It seems surreal to say that beach days for us are an ordinary moment. Living in Staffordshire we are pretty much as far away as you can get from a beach. Yet at the moment and for 4 whole weeks we have one within a 3 minute walk. So it is, if not just for now, an ordinary moment.
I can’t quite believe that we have been here almost a week already, our ‘not quite a holiday, not quite real life’ French adventure is already a quarter done! I actually thought I would be writing a lot, I would have lazy mornings and sunny relaxed evenings to get back to the writing that I love, to publish the posts I had half written and intended to and getting excited taking photo’s and sharing our adventures. Alas life with children is rarely that simple and in actual fact it has been pretty quiet on this blog once again.
It has been a tough week. Of course there is always the inevitable adjustments and getting over the journey when going away and with Eddy working we have had to learn to live here just me and my Little Ladies and get used to each others company 24/7 again after a year of school. But on the first day we were here, the very day I was left in a place, a country, that I don’t know or even speak the language I had a devastating phone call that we had lost my Nana and everything changed.
This exciting adjustment became a lonely, daunting one and I could easily have jumped back in the car or on a plane and flew home at that moment. The rain set in here the very same day and suddenly I was sure that I wasn’t gaining from this adventure right now and we all needed home comforts to get us through the day. The realities that I would miss the funeral and not be there to grieve and support my family did of course make for a bit of a sad start. Not exactly what I wanted for my Little Ladies and I still have this overwhelming urge to make it special for them.
Wednesday rolled around. We all felt a little brighter and the afternoon brought some well needed sunshine so we packed up and headed the short walk to the beach. The most beautiful beach. The very one we can see from the kitchen window and the children have been asking to go to every hour of the day!
We felt the soft sand underneath our feet, the warm water crash over our toes and marveled at the rocks as far as your eyes can see. We collected shells, and beautiful stones of all manner of colours, talked of the adventures we could have rock pooling and what we might find. I stopped and took in the moment with them and it was amazing. There is something so very calm about the beach and it certainly helped that day. I breathed in the sea air as I sat and watched the littlest get used to the feel of everything new and made her mind up on whether she liked it. Whilst simultaneously staring at Eva and wanting so much to be like her.
Every day since we have made that same walk and each time had different adventures and seen different things. On Friday we took a picnic and stayed past bedtime with Daddy meeting us after work, we have seen the tide come in and out from morning to night. Eva has watched in fascination as people have jumped off a platform into the sea. We have dug holes to fill with water and taught the littlest the art of sand castle making, and of not to forget the knocking them down within seconds. So many possibilities from one place.
Over the next few weeks this will stay an ordinary moment for us and I am looking forward to showing my Little Ladies that adventures come in all shapes and sizes and you can have exciting times at the end of a 3 minute walk. I think this beach will always be special because as I sit on the sand and think I look out and I know that I can stay, that I should stay and that it will be great.
xx
Linking with Katie Mummy Daddy Me for the Ordinary Moments
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So sorry to hear about your Nan and I hope you can relax a little for the rest of your adventure. Absolutely gorgeous pictures, looks heavenly! I look forward to reading more about it xx
Thank you. It is beautiful so trying to soak it all up whilst we have this chance xx
Such beautiful photos Laura and I hope you are enjoying your time in France, it certainly looks like you are. Like I said the other day, I am so sorry to hear about your Nan. I am thinking of you. x
Thank you, I am loving the beach and late light for photos. I might have too many though!! It has been a tough first week but also trying to enjoy it whilst we have this chance xx