Monday and photo overload warning.

 Good morning, everyone.  It's dull and there's drizzle in the air but I really don't care at all.  It's peaceful, warm (inside), I have a very comfy bed and life is great!

We were very lucky with the weather.  Apart from a cloudy spell sort of mid morning-ish, it was a bright, sunny day with a breeze that stopped it from feeling warm by the coast.  I didn't have anything planned so I did my bit of shopping early and then set out for a longer walk - or perhaps stroll is the more accurate term.  I wend down to the sea front, turned left, sauntered along the pier and back, then went a bit further along (you can't go that far), turned back and walked on the beach at the water's edge the other way until I felt hungry, stopped and had my picnic, then walked further before turning back and going home.

I took photos, of course . . .

I love how you're just walking along and, suddenly, there's the lighthouse.  

Several of the post boxes have crocheted 'hats' on them.  They are so cute and very cleverly made.

I want a beach hut!!!  When I win the lottery . . .

Couldn't you just watch the waves for hours.  I know I could, they are fascinating and hypnotic.

A beautiful, blue sky.

Under the pier,

Oh, those beach huts . . . <envy>

Some looked a bit neglected but most were in tip top condition, like this one.

I bet they do!  I gather they can sell for as much as £150,00 to £170,00

Fastened onto the other side of the fence front right was a sign that said 'no fishing on the rocks' (or it might have been 'no climbing').  Perhaps he had permission . . .

You can get some lovely, splashy waves at high tide, to the left of the pier.

(I need to straighten this one - just look at that horizon!)

Oh, it was a lovely, gentle day.

Today, I started off with another walk down to the sea and along the water's edge.  There weren't many people about and those who were smiled and were very friendly.  I stopped off at the butchers on the way back and now have my breakfast bacon and chicken for dinner. 

In a couple of hours, I will set off for Orford Castle and a guided tour, followed (weather permitting) by a saunter around the grounds.  Then it will be home for a cuppa and then another walk - I'd love to live near the coast, I really would.  If you do, how lucky you are!

I took some wave photos this morning but haven't uploaded them yet.  It's so hard to catch the essence of waves, they are very elusive.

Have a super day, whatever you have planned.  Stay safe and be happy!  xx

Sunday

 Good morning.
Well, judging by the number of messages in my mailbox, Blogger has been having a field day with my entries, deleting and reinstating them willy-nilly through the day.  I'll just let them sort it out - they obviously have some issues!

Yesterday morning went very smoothly.  The mess gradually vanished as I sorted everything out and I was just waiting for time to pass by the end of the morning with everything packed and things spick and span at home too.  I didn't want to leave too early because it wasn't a day for wandering around and I wasn't allowed to key until four o'clock so may as well waste time in comfort, watching my telly and knitting.

The drive over was great.  The most complicated bit was getting onto the A12 from home and, of course, I know that well.  Once on the A12 it is basically three roads - A12 round Colchester and up, A14 for a short while, A12 north again and then the A whatever is it into Southwold.  I noted various junctions for places like Aldeburgh and Framlingham, plus the signs to Sutton Hoo (ooops, just remembered I haven't booked yet).  It's funny - I haven't done this drive for two years and that was the first time but it all looked very familiar, I remembered where I went wrong last time and didn't this time and, because the traffic was pretty light, I had an easy run despite the almost continual drizzle.

I took this just after I had unloaded my stuff and had moved furniture around, pulled down the bed, etc.  It's always fun getting everything away and making the place personal for you for the week - things like where to hide the case and bags, where to put the worn clothes, where are the sockets, etc.

It doesn't look pristine but it does look like home and that's nice.

I had a great night's sleep (the wine may have helped there) and this morning the sun is shining.  There is supposed to be drizzle later but not to worry, I have my raincoat with me and stout shoes.

I'm planning to have a leisurely shower soon, get dressed, have breakfast and then meander up and down the high street, refreshing my memory as to where the useful shops are.  There are some lovely little shops, specialist food shops, etc, and when I know what's there, I can plan my meals.

The idea is  to start early (not today, obviously), have an early stroll along the front, maybe treat myself to a coffee if the hut is open, get what I want for the day on the way back, have breakfast and do whatever I have planned for the day.  Then, time and energy permitting, another visit to the sea before dinner.

Sounds nice, doesn't it?
Well, I'd better stop waffling, go over to Facebook and do my admin stuff there and then start my day.
Have a lovely day yourself, take care and be safe.  xx

 

Saturday

 Good morning!  Well, the weather isn't very promising but I can't change that so no worries!  My home looks like a tip right now, as if someone (me!) has come and tossed everything onto the floor.  That's packing for you.

Yesterday morning was a bit of a dead loss, to be honest.  I rested up and dozed quite a lot in between dashes to the loo.  By the afternoon it had all subsided and I managed to get quite a lot done.  Increasingly, I am thinking it was caused by the vaccine, in part, anyway.

I did quite a lot of the packing, both clothes and other stuff designed to make my holiday comfortable.  I decided not to take a fan, can't see that a fan is going to be needed, but I am taking my little fan heater which can be tucked into a corner and takes up very little space.  And while I was doing that I remembered that last time an extension cable would have been useful so I packed that too.

I had originally decided to give the car a good wash/valet - well, not me but a local company.  I cleared the car of all the allotment stuff and was going to leave it because I felt so tired but told myself not to be a wimp.  I'm glad I did - the car hasn't looked so shiny new since I first got it, inside and out.  I'm kind of thinking it might be something worth doing once a month or something now - it felt so good.

This morning, I have lots of bits and bobs to do including washing my hair, a bit of ironing, sorting out the fridge of all the rubble (which I deliberately left till now), bins, welcoming in the house sitter, etc, etc, etc.  
I really don't need to leave until two.  It's under two hours unless there's heavy traffic and I can't get into the studio until four.  It's not the sort of day I want to be meandering around and I won't need to hit the shops for anything before tomorrow.  I plan to get there, unpack and sort everything out, prep dinner and then head for the sea front for a walk.  Even if it's raining I will do that unless it is absolutely pouring.

I've had a new experience.  I got a message from Google to say that an entry had been deleted as it contravened 'community standards'  It gave the name of the entry but not the date which is not a lot of help when all the entries have the day as a title.  However, it didn't say WHAT the problem was which is a shame because how can I avoid doing it again when I don't know what it is?  It doesn't seem recent anyway so who knows.  I've changed the password, just in case. 

Edited to add that it was posted in March.  Beyond that, no idea of the problem!! 

Anyway, better get going.  There's plenty to do once I've finished the social mediating.  I'll be back tomorrow, hopefully with photos.  Take care and have a great day.  xx

Friday

 Good morning.  Apologies for this being late but I've not been well overnight.  Just the runs but a bit painful and draining.  I worried that it was what I cooked for Alex's birthday meal but he's fine so maybe I just ate too much or - I don't know!

We had a very pleasant time yesterday evening.  Alex was very happy with his presents and his meal.

I got some big shiny balloons too which they will collect next week when there's room in the car.

Sadly, I have cancelled cleaner and personal training today and will potter around getting things ready for departing tomorrow including making up the house sitter's bed.  I can't get into the garden room (which is basically what it is) until four so that gives me time to take it easily and slowly.

Have a lovely day, everyone, and take care.  I'll be posting through next week but don't worry if I do miss the occasional day.  xx

Thursday

 Good morning.  We've had overnight rain and it looks very much as if there's more on the way very soon.  Never mind, I have plenty to do inside.

The vaccine wasn't quite as trouble free as the first one as later in the morning I developed a headache, felt very tired and had a few aches and shivers.  I was a Good Girl, took the meds, turned up the heating, snuggled under the fleece and rested up, thankful that I could.
Lindsey, lovely lady that she is, rescheduled my personal training hour to Friday afternoon which was very kind of her as she's a busy lady.
I had a pretty long sleep in the afternoon and slept pretty much like a log all night.  This morning, apart from a much sorer arm that last time, I feel absolutely fine.  I think I got away lightly and am very thankful.

I'm so happy that's done.

In the time after vaccine and before the aches started, I drove on to Hobbycraft with the aim of finding another pattern and the yarn to go with it.  However, there was nothing that I fancied in the pattern line (plenty of yarn but I can't buy yarn without having a pattern to go with it - well, I can, and have done in the past but I'm trying very hard not to).

After a bit of thought while resting, I've decided on the holiday knitting and, hopefully, something a bit longer term.  I will use up my yarn stash by knitting things like little jumpers, etc, wrap them up nicely, label them and pop them in the Salvation Army drop off point.  I might make it seasonal - Christmassy things in the autumn, etc.  That way I'm not making unwanted stuff for myself and doing a bit of good while I keep knitting.  I can't imagine not having a knitting project!

The only other thing I did was to open Google Maps and dig out the routes from Southwold to the various places I hope to visit.  I was going to look round a few of the wool towns but it's more than a short drive and I might 'do' Aldeburgh instead.  On the way to Orford Castle, one passes Snape Maltings and I might also pop in there and have a nosey around.
I'm certainly not going to be bored next week!!

I've woken up this morning feeling fine which is just as well after pretty much losing a day yesterday.  I plan to put clothes out in the spare room, get together stuff like the tech bag, fan, etc.

Chris and I have cancelled our chat for today - she and S are off on holiday tomorrow and she's a bit pushed for time so we agreed to give it a miss.

We are celebrating Alex's birthday this evening.  Really it was on Saturday but, as he was deep into his finals preparation, he decided to ignore it until that was finished.  He and Beth are coming over for a meal and pressies.  He's requested hunter's chicken with chips, nice and easy and one of my favourites too.  So I have some preparation for that, not an awful lot and it will be fun.

Before then, it's the last Slimming World Zoom meeting.  I'm kind of sorry - using Zoom made it way more accessible for me and I hear just about everything, unlike the f2f meetings where I miss an awful lot.  Ah, well, we can't always have things the way we would like and people are looking forward to meeting up again.  I won't be able to go for the next few weeks anyway.  Note to self: remember to book them as holidays!

Well, it seems to be drizzling again so I'd better get to the freezer in the shed and bring in what I need for today before it really starts.  Have a great day and stay safe.  xx

Wednesday

 Hi, everyone.  So sorry about yesterday.  I did my SW blog and then had to do some home stuff followed by an early shop.  Then I just forgot I hadn't posted anything here.  Doh!

I went to M&S and to Aldi to get all sorts of bits and bobs.  I love M&S fruit and veg; it seems to stay good much longer than anywhere else so there's loads less waste which is good.  Mind you, now they collect food waste and turn it into compost, I don't feel nearly so guilty and also the level in my compost bin has dropped so I'm able to pop veg peelings, etc, in there again.   It's one of those bins that has a sort of 'door' at the bottom where you can dig out the older composted stuff and, for a while, that leaves a 'cave' before the whole lot drops down. 
I also found a bottled sauce I wanted and various other bits and bobs plus some cash back.
On to Aldi and, for someone who didn't have a lot on her list, I managed to get quite a lot!  It was mostly non-perishables though.

I had planned to go on to the allotment later in the morning but it started looking very doubtful and then started raining.  It showered on and off for quite a while so I'm afraid the allotment just didn't get done.  I really do have to do the mowing before the holiday though even if the weeds have a field day!

I spent the rest of the day doing little things.  I worked on my holiday lists and started getting things together.  I planned my meals for next week.  I washed the sheets off Beth's bed (she went home yesterday teatime) so they now need ironing.  I watched a bit of 'The Dig', a film about Sutton Hoo that was free on Netflix over coffee  and I'd like to finish that today.

And I booked more outings.  All being well, I now have booked trips to Orford and Framlingham castles and, on an impulse, I looked up the Adnams site.

When I was in Southold two years ago, I did a tour of the brewery which was extremely interesting and I promised myself that when I came back I'd do a guided tour of the distillery.  To be honest, I didn't think they would be doing tours at the moment but I was wrong, the tours are back on although under more limited conditions (no trips to the cellar because of lack of good ventilation, for example) but there's enough accessible stuff to make a tour and the tasting afterwards is still happening.  The tour I'm going on finished at five and it's just a short walk from my flat which is possibly just as well!!

I have written in the diary to book Sutton Hoo (if possible) on Friday.  The new booking slots come out every Friday for the following week and, fingers crossed, maybe the inside things will be open again.  If not, I'll think about whether I want to plan something else instead, although the walks there are lovely.

I'm going to follow the same 'structure', more or less, each day, I think.
I'll have an early morning walk along the sea front, maybe treating myself to a coffee if any of the stalls are open and getting a paper and any food needed for the day on the way back.
Then a leisurely breakfast and blogging (so they will be a bit later next week) before doing whatever I have planned, taking a picnic lunch with me.  At the moment I have nothing planned for Sunday and Thursday (and Friday, but that's Sutton Hoo day, fingers crossed). 
After that I might put my feet up for a while and go for a walk after dinner or I might go for a walk before dinner and relax afterwards.  It all depends how I feel.
Last time, I dearly loved the walk along the sand to Walberswick and back again and am looking forward to it so much.  I wonder if the little ferry is operating again; if not, I can walk up to the bridge and cross the estuary that way.

Sorry, I'm waffling now - there's a lot buzzing around in my head.  :-)

Today starts with my second vaccine.  I am so glad to be getting that done and dusted and, if I do feel a bit rough, there's time to recover.
Depending on how that goes, I have personal training booked so my fingers are crossed for that.
Then the rest of the day is clear.  I have some washing and ironing to do and I want to start laying out the clothes for packing in the spare room.
Oh, and also, just thought, I want to do some Google Mapping to work out the routes from the flat to wherever I'm going - just so I know!  You know me; I have to know where I'm going and Google Maps is such a blessing.
Ages ago on 'Would I lie to you', Susan Calman had a slot where she said whenever she had to go to a new place, she always went the day before so that she would know where to go on the day.  They thought it was a lie but it was true.  I so related to that!
Maybe, if time permits, I might get the mowing done!  Maybe!

So that's my day.  It all feels a bit bitty but there's stuff that needs doing , I have a List and crossing stuff off will be most satisfying.
Wishing you all a happy day.  xx

Tuesday

 Ooops, I've just realised I didn't do a post today.  Really sorry, things are fine.  I did an early morning shop and just forgot.
I'll remember tomorrow!

xx