In which we note that life is a beach: or, if it's not, it should be.

I have a confession.

Remember my slow-down resolution back here?

I fucked up.

At the start of this week I gave the verandah, stairs, outdoor table and some of the chairs a double dose of decking oil*; baked bread - twice; sewed a new dress for the Pea Princess to match the one I made for her little sister last week** and to add to the curtains, pillow, other dress and nightgown I sewed for PP over the weekend, and finished a fabric wall hanging to go above the marital bed.

After three days of this I had an aching back, builder's tan marks and had started grouching at pretty much everyone. I remembered I was supposed to be on holidays.

So now I am.

This morning we dropped the Gorgeous Boy and Sparkle at daycare and PP and I made like convicts and headed for Botany Bay.

Have you ever noticed how often nature just poses for you at the beach?

Have you ever seen a seagull doing yoga?

Sparkle had given the Pea Princess a floatie boatie thing for Christmas: it was launched today with great success.

Floatie Boatie Thing

That should work as an album.



There is always excellent people-watching to be had at the beach.



When I'm her age I want to be that comfortable in my skin. (Albeit, I'd like to be just a bit smaller, please).

I read my new book. Simple, classic, spooky, not at all up-himself, and able to be purchased for a mere $5.95. Oh how I love thee, Henry James.



(And, look here, all you book bloggers are giving me feelings of inadequacy verging on intimidation lately! I got the chance to browse for a couple of hours in Shearers on Norton this week while Pea Princess spent her school book prize [ahem, duxed her Year 3/4 class including all the year 4 kids who are 18mths older than her] and could not make a decision about anything without intrusive thoughts like "is that the one Nutmeg said was great?" or "didn't Lazy Cow say that was a waste of time?" or "wonder if Suse has read that?" or "I know Babelbabe mentioned this one but as a best or a worst? AAargh!")(Hence: Henry James as my 'new' book)

Finally, of course, we built a sandcastle.

We came home via the fish and chip shop. Yum. We are now browner, cleaner and happier than we've ever been in 2007. We plan to do it every day*** the weather allows this month.

In keeping with slow and satisfying resolutions, Root Shoot Marry will appear on Saturday this week. And thanks to Jane Henry for her inspiration for this week's RSM theme...

mtc (which, yes, stands for more to come, as in old newspaper reporter code, discussed somewhere here previously, but I can't remember where!)

bec

*Anyone who has done deck oil will know how much is involved in this. And for anyone who has not done deck oil? My advice is stay innocent.

**I have to put on the record that - even as mother of twins - I have NEVER dressed my kids in matching outfits, but the possession of two pretty pink dresses made big and little sister giggle, so it was worth it.

*** Every day that Sparkle is in daycare anyway, since, on New Year's Day, the Gorgeous Boy's massive skull bounced down on the trampoline just as her arm bounced up - leaving her with a buckle fracture in a fibreglass plaster that can go in water but can't go to the beach...