Not the best nights kip, as it was hot & stuffy, so a very leisurely lie-in (watching YouTube etc), whilst Jane dozed on the ‘electric couch’, having abandoned me at around 4am, as I’m apparently “hot”. I’ll take that.
Romeo is still fast asleep, and I suspect we won’t be seeing much of him today.
Jane, Toby & I sat out on the patio, where I had a breakfast consisting of Charlie’s abandoned gammon between bread from last-night. Even straight from the fridge it was tasty! Glad we’ve booked to go back to the Castle tonight, although I will bear their portion sizes in mind this time.
Whilst I sat in the sun and plumbed a few walks into the Outdoor Active app, (which is a brilliant free walking/cycling planner, imho), Jane took Toby for a short stroll down to the harbour.
The tide was out, so Toby had a paddle, and we pondered whether you can walk along the beach, around the headland to “Broadhaven 1” beach. Will perhaps find out later in the week. (“Broadhaven 2” is actually Broad Haven Siuth beach, near Bosheston).
No plans for today, after a long journey for us all, but particularly so for the ever-stressed Toby. He’s a bloody nightmare in cars & vans, bless him. He’s exhausted, so that plus the “in-cred-ible” (read that with an excitable Catalan accent) temperatures that we are all experiencing again (28C/82.4F by midday), and much higher after our dinner.
When Jane got back, we had brunch (I boiled 2 eggs for a phenomenally long time, due to not hearing my alert), and decided we’d repeat Jane’s reconnaissance and head back to the beach, where 4G-permitting, I’d also listen to the match (City v Bournemouth), and maybe even nip for a pint.
My wishes came true, and I spent a few hours with the most amazing person I’ve ever met, and Toby. We just wandered along the beach, throwing the ball occasionally, whilst Toby ran around wearing his damp-jacket to keep him cool.
I tried to sunbathe then rockpool, but it was too hot and I don’t like doing those things anyway. I tried to feel comfortable on a beach with sand, which is the devils dust &needs unilaterally banning. I even tried to paddle in the sea, where as I walked in, some mollusc-type thing ejaculated what I hope was only sand, up my right shin. After which we headed ashore.
The sun was really shining on me, and totally unrelated, I even managed to pick up a match commentary, before heading back to towards the Castle for sustenance.
(City 1 – Bournemouth 0, 19mins)
A pint of the impressively mundane Birra Moretti, a coke with ice & lemon, a tub of local chocolate ice cream & a mint Magnum, and a table with a sunshade for Toby. Spot on!
A good chat with my dearest, then a chat with Jane, and before we knew it, other than being interrupted to fist-pump the air at 31’ & 37’, it was time for a half-time pint.
(City 3 – Bournemouth 0, 45mins)
Once supped, it was back up Strawberry Hill, to wash Toby down & shower before tea. Table for 4 (3+dog) booked for 6pm so a 5:45 set-off was communicated to all internal stakeholders.
Far be it for me to judge, but from the smell, it seemed that one of the houses upwind are doing some weeding, so I went inside and had a lie down before freshening up.
Last night, I’d surreptitiously timed the (now known) 7:30s walk to the pub, so I knew that the targeted set-off time was 6:45 to add contingency. At 6:45, the shower was still occupied. As such Jane headed off to the pub with Toby, and I waited for Romeo to exit.
After a frisson of tension, I agreed to join asap after my shower, but that they would head to the pub as an advance party. (That last lot of tripe read like a legal statement. Apologies – I will improve my tripe).
Despite my insistence that I didn’t need to order a main based on last nights portions, it was suggested I should. So I did, Chicken Caesar Salad. And then ate Janes remaining mussels, and Charlie’s leftover gammon, onion rings and large chips. Shambles on my part – should have stuck to my guns and saved £14, a load more washing up, and more importantly, wasted food.
Meal over, it was straight up the hill, to another evening of relaxing & enjoying the good weather. And Match Of The Day. The lead game was very entertaining…
Have a great evening folks!
Chris