An afternoon in POLZEATH

My comment about the summer season being over was a tad wrong, judging by the full car park on the beach at Polzeath.  The surfing lessons were very well attended, too, even at £100 for a 2 hour session. This car park often catches motorists out because at high tide it's under water and when it's a neap tide, the water floods over and across the main road.  So it's as well to be aware of these things! I had driven a little further, up the steep hill that leads out of Polzeath, to another car park which overlooks the bay. 

The town was pretty busy but on the whole, people were obeying the distancing recommendations, though some seem to be absolutely unaware of such things. (What planet are they on?)  At one point I sat on the low wall at the edge of the beach when an elderly couple came and plonked down very close to me.  I discreetly edged a bit further away, but then another couple came and sat on the other side of me!  It's a long wall and was mostly empty. . . .  My cue to move elsewhere. I took Benji down on to the beach and let him off his lead - he loved that!  Galloped around, exploring and tagging on to other dogs as they also enjoyed the space to run free.  In my first photo, he thoroughly investigated a washed up clump of seaweed, rope, mussel shells, salty sticks, etc. Oh such wonderful tastes and scents!  He also did an excellent job of hoovering under the outside tables after a family with children had been having tasty food there. Mmmmmm . . . 

The lovely view from the car park I used, overlooking the beach and sea. Just below where I stood, what used to be part of the car park is now a camp site and there was a line of motorhomes in prime spots along the front, on seasonal pitches; how nice to have your own home from home, with all mod cons to retire to when you've had enough fresh air, wild winds or rain. They were all in use yesterday with electric hook-ups attached.

I hate crowded beaches at the best of times, but during this pandemic it's madness to join in with the throng.  This is much more to my taste.

Plenty enjoying being in the sea and the lifeguards were keeping a watchful eye on everyone.

My niece and her husband bought Cornish Pasties - really, really tasty ones, according to them both - to eat as they walked the coastal path and we all enjoyed cappuccinos from the same little cafe.  While they walked, I elected to stay where I was and read my Kindle; decided against visiting Daymer Bay, as it would have meant extra car parking charges and then paying again when I returned to the Polzeath one.  It was so good to meet up even though we couldn't hug (I wonder if or when we ever will again) but at least we saw each other and chatted away, nineteen to the dozen!

A wonderful afternoon, good weather as the first shower didn't arrive until after 3pm as forecast and well worth the drive down from my home.  The drive home wasn't so good - a continuous line of traffic all the way, constant rain and spray and several hold-ups through sheer volume of vehicles, just as busy as during the summer season; I wasn't expecting that! It was good to reach home - and Benji slept through most of the journey. Last night I slept solidly for 7 hours - this morning I'm feeling the effects of all the unaccustomed exercise. 

Stormy Skies

 I didn't go away for my week's holiday!  And now that Storm Alex is doing its worst, I'm so glad I didn't have to pack the car and drive during these wild winds and lashing rain. The beech hedge across the lane is being bent low, as are the taller plants and shrubs in my garden; leaves are swirling round and littering the lane, my front garden and drive; seagulls are screaming loudly in excitement as they ride the turbulent currents above. Of the smaller birds there is no sign: where do they all disappear to? Hopefully they are somewhere sheltered and dry until it's safe to venture out for food and water.

It's so dark! I needed the light on in the kitchen at just after 3pm today and I took these photos of an extremely stormy sky. It was raining too, so please excuse the random raindrops on the camera lens.

When Storm Alex has blown itself out I shall hopefully have a few days out with Benji, find somewhere quiet, which should be easier now that the summer season is well and truly over, where we can enjoy a wander along a beach then retire to the car for a cappuccino and to read my Kindle.  Benji doesn't do reading, but after a drink of water, he should be happy to curl up in his bed on the passenger seat for a sleep after all that galloping around.

My niece, Carole, and her husband, Pete have driven down from their home in Leicestershire for a week's holioday in Cornwall (Mawgan Porth) and we have arranged to meet up at Polzeath on Wednesday to spend some time together.  We intend to buy Cornish Pasties in Polzeath, then Carole and Pete with their dog, Rosie, will walk the coastal path to Daymer Bay - I shall drive there! The dogs will enjoy a run on the beach while we humans will catch up on all our news/gossip. 

Polzeath from the coastal path:

Aerial view of Daymer Bay:

Daymer Bay beach:

Should I? Shouldn't I?

 Last February, before all talk of lockdowns and the like, I booked a week's holiday in the dim, distant future.  It was something to look forward to, a chance to walk in a different area and meet up with family members who were due to come down to Cornwall from their home in Leicestershire in the same week. We made plans for walking our dogs together on the beach, returning to a favourite cafe on the cliffs above Bedruthan Steps and enjoying catching up on each other's news since last year. 

That holiday is due to start on 2nd October, a week today.  And after the sobering news from Boris I'm dithering about whether I should go.  There was no mention of travel restrictions in his speech, but reading between the lines, his urging of people to work from home if at all possible seems to indicate that staying at home is the safest thing to do.  Since the start of lockdown, back in March, I have stayed in my home and garden, had my groceries delivered, allowed no-one into my home and even curtailed the dog walks, thanks to people not keeping to the rules of distancing. Should I now take the chance of risking infection by taking this holiday in a different area? Will the cottage have been thoroughly cleaned against Covid? What about the soft furnishings? At one stage I had convinced myself that I couldn't possibly go because I was so worried about the possibilities. 

I'm still undecided. But this weekend will, I think, make things clearer.  If people ignore the restrictions, gathering in crowds at parties, etc., there will be repercussions, as promised, from our Prime Minister and that will influence my decision. 

An 'interesting' day out.

On Wednesday, a break in the weather - the SUN appeared at last and we managed to get to Kit Hill and the cafe, where we - Peter, Nic, Leo, Eleanor, me & Benji - ordered a Fish, Chips & peas dinner and settled at an outside table in the sunshine. The cafe were taking part in the 'Eat Out to Help Out' scheme, so 5 dinners plus drinks all round came to just £25!!! (It was P& N's treat.)

 However, as the meal arrived, so did the wasps, so we picked everything up and headed to another area, well away from any bins. The wasps followed. Picked everything up again and headed back to the car and climbed inside. Very quickly it heated up as we were still in full sunshine, so Peter decided to open his window 'as there aren't any wasps around here'.

Inevitably, a lone wasp flew into the car; Peter tried to waft it gently back through his window, but it didn't want to go so his wafting turned into frantic flapping as he tried to open the door to get out. More wasps arrived and his cardboard plate flew up, liberally showering us with chips and peas. Benji gratefully scoffed any that came his way. So for the next few minutes, we were greatly entertained by Peter doing a tribal rain dance, with flapping arms and high-stepping strides, all the while shouting unprintable curses at his stripy little attendants. My cheeks ached from laughing; Nic and the kids were also in hysterics as were several onlookers from other cars. Oh dear. Eventually, Peter and his wasps dashed all the way back to the bins where he deposited the remains of his dinner before returning alone.

Our walk around the top of Kit Hill was thankfully free of pestering creatures then I dropped P & N off at home before bringing the children back here for a few hours (as requested by them). We all had hot chocolate drinks then played Uno (with Eleanor winning most of the games!) 

When I took them home, Eleanor asked if she could have a hug - how could I refuse - and both of them gave me a huge hug. So all's right with my world again.  

All Change - hopefully for the better?

What a crazy year!  Not just the horrible pandemic and long months of isolation, but what is going on 'out there'. While I read of beautiful, sunny and warm/hot days in other parts of England, here in my little bit of Cornwall there are high winds and torrential rain.  Each morning I spend an anxious time peering at the roof for misplaced tiles, having lain awake listening to worrying clatters and bangs during the night. Even in other parts of Cornwall, people are posting photos of golden sands, blue, blue sea and wall to wall sunshine.  

In my garden, I discovered blackberries ripe for the picking during the first week of August.  My greenhouse tomatoes grew high and wide (I had to trim the plants in order to get close) but took an age to produce actual fruit. Then the sun disappeared and all those tomatoes remain green. I tell a lie - I've picked a total of 6 small red ones which I ate in the greenhouse! Green chutney anyone? 

Has Summer ended, then? I think I missed it as I haven't seen one swallow this year: the starlings which squabble and gobble all the birdseed and fat balls never materialised at all and much as I dislike their greed and bullying ways around the smaller birds, I have missed them, especially the evening clamour when they descend to roost in the tall ash tree in my neighbour's garden. 

It's All Change, isn't it?  Changes galore in our way of life: in the way we work; in the out of sync seasons; in the habits of birds and animals and in our relationships when there are no hugs and kisses for or from our loved ones and dear friends.  

But there we are, we can only sit back and watch and wait to see how it will all pan out. Simply try to make the best of it and cope as best we can.  By the way, nothing much changes with Benji - it was he who discovered the first blackberries. I saw him going around the edge of the patio, pushing under the surrounding greenery, loudly sniffing and snuffling as he went. Then I realised he was eating, so called him away. Of course he took not one iota of notice so I went and grabbed him, pulled him out and away so that I could see what was in his mouth. It was a shock to see that the fur around his mouth was blue! Oh no! My first horrified thought was that he'd found and eaten Deadly Nightshade - such a relief to find that there were blackberries on a particularly strong, thick bramble stem that had encroached from the neighbouring garden and that's what Benji was enjoying. (I did a thorough check for Deadly Nightshade afterwards and there's none in my garden.) But goodness knows how many blackberries my boy had eaten but once again, his strange diet has had absolutely no effect on him! For days afterwards he checked that area for more treats but without success.  Little does he know that higher up there were more blackberries which I picked and enjoyed with a Greek Yoghurt topping!  He got the yoghurt pot to lick clean as always. 

A Bit of a Benji-Fest!

 Phew!  Hasn't it been hot?  And humid? Consequently, we haven't been any further than a slow amble along our road. After each brief outing to satisfy Benji's toileting needs we'd had enough; everything is such an effort in this weather.  I'm happy to see that over the next week, temperatures are forecast to drop by several degrees.  Thank goodness.

But this morning, we had an appointment to keep - Benji was due to have his long & curly, woolly coat removed.  Honestly he looked more like a sheep than a dog.  Take another look at him here - 

Having had Border Collies for the last 30+ years, I never knew that Bichons needed such regular beauty treatments: every 6 weeks he needs the full treatment of shampoo, blow dry, whole body clip, claws trimmed & finally - weighed. In between, he quite happily trots into the shower cubicle with me every 2 weeks (or more regularly depending where he's been and what he might have rolled in) and has a warm shower, shampoo with his special StayBrightWhite shampoo, a thorough rinse, towel-dry then ending with my best efforts with hairdrier and brush.  Phew again - and I'm ready for my own shower by then while he drapes himself on another dry towel in front of the radiator. But I can't achieve the high standard of hairstyle as his regular groomer, Suzanne; he's merely a clean dog with a curly coat.

So, for a short time, here he is, fresh from the salon and back to his guard duty in the front window. Woe betide anyone who dares to walk past! 

As you can see from the last photo, it's quite tiring when you have to endure all that prettying stuff.

What self-distancing?

Why aren't people getting the message about social distancing?  Yesterday I took Benji to Pentiddy Woods, a quiet, peaceful place that adjoins the Nutural Burial Grounds just outside the village.  There was no-one there when we arrived and it was lovely to wander along the shady paths, under the trees. But then a dog came running up to us from behind, so I stepped off the path  to let dog and owner go past; Benji went exploring among the trees.  But the man stopped to talk to me about Benji and his own dog, then went on to tell me the dog's history, the dogs he'd owned previously, where he used to live and so on . . . . 

I  called to Benji and tried to resume our walk, but the man tagged on, chatting away happily.  I hung back hoping he'd go on in front but he kept turning to speak to me and stopping, so I had to stop as well.  He stayed with me all the way until I reached the entrance/exit gate and his parting shot, having established that he regularly walked in Pentiddy, was, "See you again; it's been nice to chat as we walked."   Aaaaarrrggghhh! 

Today, I think, we will be staying at home. I'm so grateful that I have a garden; at least I can sit outside with a book, watch and listen to the birds, even do a little light gardening.  I do appreciate my little oasis of greenery, colourful flowers and (mostly) peacefulness. I can turn a blind eye to the encroaching brambles and nettles, occasionally donning sturdy garden gloves to tackle both of those nasty, spiteful interlopers. The front garden is another matter as it's difficult to do much out there as Benji's Separation Anxiety has increased 100% over Lockdown, thanks to having my company all day, every day for months - so he creates merry hell if I attempt to leave him behind while I do the necessary jobs out of his sight. However, things could be improving: a dog-walker friend turned up this morning and proceeded to strim and then mow the front lawn, strim under the shrubs and weed the borders.  He also trimmed and shaped the larger shrubs - and even re-discovered the overgrown path into the front garden! A couple of hours work has made a HUGE difference to it and he has promised to come back in a couple of weeks to carry on the good work. Such a relief!