DIDN'T WE HAVE A LOVERLY TIME...

...the day we went to Weston...Super-Mare! Mr HCB dropped me off at Swindon station just after 9 o’clock this morning and I caught the train to Bristol Temple Meads. I had a connecting train to Weston-Super-Mare and everything went swimmingly.

My lovely friend, Chris, was waiting for me on the station platform and it was so lovely to see her again after not seeing her for about six years so you can imagine we didn’t stop chatting - all day!

She had driven up from Exeter, so our first port of call was to find a coffee lounge because we were both thirsty.  Whilst we were sitting there one of the waitresses came round and asked if we had ordered a bacon roll – we said we hadn’t, but I asked her not to hang around because the smell was very tantalising, and if she stayed for too long, we might decide to order one!  However, a couple of minutes later, she came back and said she hadn’t been able to find anyone who had ordered the bacon roll, so she gave it to us – how very kind!

We sat and chatted for about an hour, and then decided we would go onto the pier - but not just any old pier, it was The Grand Pier.  I remember this from my younger days when we used to come down to Weston-Super-Mare for our Sunday School outings. I think in those days it cost about tuppence each to get onto the Pier but today it cost £1 each - but that’s inflation for you! 

Several of the shots in my collage were taken on the Pier including the ones where you poke your head through an opening - I’m sure you remember - the sort of photograph that appears on old-fashioned postcards! I have included one of me and if I’m in it, then Chris is too - so two buxom wenches ladies who have had a fabulous time together! 

Chris very kindly treated me to lunch - and what else but Cod and Chips - you can’t really have anything else when you’re at the seaside, but we decided to eat inside, as the gulls were flying around and we could easily have lost our lunch with one fell swoop!

We then walked all along the Pier and it was so good to see the sea - I really do miss seeing it - so have asked Mr HCB to find a nice hotel overlooking the sea and take me away - obviously not when there are any cricket matches on - and before the schools start their summer holidays!  I really wanted to walk along the beach and because the tide is always out at Weston-Super-Mare, that’s just what we did and we so enjoyed it and to my amazement, I have done 9,666 steps - must be a record for me and my knees were fine, although Chris kept asking me if I was OK because she didn’t want me to be in pain.

We even found some pareidolia, and I know that LSquare will notice it immediately -  the truck that’s in the middle of the collage.  Chris wasn’t aware of the word, so I was able to teach her what it was!  I think she will be looking out for it from now on.  

One of my photographs shows us looking back at the Pier where there is a huge notice that says “Sky Surrounds Us” and it certainly did today! In fact, Chris and I kept remarking on how beautiful the sky was. 

We then wandered along the promenade and found another coffee lounge where we were served by the lovely Tegan - who gave us two free biscuits - it was our day for freebies - so we thanked her as we left and I asked if I could take a photograph of her - she was happy for me to do that.  Chris and I agreed that we shouldn’t judge those who have lots of tattoos - because that is certainly no indication of someone’s character!  When I heard her name, it reminded me of my lovely Blip friend, Raestelle, who died a little while ago, because her granddaughter was named Tegan.  

On our way back to the car park, we saw a man carrying the piece of board at the middle left so I asked him if it was an abstract painting that he had done, thinking I could use it for Abstract Thursday.  He and his mate looked rather surprised - and probably thought “What a strange lady!” but responded, “No, it’s glue on the back of a sign to go on the wall!!  That will teach me to ask silly questions!

We decided NOT to go on the big wheel - as we both agreed that it looked as if it was balanced on straws and anyway, we thought it wasn’t a good idea after our fish and chip lunch!

I think the funniest thing - and we have laughed so much together today - was when we got into the car park and Chris said as she looked at the sign above the abstract, “Is this where we pay?”  Two men who were just in front of us couldn’t stop laughing when she said that and when we got nearer, we saw that it said “This machine offers a FREE Sexual Health Test” - needless to say, we did not hang around and they probably wondered what we were on!

Chris kindly took me back to the station and drove off on her way home to Exeter and text me at 6.40 to say she was safely home.  Sadly the train I was due to catch, which would have been great, because there were no changes, was cancelled because of signalling issues at Paddington, so I didn’t get home until just after 8 o’clock, but that was fine because Mr HCB was home after a good day at cricket, so collected me from the station. 

Both Chris and I have agreed we mustn’t leave it so long before we meet again and had we been nearer to the sea, we might have said that this word described the sound it makes!

ONOMATOPOEIA - 12 letters
The use or creation of a word that phonetically imitates, resembles, or suggests the sound that it describes.

P.S.  I didn't wear my new metallic pink trainers, because I thought I would be walking along the beach and didn't want the sand and sea water to spoil them!