How do you like the view? Mrs P and I usually walk in the afternoon, into town and then in a westerly direction along the beach. Which is the right direction to walk, because we get to see the sun set behind the Purbeck hills. Of course, if we’re going for an early morning walk, then we’re best off walking in the opposite direction. Of course, there are caveats to this. The wind should be taken into account. A stiff breeze in otherwise dry conditions means sand gets blown about. Best not walk into the wind on those days. And sometimes the sun can be a little too bright if you pick the wrong time of day. It can be blinding. Mrs P and I are open to last minute changes to our route if the conditions so dictate.
The ability to adapt, reroute, be flexible and/or create a good ‘Plan B’ is a skill that has been needed in 2020 like never before. We’ve had countless holidays, events, exhibitions, shows, concerts and the sort cancelled this year. Hasn’t everyone? But we’ve made the best use of the freed up time. And we got in a few sneaky events prior and post lockdown. Alas, our final date of the year, a Christmas Concert at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden has bitten the dust. Booked just two weeks ago, it has fallen victim to London entering Tier 3 restrictions tomorrow. We are disappointed. But there’s no time to mope.
Just around the corner, 2021 lurks, full of new surprises. Good ones we hope. Pandemic free surprises, as the new year wears on. We are booking on that assumption. Every sunset is followed by a sunrise.
The Mexile 
Carm used to live right opposite the beach in Portmarnock. The sand got into everything it even managed to work its magic and got past window frames and tight seals and constant breezes gently shaved away paint and erased painstaking efforts almost on a whim. All their vehicles also got a licking and the gardens were a constant headache as the salty efforts seemed to kill most things.
When she and I were dating we would come back to her home from a disco (remember them?) along the coastal path and the sand would be stinging her legs and my ankles. Sometimes we would walk on past to the Martello tower further up and look out towards Lambay Island. There is a beach marker to commemorate the Southern Cross which took off from the beach on June 24th 1930.
Fun times, hopefully to be revisited once these dark days are behind us.
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We tend to walk on the prom, alongside the beach. We have learned about the magic abilities of sand to get everywhere…!
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I love your sunset and your story. It is your story as no one else could have said it. “Just around the corner, 2021 lurks, full of new surprises. Good ones we hope. Pandemic free surprises, as the new year wears on. We are booking on that assumption. Every sunset is followed by a sunrise.” I hope that the new year turns out much better. Wishing the best for you and Mrs.P.
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We all like a nice sunrise. However, I’m rarely awake early enough.
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I love the view of the sunset, as well as your outlook. I don’t live by the beach but I have taken walks and noticed the spring, summer, and fall foliage more then before. We are getting our first northeastern storm tomorrow, with over 12 inches of snow and gusty winds here in the NY suburbs. I may even go for a walk in the snow hmmm…
“Every sunset is followed by a sunrise.”
Life is full of positives, even in dark times, we may just have to look a little harder, and be more patient to be aware of them. Sometimes they’re hidden behind the clouds, just like a colorful sunset…
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Luckily, snow is not something that troubles us here on the south coast very often. It does happen, but it rare enough to not be a worry.
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Yup. As I always say, everything turns out well in the end.
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