It was cousin Robert’s 60th birthday party on Saturday and we lost John – which was pretty difficult ,as were were on a narrow boat chugging along The Thames from Caversham to Shiplake ( we were aiming to get to the edge of The Henley Regatta ,but the queues for the locks were too long ,plus we got gounded on a sandbank plus we took too long over lunch in the pub ) .It was a fabulous day – there were 12 of us , a rehoboam of champagne, wine,strawberries,cream,cake, a flask of coffee and some long life milk ( not a priority ) a speech, a trip down memory lane to the spot where Geoffrey nearly lost his finger in Shiplake level-crossing and a fabulous skipper-John who once found -with his headphones on listening to the rugby at the back of the barge -took the wheel /helm/rudder/controls on the return journey .
Then yesterday ,along with half the population of the South of England ,myself and 3 pals hit the beach at Broadstairs .The 9.05 train from Victoria to Ramsgate was heaving .I was dispatched first to get a table ,while they got the coffees and scooby-snacks – felt sorry for the people who had to stand ( not so sorry we gave up our seats – they were all young and fit ) .We walked from Ramsgate to Viking Bay, but there wasn’t an inch of space left on the beach .Luckily the tide was out so we walked around the headland and discovered an near dam empty beach , so we snoozed, rockpooled, paddled and stared .Then it was sundowners and dins on the terrace overlooking the beach and the skinnydippers *.
Two lovely days- sometimes I am very fortunate.