Sun, sea, sand and smiles

I spent last week at the seaside.

Before setting off, as I tried to tick jobs off a list and avoid anything crucial getting missed, I did question the wisdom of taking a week off in what is one of the busiest months of my year. But much as I could have done with a bit more time to get things done, I probably also needed the mental break I got from my few days away. I have come back convinced that the next few weeks will be better for me and everyone else I encounter because I did.

My grandparents lived in Weymouth when I was growing up, and an aunt still lives in Dorchester. This is the place of many, many happy childhood holiday memories. It hasn't lost its appeal. 

I shared a caravan with two people I count among my very closest friends, and three small children I am blessed to have as part of my life. I saw my aunt who I hadn't seen since pre-pandemic, and my mum had arranged to be down visiting her at the same time too. As such I got to spend time with lots of people I would describe, in different ways, as being part of my family. It was very special to share this place that means a lot to me with these people who mean a lot to me, and to invite these other children to have fun and create memories here just as I did many years ago.

With the children's school having slightly different holidays to almost everywhere else, we could enjoy not only lower prices but also everywhere being considerably less busy than it probably was the week before. 

We had perfect weather to spend long days outdoors.  

Sandwiched between long train journeys either end, we squeezed a huge amount in to a few days. We got up early. We kept busy from morning to evening. We stayed up chatting late into the night. 

We swam every day. We walked in the countryside and by the seafront. We splashed in the sea and scrambled over rocks. We visited sandy beaches and pebbly ones. Beaches where the waves lapped gently and those where they crashed against the coast.

We visited Chesil Beach and Portland Bill and Dorchester and Durdle Door. We visited the Roman Town House and saw what the sandman had been building. We found several playparks. We played indoor games and outdoor games. We painted pictures and wrote diaries.

We ate fish and chips by the harbour and lots of other delicious food back at the caravan. There was plenty of ice cream and many cups of tea.

We rode on open top buses with the wind blowing in our hair. We took the ferry across the harbour, which costs considerably more now that the 20p I remember paying when I was little but a first ever boat ride was still just as exciting. 

We took hundreds of photos and made many precious memories.

We talked and smiled and laughed together.   

It was a wonderful week. I came home tired but also refreshed. Thank you Weymouth. See you soon.