I love the colours of the waterside in winter. All those pale steel blues and greys and browns. I always think I'll make a quilt with those colours one day.
We scrambled around a bit and picked up some sea glass. It was pretty quiet down there. Just us and a few birds and one or two other wanderers.
We worked off some of the madness before we returned to the party. There's nothing like fresh air to improve moods.
The clocks went back, but it meant nothing in our house. I was woken up at 5.30am when the eldest was stood apparition-like at the end of the bed saying, "I'm just looking for the binoculars mummy, I need to see the nebula". Well of course you do.
I spent Sunday morning watching the him playing football. The rain was horizontal for a while and really heavy. The score was something like 17-1 to our team. I don't like matches like that, I really feel for the losing team. It must be very dispiriting to the boys that lose, to turn up every time and get beaten so thoroughly. And for the coach who tries so hard to help them. A lesson in being gracious in victory for the eldest. There's no merit to be had in gloating over an easy win.
The weather didn't improve during the afternoon. We drove to a nearby town and looked in a bookshop and a library, and restocked our reading piles for the half term. The drive home looked something like this.
But whatever half term throws at us, we're ready. And I'm just happy to have the little people at home for the week. If it's a week of being inside with books and drawing and games and baking and a little wrestling that's fine. I just like being here.
This post feels like a little time out; makes me feel all calm in the face of half term with bad weather... I look forward to reading, and crafting with my boys, too, hopefully with the odd outing thrown in...
ReplyDeleteThanks Sandra, I hope you have a lovely week.
DeleteI was once on a team that lost every game for a whole year. It was discouraging, but a good lesson in humility, I suppose. It's nice you teach your eldest the importance of being humble about a big victory. These photos are really nice. And I agree, there is something very beautiful and serene about the colors of winter water.
ReplyDeleteYes, I think they need to learn how to win and how to lose. Sometimes it's hard for boys not to be a bit bigheaded I think!
DeleteI hope you have a great week. I like being here too. I'm so glad to meet other people who like being here as much as I do, wherever their here is. It's refreshing and invigorating to know others share this sentiment.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jennifer. I like finding people who appreciate the same things as me too.
DeleteHow many boys did you take yo the beach - and was it still quite after you arrived?
ReplyDeleteJust the three of them. I feel it was possibly a little less peaceful after we got there...
DeleteThe colours of the bristol channel catch my breath every time we cross the bridge (normally the old bridge for us). I always want to paint them but I think the subtlety of the shades is beyond me.
ReplyDeleteIt's always lovely, and always different. I'd love to live somewhere with a view of it, I'd be looking out the window all the time!
DeleteNo 2 played rugby in the rain.. horrible. But luckily the worse of the storm avoided us. Have a good week.
ReplyDeleteUgh, poor you. Glad you missed the storm though. Hope you had a good week too.
DeleteI am so pinching that for the next time I can't sleep at some unearthly our "'S alright, folks, as you were - I just need to see the nebula." Have a wonderful half-term :o)
ReplyDeleteI can see the funny side of it now. Just. Hope you had a good half term too Allegra.
DeleteYou're so right about the steely blues and greys, they would make a great quilt. I love the pic with the wader footprints in the sand. Glad you escaped the storm.
ReplyDeleteThe little feetprints were wonderful, they meandered round and round, you could see where the bird had explored little pools and patches of seaweed.
DeleteA most enjoyable post, and good photos. Have a good half-term week. Flighty xx
ReplyDeleteThanks Flighty.
DeleteHope you ar having a good half term, Children are like dogs they need exercising too. Your breath of air along the Bristol Channel looks lovely. We spent many years watching our son's football in all weathers, they rarely won their matches but they still played week on week.
ReplyDeleteSarah x
You're right, I always think of the boys as big dogs, and I make sure they get a big dose of exercise every day. I can't imagine what it would be like if I didn't!
DeleteHave a great half term week. This is my first half term with only one at home, very strange indeed. The weather's picked up a bit here so I hope it's the same with you and you manage to get out a bit, three boys cooped up indoors does not make for a stress free week.
ReplyDeleteHope you enjoyed your quiet week with just one at home Jo. We've managed to get out quite a bit, so it's all been fairly peaceful.
Deletelove this post so. so so smart of you to let the boys run free a bit midway through the party! so often needed but all too often forgotten. hope that things are well there. xo
ReplyDeleteThank you Rebecca. It was a little pre-emptive strike. Otherwise I'd have had to scrape them off the walls. Thank you for your good wishes, hope all is well with you too.
DeleteOh the weather has been dreadful hasn't it! A nice cozy week sounds nice to me, to be honest when I woke up on Monday morning I was SO glad not to have to take Orlaith to school. The weather was appalling and I could hear the wind howling outside the window. I got to lay in bed with a cup of tea and my book. It was lovely such a lovely change :)
ReplyDeletehttp://myfroley.blogspot.com
That sounds wonderful, a lie-in with a hot drink and a book and the wind and rain lashing against the windows. Utterly blissful.
DeleteI love reading your posts. It's like I get to wander around the countryside with you. Hope you all stay warm and snuggly inside. Maybe the sun will peak out a bit soon for more outside adventures:)
ReplyDeleteThank you Kari, you are very welcome to join me on my wanderings. It's been a week of outside and inside, according to the changeable weather. Nice all the same though.
DeleteYou have no idea how much I love those photos that you took while driving, I love the English Countryside and I miss driving on the Country roads, I really really miss it, and the rain, oh how I love the rain, we have had rain and storms for a couple of days in Texas lately and I LOVE it, though the thunder kept me up most of the night last night.
ReplyDeleteAlso... Where is the best place to get the glass that you find on the beaches? I have never found any and I would really love to take the kids out to look for some, I'm thinking about bringing them over for the whole summer so that they can get an idea of what living in the UK will be like.
I think it would be gorgeous to make a quilt in the colors of the winter sea and beach... that's a brilliant idea!
I hope you and your family have a wonderful and fun Halloween!!!!!!!
Oh and the parties that end by 9... are the best parties, I'm so done with the 3am parties, I must be getting old!! :)
Tammy
Thanks Tammy, I'm glad you liked the driving photos. Sea glass isn't found on all beaches, and I'm not really sure how to identify ones where you can find it. The one we were at (Sugar Loaf beach in Portishead) is probably frequented by people with bottles, plus it's not too far from the docks. I assume the glass came from one or the other of those things. There's certainly plenty of sea glass there. Have you ever visited Emma's blog, http://silverpebble-jewellery.blogspot.co.uk/ - she makes lovely jewellery from sea glass.
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