30/12: ROLL ON 2013

2012 is not ending on a good note.

94 year old Mother-In-Law fell and broke her shoulder and hip in September then I had to have Roxy, my horse,  PTS in November.  Our elderly neighbour had a nasty fall 2 weeks ago and is currently in a care home until Thursday when she'll be allowed home under supervision to assess if she will be able to cope in the future.  On Friday we learned that David's Aunt (his Mum's younger sister) has fallen and broken her hip (more hospital visiting for us) and yesterday we were told that the husband of a couple we met regularly in Fuerteventura passed away unexpectedly on 27th December.   There have been a couple more sad events which I won't elaborate on ......  some lovely happenings also, but they seem to have been overshadowed by recent events and the miserable wet weather etc.

I don't think I'm jinxed but next year I might just join my hedgehog family and hibernate for the Winter period.  

2013 MUST be a better year!

Anyway ..... for the first day since we got home from Fuerteventura, the weather was dry and inviting enough to tempt us out for a walk along the beach path.     Hundreds of other people had the same thought and the place was buzzing.   It was very windy but we managed a couple of hours before the rain started again.

It was great to blow a few cobwebs away

We walked into Whitstable which has a traditional working harbour - it has become a firm favourite with the DFLs (Down from London's) who come for the oysters and seafood making it a trendy (and expensive) place to visit or eat in.

Not exactly pretty, but very picturesque in its own way

now, a 'proper artist' would probably get quite excited about views like this .... tangled nets and ropes galore here

I did take a few like this so maybe they will find their way onto my drawing board at some stage

Not everyone enjoyed the fresh air and shingle beaches - this little mutt did not want to get too close to that cold wet stuff

whereas this one did!

and promptly shared the wet stuff with mum - bless!!

She wasn't amused ... but I don't think he was worried about the scolding - just look at that glint in his eye

as always, the seagulls were having fun in the wind.   They 'play'  facing into the wind so they just hover in one place and don't go anywhere.   We've been watching them from our house every day in the recent high winds - the only birds who ventured out.     Here's a group of them next to the yacht club and the old fishermens' cottages.

Quite an amazing trick just hanging there in the air!

Youngsters can do it as well

When it all gets a bit much - just find a convenient groyne and park yourself - standing room only here

but leave it too late and you get a lower perch with no sea view 

Well I feel much better after our walk and we got home before it really started to rain too heavily.   I think the forecast is pretty grim for tomorrow but I will be back at the drawing board with the next commissions.

We're being old and boring tomorrow and staying home where we'll see the old year out with a bottle of bubbly and some nibbles.