Sur la Plage

Mark and I walked down to the beach with Ned.  We could see little scraps of cloud/fog wrapping themselves around some of the taller buildings, occasionally hiding church towers and the Granville Hotel from view.  At the beach we could see a long strand of grey fog stream in over the east side of the town. We settled on the top of the ridge where the beach slopes down sharply.  The tide was already a long way out, we got undressed and went immediately into the sea.  It was cold but, it was after all nearly the earliest I have ever swum (the earliest was off Brighton with James - about 30 years ago on 21st June).  Most unusually I was the first person under the water.   We had a lovely swim for about half an hour.  I went back first, and managed to break the ambre solaire bottle while trying to squeeze the viscous stuff out.   We therefore covered ourselves liberally with it, and then became coated with sand.  

We ate tomato foccacia and olives and drank rose, and tried to read.  Then the fog drifted over us - it was strange, the sun was visible but it became chillier - there was a breeze which there hadn't been before - and it was grey.   I was reading A Single Summer with Lord B by Derek Marlowe, but I dozed off - fatal!  Then I woke up - and it was hot and sunny and windless and I felt burnt - I probably only snoozed for about 20 minutes.  Ned decided to leave.  Five minutes later Finn rang to say he was coming to join us.   A few minutes after he joined us Ned rang furiously to say that he was locked out.   Fortunately the back door was unlocked, so we recommended that, and went for a second swim.

Such was the density and tack-power of the ambre solaire that despite a bit of buffetting by the waves, the second swim did not remove the carapace of sand on my back.   We left the beach and went to see Bella and had a coffee with her, some others came past.... so we chatted.   Mark went to get the car because Finn had hurt his foot - nasty blister on the heel.  Finn and I sat on some benches near the fish stall and the Channel Dash memorial - and it was thoroughly agreeable.   Sometimes days can just be some pleasant and cheerful.

When we got home had a lovely bath and made supper - stew followed by frangipane tart (there was pastry in the fridge already - which I made a few days ago) and the frangipane is very easy.  "I would have preferred a different jam" Ned said - I used homemade mirabelle jam. Next week I might make a crostata della nonna with jam - and I really must go and buy some strawberries for jam.  The only blight on today is the sun burn - Ambre Solaire may be a great glue, but factor 8 isn't much use against the burning English sun!