Costa Del Shields

Trip up North for 24hours. Little sis had a small op, so picked neice up from school, then Beth after her psychiarty exam, and took them down to Marsden with the crazy doggie. Then take away pizza with four generations of remarkable women watching Andy Murray.

There's a picture somewhere of me aged 5 or 6 here with my grandad in his white shirt, tie, flat cap and suit trousers rolled up. I have clear memories of the day, I was staying with them for a week, at the time there would be about 10 or 12 of my dads 20 brothers and sisters still at home, and they and assorted girlfiends/boyfriends plus assorted others were part of the Sunday school trip to the coast. It was the big day of year, the women folk baked all week, the menfolk planned games. A coach was hired, and the sun shone, we all got sunburnt, got sand in our food, probably got grumpy and returned home full of the joy of the day.

I had the thought as we ambled down to the beach today that this place has no memory of me, of us, the tide comes in and washes our footprints away, but yet my memory of this place and of those who I've been here with since then are part of the fabric of me. Visiting with Beth for the first time and Anna and DM is laying down more memories.