Monday (Aug 29) was cooler and quite breezy, with some showers later. Dinghies were out racing early on, with a high tide catching a couple of cars out. Car park man closed the carnser late and by then unnecessarily. Oliver had bought croissants but did not run. We walked to Morston and had rather splendid pizzas in the Anchor, plus a quick go on darts. Rained as we left, and we called in at an art exhibition by Eddie Goodridge, which was really very good – oils. Had a chat with him and bought some cards. Rain eased off and we walked back to Blakeney. I was exhausted and lay down for a while. The other three went to Cley to buy some fruit. After tea got rid of rubbish, then played Yucca – a bizarre Canadian card game – and watched another episode of Clarkson’s Farm.
Tuesday dawned cool and overcast. Oliver ran to Cley and walked back, getting caught in a shower as he neared the croissant shop. After breakfast he drove us to Cley NWT, and we walked to a couple of hides. Then back to the centre and lunch – I had a scone and one of Amy’s cheese and tomato sandwiches. Afterwards went to art exhibition by Sally Temple, who uses fingers and oil to paint excellent pictures. Bought some cards and chatted to her. She took to Oliver and Amy and gave some good advice; she has children of the same age.
Amy bought a lovely glass for Saoirse, whose 18th birthday is coming up. Then drove into Cley and parked by the village hall, walking round town and calling in to the bookshop (bought two books). Then bought some fish and ham from Cley Smokehouse. Drove to Salthouse and walked on the shingle beach. Home for another episode of Clarkson’s Farm and tea, then Oliver and Amy left at 6.45pm. Made good time and got home in just under three hours. Meanwhile Norwich City beat Birmingham (a) 2-1 in injury time, and we went to bed early, missing our guests.
Wednesday started with some rain, and continued with a heavy shower after I fetched croissants. Bit chilly too, with a brisk wind, but later it became dry and warmer. Had a bath, and later we put our boots on and walked out on to the marsh to the west of Blakeney, hoping to find where the water went, or if it was navigable out to the harbour that way. But we couldn’t go far – stopped by muddy dykes. So we walked out the other side of the main stream toward the abandoned boat.
Before that, however, the police had closed the road by the Manor Hotel for no obvious reason other than ‘Accident’. It turned out however to be an unexplored bomb in a nearby field, and as we walked seaward, they exploded it. Very exciting. All of us had been within 50 yards of it (possibly nearer) on Sunday. Dot bought a crab sandwich for her evening meal and I had a pot of mussels. I also had one of the grandchildren’s birthday present pots of terrine – black olive of that ilk, and very nice too. Wrote a couple of poems and read some of the book I bought at Cley: Ian Rankin’s Tooth and Nail. Very good. After tea we walked up the High Street looking for Yew Tree Cottage (where Sophie and Rich were staying), then down Little Lane and back round by the Spar shop. Watched a bit of Repair Shop, during which Fred rang to ask if boys could park on Saturday, and then Shetland, revealing that Tosh survived. Yes!!! Also a bit of Premier League football – not very inspiring results.
Thursday was bright and warm, though with a brisk wind. Kristine texted to say she’d missed her train, and would arrive an hour later (11.28). Because of traffic we still managed to be late for her, though the obscure disguising of the station at Cromer didn’t help. Drove back along the coast road; she loved the views and the apartment. After a drink we went for a walk round to the other holiday possibility and then over the Pastures, down Little Lane and back down the High Street. We then drove to Cley and had a late lunch at the George and Dragon: smoked mackerel and chips in my case. Then on to Cley NWT, where we took in the view and went to the loo.
Back to the car park at Cley beach, where we went down to the water’s edge and on the way back found a pair of glasses. Left them on a bench, as the car park man had vanished. Drove back to Blakeney: girls did a bit of shopping, or at least shop visiting. Had tea (cheese and cakes), looked at some pictures and chatted before travelling back to Cromer, where Kristine left on the 19.03. Back at the apartment we cleared up and read.
Friday was sunny and pleasantly warm. Got up early (no croissants), packed and were out of the apartment by 10am. Drove up road and got in a very lucky space while we picked some blackberries just off the path to Morston, then bought tea/coffee and drank it while sitting on a bench. Drove home in time for hair cut at 1pm. I had a bath. Drove to Dereham with Joy’s birthday presents and stayed for an hour. Phil is having a rough time with Parkinson’s. Back home in time for drink-out, where the Blakeney bomb was quite a topic. Quite a gathering, too. Des fetched fish and chips for us. Watched Sanditon and an episode of State of Happiness (scandi noir) then finished unpacking and went to bed. Both very tired.