Sea, Shells and a lil bit of Toast!! 17/09/11

You can beat a little bit of escapism every now and then; for me today was not about being ill.

D, Toastie and I leap into the car and head off to Holkham Beach (if your ever in Norfolkland it's definitely one of the sights to behold; with its immense stretch of sand, dunes and that sense of awe one can experience when gazing upon the sea!)

We've been here before; it was one of our first dates :) and we whizzed along the roads in D's MG. This time we arrived a little more leisurely. The day was bright and beautiful if somewhat bracing to begin with. Due to Toast's special brand of spaziness we wondered off to one side with a Frisbee to keep him entertained.

However, it wasn't long before we were drifting seaward! In my usual 'sod-it' style we paddled across a muddy swampy bit towards the dunes..... I want to see the sea!! As we get closer we realise there is a sort of river between us and the dunes.... like we are going to be doubling back!! Kitted in only Toms we pick our way through the shallowest looking water... Toast however puts us to shame! I'm not sure he has ever seen anything deeper than a puddle but give the boy credit, he takes a flying leap into it and finds himself up to his ears! Absolutely drenched he has this stunned look that strongly reminds me of the Darth Vader kid at the end of the VW Passat advert.
( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R55e-uHQna0) So funny!!

We race up the dunes and collapse at the top, throwing the Frisbee off the edge for Toast; it only takes him half a dozen times to learn how not face-plant into the sand! He he!!

After a while of chilling ....

D decides he is going to jump off too....

Just one of the reasons I love him!

My version is much more a scrabble / slide on my ass.... I kind of want to jump; but on this occasion the 'F it just do' part of my brain loses out to the 'if you break your ankle you KNOW where you'll end up!' part. Oh well read on those of you I haven't bored and I promise not to disappoint!!

We get to the sea and paddle... Christ its cold!! Toast doesn't really need telling twice and is much more wary of the water now. Then catastrophe strikes!! The wind steals the Frisbee (absolutely nothing to do with my ability to throw honest!!) and lands a few metres out to sea! Toast makes an heroic attempt to fetch it but its just to far! He come back to the shallows and whines piteously.... all is lost ..... and the Frisbee slowly and teasingly is drifting out to sea.

No more I think! Remember that 'F it!' part of my brain? Yeah, well you're about to be introduced!!

 What really touched me is Toastie wasnt about to let his mum go without the protection that only a half drowning pup can provide (his swimming... it not so good :) !) But we made it and you'll be deeply relieved to know the Frisbee has fully recovered from it's trauma!

The day was fantastic, beautiful skies and breathtaking sea. I have always loved the wind, the way it hold you and takes away your worries if you just let them go. We race along the sands.... I feel alive!

We saunter back past other people and Toast is so good, we are so proud, it's like he is a proper dog or something! I pick up a pretty shell and it is still on our bookcase now. I love souvenirs like this; unique, priceless and attached to such a specific memory!

You'll notice how wet we both got!

Tired and sandy but having enjoyed our day immensely we get back to the car and head for home where Toast gets his first bath (after D and I have used it first ;p ) - safe to say he wasn't impressed by this but now has a lovely satsuma-y fragrance.... I'm sure it  won't last!!

xx