A Day by the Sea!

The weather was pretty good over the weekend so we did go out! We were also out Sunday. Here's our weekend;

As we haven't really done anything special since we got married we decided that Saturday was going to be a day out! Andy was determined to go to the seaside, especially as the weather has been so nice and the nearest beach to us is Southend apparently so we went there. Of course by the time we got there there were clouds in the sky, but the sun soon came out again and it turned into quite a nice afternoon and evening! We took a packed lunch with us, which we ate in the car because Andy said it was too cold to eat it outside! Then we went for a walk along the beach at Shoeburyness (what a wonderful name!) because it was less busy than the other beaches we went past. It was really nice to spend time together just talking and walking along the beach, enjoying the fresh sea air!

Just as we were leaving these people turned up with a video camera and a bit later were followed by this woman dressed up. She stood on the rocks and started singing to some music from the CD player they brought with them! They seemed to be doing a music video of some sort! I'm sure it would look very nice once it was all finished, but the sun was going down by this point and I looking at the flimsy clothes she was wearing I bet she was cold! (I can't help thinking I sound like Grandma saying that!)

We had to leave there because the car park closed and we didn't want to get locked in! So we went in search of somewhere to get an ice cream, because you have to have an ice cream when you're by the sea (apparently!) We found somewhere not far beyond the pier (Which is real, really long!) and sat and enjoyed the sunset in the wind! In the end we retreaded to the car so I could stop getting my hair in my ice cream! Besides the wind was getting quite cold with the sun gone! Me being me I braved the cold again once I'd finished my ice cream to take pictures of the wonderful sunset!





Then it was off home via the scenic route along the coast to enjoy the last few views of the sunset.

We were invited to James and Jasmine's for Sunday lunch, with it being John's first birthday on Tuesday. We also took round Jasmine and Sarah's presents (they have birthdays in January and February!) Sarah got us to play her favourite Postman Pat game with her. Now I'm not really sure of the rules, but I'm pretty sure Sarah was making some of them up as she went along! But then she's only three so I think she can be excused a little of that don't you? Sarah's got the whole set of the 'Happy Families' books by Janet and Alan Alburg. I loved those books when I was at school, in fact most of the books I've come across by them have been good! Anyway, I read a couple of those to Sarah before lunch. I think she must have read them a few times before because, as children do when they know a story well enough, she told me off for missing a bit out!

When John woke up we did the cake and some of his presents. I think Sarah was just as excited, if not more so than John! She 'helped' him unwrap most of the presents! Mum (or Grandma!) gave John a train track by 'Happyland'. Sarah and I got it out and put together....so that John could come along and take it all apart again! I thought it was very clever. When you put the driver (or any person in actual fact!) in the train it went along the track until it gets to the station, where it pauses and then carries on! Well, I was quite impressed with it anyway!

All too soon it was time for tea (with birthday cake!) and then off back to Hemel in time for the evening service. We might not normally have bothered and gone to Hayes Town Chapel instead, except that Andy was being welcomed into his new role as one of the deacons of the church, so we sort of had to be there!

Today I went into town to pick up my photos from a couple of films I'd forgotten I had! I didn't even know what was on them, it's been years since I had a film camera! So it was quite a nice surprise finding out! There was some photos of Emma and Tim in the snow at mum and dad's and the tiny snowman we built, which I'd completely forgotten about! Then the rest were pictures taken in the Philippines when I went there in June 2006. Most of them were taken by the children in the girls homes we stayed in. Some of them are a bit odd, but there are some really nice ones! Something happened to the film when I was out there so there isn't much on one of the films! But it's nice to have the photos.

Now, I'm back at home and I'm going to collapse on the sofa for a bit with a drink!