Last week I tried two new things, did one thing for the first time since I was small, and escaped the city for the call of the homeland.
J and I took a short drive over the bridge into South Wales to spend a few days in a cosy cabin in the woods. It had been arranged to replace a family holiday which was cancelled, then we postponed this trip when J went into hospital (twice!). We parked up at Kingstone Brewery in Tintern, and pushed through the tall gate into its grounds. Hefting our bags along a winding, narrow path, we passed a bell tent, a converted horsebox and an old greenhouse. Through a gap in the hedge, we found our cabin. Just big enough for two, garlanded in low-hanging grape and hop vines, with its own garden hidden from passersby, it became our little retreat from traffic noises, pollution, work and responsibilities.
Later in the week, after just a couple of days back in work, we piled our cases back into the car and J drove us back into Wales to Tenby, picking up his brother on the way. J's mum and her husband have a very nice, very big static caravan there, and we got to stay for a couple of nights with lovely food, drinks and company. And THE SEA.
J and I took a short drive over the bridge into South Wales to spend a few days in a cosy cabin in the woods. It had been arranged to replace a family holiday which was cancelled, then we postponed this trip when J went into hospital (twice!). We parked up at Kingstone Brewery in Tintern, and pushed through the tall gate into its grounds. Hefting our bags along a winding, narrow path, we passed a bell tent, a converted horsebox and an old greenhouse. Through a gap in the hedge, we found our cabin. Just big enough for two, garlanded in low-hanging grape and hop vines, with its own garden hidden from passersby, it became our little retreat from traffic noises, pollution, work and responsibilities.
(We didn't escape too completely; we put an unsuccessful offer in on a house we'd seen days earlier, after calling our mums for advice and speaking to our mortgage advisor. Oh hell, we're growing up.)
After walking up to a pub next to Tintern Abbey for our tea, then settling into our temporary new home, we slept deeply and got up early the next morning. New Thing #1: canoeing. We rowed down the River Wye in a two-seated wooden Canadian canoe, my bag and emergency raincoats stowed in a blessedly watertight barrel between us.
First, I steered the boat.
Soon, we swapped so that J would stop grumbling about how badly I was steering the boat.
It was absolutely beautiful. A bright, cool day, gliding down the river lined with trees, greenery and wildlife. J made us stop by a thin pebble beach, purely because the landowner had put up a sign telling people not to go near it, and I stole a pale purple pebble for him at his insistence. At one point, inspired by our surroundings, we started singing the score from one of the Lord of the Rings films and bouncing quotes between us. It turns out canoeing is massive fun, especially if all you're responsible for is supplying the (wo)manpower to propel the boat forward.
We spent the next morning in the brewery, in which I debuted my beloved new pale blue wellies with a summer dress which made J laugh. I personally loved the look... We got to help (or hinder) the brewing process, ask questions, and guess the hops and malts in one of the beers. I have never drunk so much beer before 11am in my life.
Later in the week, after just a couple of days back in work, we piled our cases back into the car and J drove us back into Wales to Tenby, picking up his brother on the way. J's mum and her husband have a very nice, very big static caravan there, and we got to stay for a couple of nights with lovely food, drinks and company. And THE SEA.
I love the sea.
I really love it. It feeds my soul.
Both my parents are Cornish and most of our family still live there, so I grew up jumping into the waves, swimming and bodyboarding at our favourite beaches. I'm always happy if I can find a great body of water to sit by, walk round, or leap into. This time, I donned a lifejacket and climbed into a kayak, to paddle along Freshwater East Beach. New Thing #2. The sensations of powering through the water, stopping to admire the cliffs, and dipping my hands and feet into the clear water were renewing. The salty air and rhythm of the waves beneath washed through my mind, gently shushing it for hours.
The day after that, I borrowed a wetsuit and bodyboard and we strode straight into the sea. I used to do this when I was small - without the wetsuit, just a swimming costume, shivering - in Cornwall, learning to recognise whether the nearest oncoming wave was worth a go, jumping onto its crest and flattening myself against the board, borne forward as far as I could go. That Sunday, at Freshwater East in Tenby, I caught a wave which pushed me fast and far right up to the beach, whooping with joy. I twisted round to see if anyone had seen it, and marched straight back through the water to go again.
So, it was a week for learning about myself - I'm now the kind of person who loves climbing into little boats and paddling them all day - and spending quality, uninterrupted time first with just J, then with his family. This weekend I'm off to a festival in Exeter with friends, doing Another New Thing. I've not camped at a music festival before (I KNOW. It just never came up) and my little pop-up tent hasn't been used in years. Wish me luck...
I'm watching Good Omens. Again. You probably don't need me to recommend it to you, because it was everywhere when it was released and it's just, well, wonderful. Joyful and lovingly crafted, I'm so happy the series finally got made.
I'm listening to Shagged Married Annoyed, the podcast by comedian Chris Ramsey and his wife, Rosie. I came to it a bit late, which meant I could steam through the episodes at an unprecedented rate. They're too funny together, bickering and joking and answering the weirdest questions from the public (public, public, pu-pu-pu-public) and celebrities.
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