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

the garden party

One of us had a birthday.

Not me. I stopped all that ages ago.

For one week a year we have a garden in which we can happily host a party with cake and colouring and games.

Even the sun cooperated.

overnight #1

The caravan site is about 10 mins drive from the shop.

It is isolated, and surprisingly empty.

This is good.

The big plates don’t fit in the cupboard.

Girls will fall out of the single beds.

The sleeping bags are great fun.

We must remember towels.

And pillows.

That smelly thing isn’t a candle- it’s for an oil burner.

The TV works perfectly well.

Everything works perfectly well.

Hangers would be useful.

It is possible to forget both the book and the Kindle.

One can be saved from the worthiness of the newspaper by remembering the iphone Kindle app, previously downloaded. Happily, with ‘books’ on.

Caravan Man doesn’t like to talk about anything as crude as money. It takes a while to talk round these necessities- the not saying and the saying of equal importance- even when handing him an envelope stuffed with cash.

It is possible for Spurs Fan to relax and just do nothing. For a limited time; early days yet.

I want to paint everything white.

We need new curtains.

Time on the beach is more important.

oh, how they laughed

I bought a deckchair. Tinman announced he was having a week off. Well, you can guess what happened next…

Hailstones. Thunder and lightning. Children voluntarily wearing their coats to school. Downpours of biblical proportions.

And then those funny guys at wordpress suggest sun for this week’s photochallenge. Hohoho. To think I thought they didn’t know about wee me, and there they are, ~~taking the~~ teasing me.

I did think of taking a picture of the sky every day, but that would be just too depressing. There have been sunny spells (that’s what the Met Office call them) but they don’t last long enough for me to get out of bed, wrap up warm, and find the camera.

So, this is the sun, at twenty past ten this morning.