft of the old carpet - but if not, then I would rather have a complete contrast flooring, rather than a near miss.
We will get cork tiles for the separate loo.
We dined on yesterday's fish pie this evening. The plan was to watch the Devil Wore Prada; but I was struggling to keep my eyes open - the second episode will have to be another time.
Tomorrow morning we will go out early to the Dorking car boot sale and then have a day "chilling out" as they say.
Goodnight.
