Monday, January 9, 2023

Standing in the bow.

 

A day with absolutely nothing  in the diary. No plumbers, no joiners, no decorators. They are all due to be here later in the week ... or so they said before Christmas. Final planning permission for the new garden room is also expected. We have involved all the neighbouring villagers in the design process so it should - in theory - go through unopposed. We've done this in the belief that many ( most ) planning applications run into trouble because decisions are taken without consulting the other folk involved. This is doubly true in small coastal communities full of retired, but highly opinionated , academics, judges and doctors with time on their hands. We shall soon know whether this 'inclusive'  approach works.

Sophie is down on the beach as the sun is just drifting above  the horizon. She chases the oyster catchers who squeal and then obligingly  fly 50 yards down the beach. This' sturm und drang'  hunting process is repeated seven times before she tires of it. At no stage were any oystercatchers in the slightest danger. 


Sophie proceeds across the sand with a spring in her step. She has once again started her day proving, to her satisfaction at least, that she is the possessor of finely honed hunting skills. 

Students are returning. The few middle aged joggers that used to pass us now replaced by a younger and more purposeful generation. Sophie disdainfully  ignores them. She has understood that younger and more purposeful joggers never, ever,  carry Jaffa Cakes.


Oddly, with the exception of a cafe under the bridge that we used to go to in the early 80's , we have never been to Brooklyn. This place looks to have a fun bar :https://www.thewilliamvale.com/

We do intend to stay a night here this year :https://www.pelicaninn.com/

Closer to home, this is a journey Sophie will also be taking this year. Her first outing on a ferry. Other PONs have loved standing on the bow with the wind blowing in their faces. Let's hope the diva has a similar response :https://themachrie.com/the-island/the-journey/


7 comments:

Travel said...

She will feel like the Queen "of the. World" standing there in the wind (to misquote Titanic.) It looks like you have a bit of travel planned for this year.

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari OM
Just the one ferry - suggests taking the Lomond-Loch Fyne route to Kennacraig... there could be a three-ferry journey for Sophie if the 'low road' were taken via Gourock-Dunoon, a pretty road trip over to Portavadie, ferry over to Tarbet... And lots of authentic places to stay. Though you will spot some hideous mock-Tudor at Hunter's Quay. YAM xx

Swan said...

My husband and I have stayed at the Pelican Inn..you'll love it.

Coppa's girl said...

Only one of our dogs has ever been on the water. When he was a pup our first Labrador, Sultan, was taken across the river from St Mawes to Falmouth on the local ferry. On the way out he was terrified and cowered under my seat but on the way back he wanted to lean over the rail! I think Sophie's first experience will be on a ferry much bigger than that!

Jake of Florida said...

Exciting journeys in the offing. Pelican Inn seems worthy of more than one night. Wish we'd known about it when last in the area.

Anonymous said...

The Pelican in looks lovely!

paphosmuseum said...

I adore Islay. But I can't afford the Machrie.