Beside the Seaside, Beside the Sea

We have spent the most glorious day on the beach with my family. It is the August bank holiday here in the UK, and we are enjoying a three day weekend. I feel that by spending it at the seaside, I have spent it properly, which I realise is ridiculous. Despite gloomy weather forecasts predicting wind and rain we had hours of sunshine today.

It was a bright and blustery day with big, scudding clouds and constantly changing light. Not warm enough for swimming, but certainly warm enough to be outside all day. The views across the Solent were crystal clear. You could almost see the individual houses on the Isle of Wight across the water.

I could not stop looking at the clouds today. Look at that bright, silvery light.

Bella surveyed the view. John says she has copied that stance from me.

My parents have a beach hut on Hayling Island. We have had a beach hut there since before I was born, and many sunny weekends of my childhood were spent there. It was wonderful to take Bella and Angus there and see how utterly happy they were. Although, after an initial exploration of the beach hut, they ignored it continued with normal beach behaviour; running around, digging holes, throwing sand everywhere and shouting.

The inside is like a shed but much prettier. I can imagine how fun it would be to really go to town with decorating the interior of a beach hut - whitewashing it, making cushions and curtains and tablecloths in matching fabrics...it's probably just as well we could never afford one.

We flew kites...

...explored the fun fair...

...and bought ice creams.

By the end of the afternoon, the view had changed completely. The air was hazy, the light grey, and the wind cool. 

John taught Angus the universal male art of throwing stones into the sea.

Happy days.

The kids fell asleep in record time tonight. Also, John has really caught the sun. He has hilarious streaky red arms, neck and face from careless sun cream application. He is radiating heat. He had to go and find some after-sun in Mum's bathroom. Of course I am distracting him from his discomfort by laughing at him constantly, good wife that I am.

I hope you are all enjoying your holiday weekend, whatever you may be doing.