I'm back!

'Have you been away?' I hear you say. Well, not actually but we've had family staying so time has been taken up. But they've gone now (aaah) so all is quiet again.

Let's work backwards through the week.

Just returned home from the beach with my oldest (in the sense of having known longest) friend, Maggi. As children we spent hours together at Rotherslade, often in pretty miserable conditions with our unerring belief that 'it's definitely brightening up.' It usually didn't.

It didn't today either although it did get warmer but not until after we'd been in for a swim. Maggi is an enthusiastic and regular sea swimmer; I on the other hand have become a wimp and until recently rarely ventured into the briny. The good weather of the last month encouraged me to be daring so when Maggi suggested a picnic and swim at our old haunt I agreed instantly.

I was less sure when we arrived at Rotherslade.

Seaweed, jellyfish and grey skies. Ideal conditions for a sea swim, I'm sure you'll agree. Especially when Marilyn, another regular sea swimmer - and veteran at the age of seventy-nine - came out and said, 'It's a lovely 16 degrees.'

But we did it. And I even borrowed Maggi's body board and surfed a wave. We followed that with the picnic Maggi had brought, and, later a cup of tea in the cafe, while we reminisced, talked about grandchildren and generally enjoyed ourselves. 

Note to self: must buy body board.

The rest of the week is a bit of a blur.

Elder Son and family had come down primarily so ES could take part in the annual Gower Chilli Festival Cook-out. If you recall he's had some success in the past. After buying a load of meat on Saturday at about 5.00 pm he had a text saying it had been cancelled because of a severe weather warning for the next day. It was a bit frustrating for him but we benefited as we all go to eat his yummy chilli.

Other than that we've played, beached, parked, eaten ourselves silly and had a wonderful time. (Well, I did. I hope the children did too.)

A slightly dubious octopus. Husband claimed they have noses.

Incidentally, eight adults and six children at various times over five days get through an awful lot of food. And toilet paper.