A bell pic seems fitting for a post calling "time" on my seaside sojourn. This one is made out of shells I found at Kimmeridge at the beginning of the week: limpet shells in varying sizes all with holes at the apex of the shell and a handful of top shells also with holes at their apex for the clapper. It doesn't ring of course although I like the idea that perhaps when I am not looking or listening, it sings a faint sea-peal of waves breaking and retreating and somewhere at the heart of that peal is the secret chuckle of sea water entering rock pools again as the tide turns in, as it faithfully will, day in day out, summer and winter, autumn and spring, whether I am there or not.
Anyway it's time to leave the sea - I shall miss it a lot - to put holiday-mode on one side and to return to normal life.
Always difficult after a break. But one of the great joys of this blogging lark is that for the first time I feel my holiday is still there, waiting to be revisited and re-experienced in the posts of this week. Holidays are, by definition, not for ever, but half their benefit is looking forward to them, half is enjoying them and half again is looking back at them. And yes, I know that makes three halves! But somehow I don't want thirds, I want three halves here! And as you may already have gathered in these pages, Mrs T's relationship with mathematics is "interesting"!
There are of course things to go back to that are tedious and uninviting but there are also things I will be pleased to resume. And as the Chinese writer Lin Yutang once wrote, "No one realises how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow." I always try to think in my mind's eye of a list of things, some of them may be very little things, that, on returning home from however good a holiday, I will be pleased to encounter. Helps the transition from holiday to normality a lot I find.
Today's list includes in no particular order:
1 Replicating seaside ice cream cones at home (can't replicate the seaside but the cones, chocolate flakes and homemade ice cream are all possible)
2 Using the sea images and colours that have been floating in my head this last week to inspire a new piece of hooky (or possibly knitting, if kept very simple!)
3 Picking up the threads with friends and family again
4 Having been much more active this week than I am usually, keeping that up - I need to, as I'm far too sedentary, if I'm not careful, in my normal routine
5 H still has over a month of summer holiday left so doing some holidayish summery things at home
6 Having the refreshed and rebalanced perspective for work that being away always brings
7 Seeing my dahlias flower
8 Picking blackberries - the blackberry season is late this year because of all the bad weather earlier in the summer but come the end of the month, blackberry time will hopefully be here again which is good news for this household
Anyone else do this on the eve of returning home from holiday? I'd love to know what your list includes.
Finally I want to say a big thank you and send a hug to all those of you who have kept me company in the last week, reading and / or commenting here. It's been so lovely and has meant a lot to Mrs T to write her meanderings with your company. Normal and less meandery service will now be resumed (although not on a daily basis, I fear, once work gets a hold again!)
With love to you from the sea
and Mrs T
I think you're right, I often think the anticipation of a holiday is right up there with the holiday itself....we are going away in the middle of December and my boys can't stop planning what they will do, even though it's so long to go. I like to give my house a huge tidy before we go, and then when I get home go in and appreciate how lovely my house looks...it doesn't often while having three boys helping....like someone said, it's like brushing your teeth while eating Oreos.
ReplyDeleteI have enjoyed your beachy posts, and I'm looking forward to seeing your beach inspired wooly projects.
It's been great to read and to see. I completely get that some of the joy in travel is the getting home. And I ALWAYS list-compile on holiday. Usually that's when I decide to completely overhaul myself and re-invent my persona ha ha. x
ReplyDeleteSounds like a fabulous holiday and who knows, maybe you'll even have some interesting post when you get home?! I always hope for non-bill type things! x
ReplyDeleteI've never made a list like that, but what a great idea and certainly one to emulate, although since we moved here I don't find coming home again after time away as hard as I used to. But what a marvellous holiday you look to have had, that must have been hard to leave behind.
ReplyDeleteI always go home with a renewed desire to spruce up things around the house and yard, and make it all more 'welcome-y.' The trick (for me) is to keep that desire moving forward and not letting it get buried under the minutiae of the daily duties. I loved your vacation vicariously :)
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you enjoyed your holiday Elizabeth. Reading your posts daily, in "real time", I felt like I'd had a peek of the Dorset coast too, which I enjoyed immensely. I like your list of things to bring back home. Mine would include just being more peaceful with the kids and being less distracted by housework, errands, etc. Not sure how I achieve that, though!
ReplyDeleteI've really enjoyed the posts this last week - you have been busy on your holiday. My favourite thing was the sand art pies - definitely an activity for our next trip to the in-laws by the sea in a few weeks. I love the fact that you have used the seashore to inspire your creativity, and I like what you said about the joy of holidays. One of my favourite quotations, along similar lines although not so erudite (being from The Clangers !) is "It's always lovely to have visitors, and even nicer when they go home". There is nothing like being in one's own little nest. Judy.
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