shocks, sun, and Sam

Ireland is possibly the only place in the world that I can expose skin on a beach and not be an object of ridicule, or of sheer amazement. Normally I’m on the beach with many layers, a hat, scarf and wellies.

This weekend was different. At no point did I wear sleeves. Not even in the late evening in our little ice box oven on the hill. I was adding sunscreen instead of sweatshirts.

In the daytime, I was not the only person with translucent blue white skin braving the sea in Donegal. Without a wetsuit.

It was extraordinary. A catamaran was moored off the beach. In Fintra; not Florida.

We spent two days absorbing the sights, sounds and smells. Holding on to the heat. Capturing all the views.

The gentle, steady rumble and whoosh of the sea.

Giggles and squeals.

Warm sand. Teeny fish. A hot dog.

As for Sam, well, we happened across Ireland’s most famous sporting trophy, the Sam Maguire Cup as we drove to the beach. Donegal are the current champions, and all of the county clubs get the trophy at some point. For a small donation, passing strangers and Englishmen get to ooh and aaah and comment on its beauty and weight.

A weekend full of surprises and smiles.

Sidey’s weekend theme: happiness

May, be better

Hurrah!

April felt like a mush of busy/ tired/ sore. Grumpy McGrump ruled. My weight loss got scared by the approach of the target, and reverted to ‘on a bit, off a bit, on a bit’- pah. That wasn’t the only self imposed target I missed. April felt full of ‘failure’.

I’m done with all that. (Yes, of course I can just will myself to be healthy, thin and successful…)

May will have sunshine, peonies, visits to the caravan, and many beaches.

I will be better at planning. I will stop putting my hand up for extra tasks. I will do what I can, when I can. That is good enough.

My birthday is at the end of May, so there will be cake. Lots and lots of cake.

My inbox today has greeetings from shops, offering birthday ‘rewards’ for shopping with them.

Cake, beaches, shopping and sunshine.

Bring it on.

I blame Caravanman

The sun was out, the sky was blue. We came back from a day trip to the seaside to find a letter from Caravanman.

Forms, instructions, an invoice.

I don’t often get excited by bills, but this one had me looking forward. Soon, we’d be heading west regularly, stocking up the throws and cushions and sleeping bags and blankets. Cleaning away the winter uugh. Letting in the air and the sunshine.

Bored children and board games. Walks on beaches. Waking up in the wild. No wifi.

Soon, soon, it will be soon.

Ha!

In the last few weeks we’ve had rain, more rain, cold and then more rain. More recently there’s been snow, ice & blizzards. The temperature hovers around freezing point. We have a snowman in the back garden. The top of a hill in the middle of nowhere will have added wind chill.

Nobody in their right mind is planning on caravanning any time soon.

We will visit over the Easter weekend.

We need to pay Caravanman.

the tease of spring

We had a few dry weeks. Blue sky, fluffy clouds, daffodils. We began to think of spring. To feel that we could smell it.

Ha! That smell was just jubilant Jake who discovered something foul to roll in while I was dreaming of spring. (Four wee legs wiggling in the air in delight while he makes sure as much of him is covered as possible is a fun sight; but not quite fun enough to make up for the clean up.)

Rain, snow and sub freezing temperatures have returned. I had to hunt out my gloves again.

I’d been hoping to spend next weekend in Donegal. I’ll be home alone, so I was going to pack the car with all the bedding, cushions and throws that make the caravan cosy, and head off. Jake and I patrolling the beaches. Getting the caravan habitable in one run, because three people won’t be here, taking up space in the car. That seemed perfectly reasonable during those almost spring days.

Now? I’m lighting the fire and staying there for the whole time. I may be slightly toasted by the time my family return.