A busy few days....... and I got to the beach!

It’s been a busy few days, down here in a very hot south west! As you know, I do love to bake, but there’s only the three of us here, so I’ve had to curb my yearnings to churn out scones, cupcakes, muffins etc. However one bake a week is ok, surely? So a chocolate cake, it was!........

And funnily enough, I didn’t hear anyone say, ‘oh no, not another cake!’. Friday was my food delivery day from local producers. Although I know what I’ve ordered, I still get mildly excited waiting for the delivery of fresh and local fruit, veg and meat and putting it all away.......

I had hoped to drive to Budleigh beach after delivery, but it was later this week, so I left it until the day after. Saturday saw me up bright and early, so off I hopped in the car and drove to the beach ( at last!) During all the lockdown, apart from obviously missing my family, the main thing I’ve missed is not being able to drive to the beach. I was born and bred in Plymouth and there, the sea was only a short bus journey away. Since moving to Exeter, (with my job in my late teens) I’m still only a short car journey away from several beaches. So lockdown is the only time in my life, I’ve not been able to get my sea ‘fix’.

Anyway, not wanting to sound maudling, I arrived at Budleigh beach, parked up for a couple of hours, picked up my book and wandered along the beach path for a little walk first. There weren’t many people about and those that were, were very sensible and keeping clear of each other.....

 The same flora as any other time I’ve been here, but seemed extra lovely to me this time........

At the end of the banking, there is a little kiosk, which in normal times, serves the most delicious crab sandwiches. This time, of course, it was shut. Beside the kiosk there was a host of painted ‘Lockdown‘ pebbles. They looked so bright and cheerful!........

One sad sight though, was the empty spaces where all the colourful beach huts normally stand during the spring/summer seasons.......

Never mind, hopefully next year people will be able to put them up. After my little wander, I plonked myself down on the pebbles and settled down to read my book, listen to the very tiny waves breaking (the sea was very calm) and breathe in the sea air, bliss! And hardly a soul in sight. Just a couple of anglers trying their luck......

Sunday, the three of us went for a walk at Dawlish Warren beach. What a difference! Huge family groups. What about the ‘ you can meet one person outside of your household rule’? We actually sat on a bench on the walkway, overlooking the beach. People distanced themselves from us, but we only saw a couple of instances where people were obeying the slightly relaxed rules. We left long before our car park ticket ran out. I won’t rush back there again in a hurry, while we are still social distancing. There are plenty of other beaches to choose from.

Yesterday was our son’s 21st birthday. The obligatory ‘little boy’ photos were posted on Facebook by me (he would’ve been disappointed if I hadn’t, haha!) It wasn’t the birthday he had planned, but he had a good time nevertheless. A walk with our daughter and Bumble in the morning in our local park, a walk along the Quay with his girlfriend in the afternoon and a evening by the chiminea (after a takeaway was delivered) with toasted marshmallows, of course! Just the three of us.....

Today it’s back to normal, whatever that is at the the moment. We have started decluttering our loft, so there are bags and boxes of stuff everywhere. I’m trying to find a home for all these........

but nobody wants videos anymore (including charity shops) It seems that we’ll have to take them to the recycling centre, which is such a shame. Tomorrow, I’ve got peppers to pot up and another 21st birthday card to make amongst other things.

Thank you for popping by, cheerio for now, Ann x