Sorry, I’ve had a distinct lack of application over the last week. A lot of it is probably due to lack of sleep, followed by lack of focus. This leads to a lack of writing, and that will never do. I have written some bits but on a couple of occasions I have then fallen asleep at the computer and woken after midnight with 150 words done and nothing actually finished.
We went to the Yorkshire coast, finishing at Scarborough yesterday. Although it was open, and even crowded in places, there was a distinct lack of enthusiasm as couples with white knees exposed themselves to the weak Yorkshire sun and looked glum. I expect many of them wanted to be abroad.
Saltburn was pretty as ever, but full, as was Sandsend. We went round Whitby and called at the Botham bakery on the edge of town (the main tearoom only being open to people who book, and we hadn’t been organised enough. We had a pork pie to tide us over (it was getting a bit late by then) and bought pies and cake to eat during the week when we got home. We then drove down through then moors and had fish and chips on the front at Scarborough. They aren’t the best fish and chips, as I may have mentioned before, but it is probably one of the best sites for a chip shop I’ve ever eaten in – nestled under the cliffs and castle, and just yards from the sea.
A Botham Pork Pie – one of the best
Chips. A bit greasy, but generally OK
As I have probably said before, one of the main casualties of the virus is going to be spontaneity, as there’s a lot more booking to be done when visiting. I don’t know about you but when I’m away from work I like to relax. That means having a broad plan like “afternoon tea at Botham’s or “visit X”. It’s not about booking afternoon tea for 3.30 or visiting X by timed ticket ay 10.45.
If it had have been we would have been in trouble, because one of the engine management lights came on as we left home. The garage had a look at it for me and sorted within 20 minutes, but it was all time lost when we should have been travelling to the coast. It would not have been half as relaxing if I had had a timetable to keep to.It’s going to be along time before I get the hang of relaxing again, as I found myself getting annoyed by the alck of distancing whilst queuing for the chips. Some people just ignored the flow system and the six foot rule, even though there are a lot of signs about. Yorkshire seems a lot more concerned about this than Nottingham for instance. A lot of the people who ignored the signs had kids with them – I can only assume they are happy to bring their kids up as selfish louts.
Home via the Humber Bridge
Pingback: A Few Random Thoughts | quercuscommunity
Good photo of crossing the Humber bridge. I remember feeling very nervous the one time I went over it because it is so high and seems to go on for ever! You managed to get to a fair number of places on your day out.
Yes, though we didn’t really stop anywhere. It was a mixed sort of day – nice to see things but frustrating that we didn’t find space to stop – partly due to crowds and partly due to my bad knees.
I agree that crowds are extremely off-putting and knee pain a hindrance to any kind of enjoyment. This year we are limiting ourselves to jaunts to places where we are least likely to find crowds. We went to Norwich last week which wasn’t too crowded and managed to have lunch in a teashop without having to book. It seemed like old times! I hope your next outing is more satisfactory 🙂
I’m sure it will get easier. 🙂
🙂
Wow – you managed a fair trip round Yorkshire. Did you take any photos of Saltburn (I haven’t been there since 2012).
No. It was crowded and w couldn’t find parking. I do have some somewhere from a couple of years ago, though I doubt it’s changed much in the last 100 years.
Saltburn was crowded? (By the way, I come from Redcar, so am VERY familiar with Saltburn 😊.)
I was sure I had written more about Saltburn but I can’t find the posts – maybe I never loaded them. Saltburn is a wonderful place – if I were going to write a Golden Age mystery, it would be the perfect seaside village. You can almost imagine the Famous Five going for a visit. I’m showing my age, aren’t I? 😉
I remember the Famous Five 😊
🙂
As I’m a crazy planner type, I like booking in advance. However, even I am crazed at the things we need to book ahead.
🙂
Pingback: Out and About (A Bit) | Charliecountryboy's Blog
Pingback: A Downtrodden Man | quercuscommunity
You were probably in Scarborough the same day as me as I’ve been there and Bempton everyday this week except Wednesday. Although you didn’t mention anything about visiting apprentices on construction sites, so doubtful we would bumped into each other. Stuarts Fish and Chips are probably the best choice around here. Unless you drive to Hornsea and go to Whiteheads award winning Fish and Chip shop (they are actually very good) They are quite happy to raise selfish louts, having dealt with parents for the past 8 years, I’ve found this to be the case lol. Glad to see you out and about 🙂
Bempton seems to have been popular this week, with one of our old group and his family going too – we have it a miss because of my knees (which probably means I should have given the chips a miss too). 🙂
Yeah I was in the village and promised a friend photos of the sea. I got to the Wildlife Centre and then saw how far the walk was, she got a landscape with a bit of water on the horizon lol
I’m told the Puffins were out .Have you thought of a Puffin glove puppet? No copyright issues and a whole new world of hole-based innuendo . . .
Haha, now there’s an idea🤔🤔
🙂
That is an impressive statue in that photo.
Sleep is so important to health. Do try to get more. I know it is hard with so much to do.
Enjoy those fish & chips for me. 🙂
Yes, I must get more sleep. I meant to make it a priority last month but it faded.
Getting out does aid blogging. That is an amazing story about the Scarborough Statue, and a good pork pie is definitely worthy of attention. Good photos, too
Julia took the statue photos. I took the photo of the pork pie. I took several, actually, but most of them showed toothmarks. 🙂
🙂
At least you can get out and about now and do some people watching. 🙂 Needing to have a schedule to go where you want would definitely be hard to juggle because you never know what can happen along the way. I hope you are doing well.
It’s just a case of getting used to going out again. Having been put on medication to depress my immune system just after the original lockdown started, I became very good at avoiding people. 🙂 Hope you are doing OK. I will pop over and have a read later.
I am doing quite well, thanks!
Good to hear. 🙂
Well, it sounds as though your time off was definitely a mixed bag. In Maine, our numbers have dropped to the point where we don’t have to worry about masks and social distancing. We have begun going out and about again. It feels great, but we are keeping track of the variants I’m
If I catch it now we will have to close the shop for a week, so I can’t relax until that danger is past. I could do with a week off, but would feel guilty about losing us a week of business. 🙂
Have you been double vaccinated? (I seem to remember that both you and Julia have been, but my memory sometimes fails me.) If so, then your chances of catching Covid are quite slim.
Yes, double vaccinated, but after 12 months of avoiding people change is slow.
I thought I’d feel the same way, but nope, off I go with nary a care. Of course, I am keeping an eye on Maine’s numbers, which I’m happy to report are going down, down, down. Should they start going up, I’ll change my carefree ways quick as a wink.
🙂 Yes, a lot of it is about being alert and sensible.
Here we are being told the vaccines only protect against serious illness but that there is no protection against catching the virus. So, if you test positive you still have to self-isolate for 10 days.
I’m more and more confused as time goes on . . .
Hard not to be … after making this comment I read that the vaccine may prevent transmission. I think basically there just isn’t enough data.
In the end, perhaps the world needs to cleanse itself of humans. It’s just a shame that the nation who can afford to vaccinate are the ones making most of the mess.
Ha, yes!!
🙂