Monday 30 December 2013

Sunday afternoon

Sunday afternoon, and another walk - boys really do need a huge amount of exercise.  Mine seem to anyway.  Otherwise they resort to wrestling in the middle of the living room floor.


Sunday was a lovely day, with clear skies and winter sunshine.




We walked along the seafront and did some scrambling about on rocks, which is one of their favourite things.  The tide was in, which we haven't seen for ages, so it was quite novel to see some little waves breaking over the rocks.


The temperature was maybe eight degrees.  And the water temperature, who knows?  Maybe ten degrees.  Certainly not warm enough for this...


Oh my.  Onlookers stood open-mouthed as this group of swimmers stripped and took the plunge.


You will note the woman on the beach in the coat and the woolly hat.  That was the appropriate thing to be wearing.  I imagine you feel quite amazing after a dip in water that cold, but honestly, I struggle to get into a heated indoor swimming pool unless it's about twenty-five degrees outside.

To the boys' delight, one of the swimmers climbed out on the slipway where they were stood.  I think they asked him if it was cold.  He certainly wasn't in for long.




The boys spent some time running away from the waves, just until their feet were well and truly soaked.  Then we walked up to the community bookshop.



I love the piles of books on the mantelpiece and the cosy alcoves and beanbags for the children.  It's easy to spend an hour there browsing.

Back at home we're doing all the happy post-Christmas things, like staying in pjs until lunch-time (mostly the littlest boy, he's very resistant to getting dressed and only really does it willingly when there's a persuasive reason to), making delicious things with leftovers, working our way through the gingerbread house and playing Christmas board games.  We had three this year.

The first one was a little confusing, but we quite enjoyed it in the end when we worked out how to work as a pack to stop a player from winning.  A little shouting was involved, but only of the excited kind.  So far no-one's tipped a board over.


The second game was given to the oldest boy who is an avid bird watcher.



There are twelve boards and sixty-four different birds to match, from all over the world.  It's really nicely made, and includes a booklet with information about each bird.  My favourite - the blue-footed booby.  How wonderful.

And finally, there've been hours of Monopoly.


I quite enjoyed it for the first few days, although I've got to the point where I can see the street names when I close my eyes.  But really, sitting in a lovely warm home with my three favourite people, watching them have fun.  There is nowhere I'd rather be.

Hope you are enjoying these slow post-Christmas days too.

22 comments:

  1. It sounds as though you had a lovely Christmas and a lovely day at the beach, although why anyone would want to swim at this time of year is always beyond me! Hope that you have a great New Year! xx

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  2. The slow post-Christmas days are the best kind. I like that bird watching Bingo, that's brilliant. x

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  3. Lovely. I just came in from a horrible...erm, bracing and invigorating! walk with my family and I want to huddle under a blanket for the rest of the night. I know exactly what you mean about the wrestling if they don't get enough exercise; even the little girl! Yikes, it's like a boxing arena in here lately. I really want to get that Bird Bingo; I saw it on another blog back in the fall and it really caught my eye.

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  4. Yes these days are the best! Your pictures of your boys at the beach are so lovely! I like the one of the 3 of them with their feet touching the water! That is one to frame indeed! And how fun to see such brave and fun souls braving that water for a dip! I got cold just looking at your pictures! That bookshop is one that I would love to just sit at for hours...what a sweet place! Enjoy your time with your family!!! All the best in the New Year!!! Nicole

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  5. To get out and enjoy yourselves on a day like that must be a real bonus at this time of year.
    I'd be more than happy to browse round the bookshop.
    I've mostly fond memories of playing Monopoly, and I like the look of the Bird Bingo. Flighty xx

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  6. I notice someone was photographing the swimmers - was that for a local newspaper? You are lucky to have the sea so near to blow the cobwebs off those boys of yours.

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    1. I'm not sure Sue. There were two or three photographers there with tripods, so maybe they were. They took a few pictures when the swimmers came out - I'm not sure I'd like to be in the paper staggering out of the sea in my swimsuit!

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  7. Seeing those swimmers entering the water has made me shiver, brrrrrrrr. It's been nice to have some good weather over the festive period, we've had lots of walks too. I've never come across Bird Bingo before, that looks brilliant, educational as well as fun. I bought Monopoly Deal, a card game based on Monopoly, a few years ago as I got so fed up of the board game, it takes hours to finish a game, but Monopoly Deal is much faster. In fact, I must dig it out, we can have a game while everyone's still at home. Happy New Year.

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  8. That all sounds wonderful. My dad used to do a Polar Bear Plunge in a local quarry on New Year's Day - his hands and feet can't tolerate that any more! The bookstore looks so quaint and cozy! I love your comment about the board games - so there have been game boards tipped over in the past? :) The bird game looks really neat - educational, but fun. Just found your blog and look forward to receiving your posts.

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  9. oh so love!
    Happiest of New Year wishes to you and your sweet family (and to many more delightful blog posts in 2014!!) XO

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  10. Bracing walks, bookshops and board games sound like very good activities for the holiday. I'm off to find another jersey now, as I suddenly feel very cold after seeing the photos of swimmers in a cold sea! Hope you and your family have a lovely new year.

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  11. Yikes it does look cold. I've been wanting to get up to Slimbridge for a while, but not so much fun in this weather when the birds just want to head for shelter too.

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  12. So lovely...just a short stopping by to wish you a very happy new year and say thank you for your kind words. It was great to meet you.
    Happy 2014! Olympia

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  13. Your post Christmas days sound Heavenly.
    Hugs to you,
    Meredith

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  14. Hey CJ,

    Im loving your photographs. Is that Clevedon or Portishead? As for Bird Bingo...how have I never come accross it! I spent part of this morning watching the birds in the garden. A simple pleasure that I never tire of.
    I think my older oys have sunk into the depths of apathy this holiday. It must be their age. Olly needs daily exercise still, which I revel in.

    Happy New Year to you and your family. May 2014 bring health, wealth and happiness. Oh and a bountiful allotment harvest!

    Leanne xx

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  15. We always used to get the children out to give them some exercise just like dogs! That's a beautiful location and that community bookshop looks somewhere I would love to see too!
    Wishnig you and your family a very happy 2014.
    Sarah x

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  16. I love the quiet times after Christmas too, my boy would never ever take off his pj's given half a chance x

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  17. Oh good grief my daughter would go nuts for Bird Bingo!! I must track that down!

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  18. Ah, afternoon wrestling is often played in our house too and the not getting dressed one. We meet up with friends for new year and the men have a tradition of running into the sea and back out again on New Year's Day!

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  19. It seems that you had such a good time during holidays season. It's so nice to go for walks as a family or spend time in a cosy living room playing board games or reading books. It makes for great childhood memories!

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  20. Those people who dive into the sea when it's so cold are much braver than me! Looks like a lovely walk and a great time spent in the cutest book store!

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  21. Is the bookstore still there? Oh my, after 4 years I bet you still play Monopoly! We're into Settlers of Catan now... and we have the Game of Thrones Risk to play. I might make tomorrow night a Games Night. There's nowt on TV at the moment...

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