Take time to Reflect

Saturday 10th August

A very early start! The alarm woke us at 5am and Robbie seemed unusually keen to get out of bed. I snuggled back under the duvet for a minute or two, listening to him trotting around getting ready for the day. The ritual of packing the rucksack is a time consuming and from my point of view irritating procedure. Everything has to be taken out of the bag, checked and then packed back into the rucksack in the correct place, then additional items will be added according to the occasion. Throughout this process Robbie provides a running commentary on each item, presumably this is for his own benefit as it is of no interest at all to me. The result is that his newly packed rucksack weighs a ton and contains equipment to deal with every conceivable railway emergency as well as personal essentials. 

I could hear Robbie reciting the contents of his rucksack to himself in the other room so I took the opportunity to beat him to the bathroom. Before long Robbie was showered and ready for the day's adventure and we headed in the direction of North Walsham. He was going to play trains for the day, he likes to do something that he refers to as the drags when we are in Norfolk. By 8am I had delivered him to the station and I was safely back at the bungalow enjoying a nice cup of tea.

I decided to take a drive to Stalham to do a bit of shopping. I bought some lovely treats from the Truly Local shop, strawberries for Robbie, raspberries for me, bread, bread rolls, and tomato focaccia. I popped into a table top sale in the church hall and I bought myself a necklace from a handmade jewellery stall, I really like it, it's made of colourful glass beads with tiny little flowers within the glass. I went back to the bungalow to put the food away and then I took a drive to  Mundesley, it was lovely to enjoy the beach and the sunshine. I had a little look at the shops and sat in the sunshine for a while, then I went to the beach cafe for some lunch. I never tire of the beach cafe, the food is beautifully cooked, the portions are generous and the views across the beach are wonderful. I had fish and chips, it was lovely but it was such a large portion that I couldn't manage to eat it all.

I spent a quiet afternoon back at the bungalow, enjoying the sunshine and catching up with some writing. Robbie sent regular updates throughout the day, his second text of the morning was just one word "Farce!!!" apparently things hadn't gone exactly to plan. Robbie is never deterred for long and he scraped his timetable for the day in favour of Plan B which among other things involved a trip to London. I suppose it is all route knowledge and if it floats his boat why should I stand in his way. I picked him up at 9.45pm. The road from North Walsham to Walcott has lots of twists and turns and at that time of night it was pitch dark, so we took a gentle drive back. On the way I became aware of two sets of eyes at the side of the road and there were two deer looking out at us from the undergrowth. They stood still at the side of the road as we passed, it was a very special moment.

'It inspires me, the sea, the limitless skies, the mud and the burning sunsets and the freedom of a place where more than 50% of the neighbours are fish.' - Raffaella Barker

Thursday 8th August

We'd planned to go to Cromer today, but it was such a beautiful morning that we decided that Cromer could wait and we would enjoy the sun and the beach. This is what I dream of all year, the luxury of time, freedom from routine and the peace and tranquility of the Norfolk coast. The huge Norfolk sky reaches down to touch the sea and rhythmic sound of the waves rolling on to the beach and the cries of sea birds are the mood music of the day.

We walked on the beach. I splashed in the surf and looked at the beauty of the sea washed pebbles glistening in the sunshine while Robbie took photos. The beach is a lot lower this year, it is a long time since I can remember the sand being this low. The beach is different every time we come, the level of the sand changes, sometimes as now the tide leaves pools behind at the back of the beach. My children loved the pools when they were little, and seeing the beach like this again brings back so many memories. 

We sat in the garden all day, enjoying the sunshine, reading and relaxing. I wrote all my postcards and caught up with one or two other bits and pieces of writing too. Despite the factor 50, I still managed to catch the sun a little bit, I have stripes on my legs because I was wearing shorts so I will have to try and even it out in the next few days

'The Norfolk landscape sends a shiver through my soul....' - Raffaella Barker

Tuesday 6th August

The picture shows the view from our back gate this morning. It is such a lovely day that I would have been happy just to wander on the beach or sit in the garden. However we had a couple of errands to do so we decided to sneak another trip to the Beach Cafe as well. I love it there, it was absolutely packed today but the food was excellent and the service was exceptional. 

As we ate our lunch I watched the people on the beach, the children with buckets and beach toys playing in the pools left by the tide and paddling in the sea and the parents keeping a protective eye on their little ones. It took me back to when my children were little, they loved the beach and they loved to play in the pools left behind by the tide. In one way it seems as if I have blinked and they are all grown up, but at the same time it feels as if it was a lifetime ago because so much has happened in our lives since then.

We went to Stalham for the errands I mentioned and on our way back to the car we found a fantastic little shop called Truly Local. If you are ever in Stalham it is well worth a visit. All the produce is sourced from a 35 mile radius of Stalham and the quality is obvious. We had a bit of a spending spree, we bought some beautiful strawberries, cream, strawberry jam, marmalade with whiskey (for Robbie), tomato focaccia, tomatoes (for me), goat burgers (for Robbie) and a couple of local beers Grain Brewery's Blonde Ash and Hare of the Dog by the Why Not Brewery (also for Robbie!). He wanted to buy some squirrel meat too (apparently it is very popular) but we are on holiday and I really don't want to mess around making a casserole. We were told that it tastes like rabbit and you cook it in much the same way. I don't eat rabbit and I really don't have a burning desire to try squirrel, but Robbie seems to have other ideas! We will certainly go back to Truly Local while we are in Norfolk, I wish we had a shop like this at home.

“Voyage upon life's sea, To yourself be true, And, whatever your lot may be, Paddle your own canoe”

Saturday 3rd August

The alarm woke me, I could so easily have turned over and gone back to sleep but I wanted to make an early start. I have looked forward to this holiday for so long and I want to make the most of every single minute. Surprisingly 'Sleeping Beauty' got up willingly and trotted off to make a cup of tea.

Usually Robbie finds every possible reason to delay us, but to my surprise we were packed and ready to go by 9am - perhaps the promise of a brief stop at Mc Donald's to get some breakfast helped to focus his mind. I am not a great fan of Mc Donald's but their hot chocolate is very nice as an occasional treat. Dave the cat was in a very bad mood he turned his back on me, refused his breakfast and wouldn't even acknowledge me when I said goodbye to him! Poor Dave, he hates it when we go on holiday but I'm sure My daughter will take good care of him.

I'd already had firm words with Robbie about the Sat-Nav. Last time we went to Norfolk he upset it and the poor thing lost the plot, it was a case of train planner v Sat-Nav and we almost ended up in a field! This time I'd had a good look at the map and I was determined that neither of them should lead me astray. Robbie did very well really, I was somewhat alarmed when I glanced across and noticed that he was using a Quail map but apparently he was just trying to identify a disused level crossing!

We made good time and arrived in Mundesley in time to enjoy lunch at the Beach Cafe, the food there is fantastic, I love going there. Robbie had his favourite lifesaver breakfast and I had fish and chips, it was lovely, beautifully cooked, and such a large portion that I wouldn't want anything else to eat that day! After a couple of hours in Mundesley we took a gentle drive towards Walcott, picked up the key and then at long last we were at the bungalow - I have been looking forward to this for so long, I love this place.

The car was unpacked, everything was put away, and before long it was just like home, our sanctuary for the next two weeks. At last we could relax, enjoy the sunshine and leave the worries of the world behind for a couple of weeks. The view from the back garden is awesome, just sand, sea and sky as far as the eye can see - it certainly helps to put things into perspective! 

Time To Go Home .........................

Saturday was a bright sunny morning, we didn't need to rush as we had until noon to pack up and leave the bungalow. Usually at the end of a holiday it feels rushed and chaotic but not this time, we were relaxed and organised and it didn't take too long to get everything packed in the car and to leave the place looking spotless. I had time to take one last look at the beach and to say a reluctant farewell to the sea. I have spent so many happy times there and some heartbreaking times too, it seems as if I have a very special connection to Walcott.

It must have been about 11am when we drove away from the bungalow. It was a scorching hot day, and I was looking forward to having brunch in Mundesley before heading home. The car park at Mundesley was filling up fast and there was a long queue for the pay and display machine, so while Robbie got the ticket I put the reflective sun screens across the front windows of the car so that the steering wheel wouldn't be 'too hot to handle' when we got back. 

We had a lovely meal and (in my case) a very good pot of tea at the Beach Cafe. It was a nice way to end our holiday. Afterwards we sat and looked out across the beach at everyone having fun and enjoying the sunshine. To be honest it was too hot for me, I don't cope very well with heat and there was no breeze. I decided that it was time to hit the road so that the air conditioning in the car could cool us down. Robbie thought it would be better for us to take the scenic route - which just happens to take us past the North Norfolk Railway! When we got to Holt he asked to spend some time at the railway, but I think we both knew that it was time to bid a fond farewell to Norfolk.
We had a good journey home and we stopped off at my mum's for a cup of tea before going home. Mum is still not feeling too well, but she is making progress.

A Day in Cromer

We decided that we would get up early on Monday and drive to Cromer. The early bit didn't quite work out as planned, the Norfolk air must be getting to Robbie because he has lost all sense of urgency. Even when he'd had his shave and shower, he took an age to get dressed, then when he was finally dressed he put his shoes on in slow motion - how long can it possibly take to put two shoes on!

When we got to Cromer Robbie found a hotspot and he took the chance to upload a lot of photos to Facebook. Mobile phone and internet  reception in Norfolk leave a great deal to be desired, so Robbie was determined to make the most of the hotspot - while I waited! We enjoyed wandering around Cromer, but Robbie kept vanishing, one minute he would be next to me then I would turn around to see him darting off to take yet another photo of a bus. They all look the same to me, but I don't tell Robbie that otherwise he would explain the differences in far more detail than I could cope with.

We enjoyed looking at books and jigsaws in Jarolds and our favourite book shop behind the church. We bought one or two things but we were quite restrained by Robbie's standards. It was another lovely warm, sunny day so we strolled towards the sea front. I must have taken countless photos of the pier over the years, but I couldn't resist taking more because it really is a splendid pier. When we had seen all we wanted of Cromer we drove back to Walcott in time to stroll on the beach and enjoy the garden.

Delaying Tactics

The alarm roused us at 5.30am and by the time Robbie emerged from the shower I had the car packed and I thought we were ready to hit the road – we weren't!  Still in a state of undress, Robbie decided that this was the moment to catalogue his Hornby magazines. I must be mellowing because instead of wanting to harm him I smiled indulgently at him sitting in the middle of the lounge floor like an eccentric garden gnome surrounded by magazines. I took the time to check through my packing list once more to make absolutely sure that we had not forgotten anything. 

Eventually we were ready to go but Robbie demanded a diversion via Mc Donalds to pick up some breakfast for him (I would rather starve than face that first thing in the morning). Finally we were on the road when Robbie startled me by shouting out to express his pleasure about something.  I was confused because we were nowhere near the railway line so he couldn't have seen a train, apparently his whoop of joy was because his sausage egg and cheese bagel had been constructed in the correct order. Oh well whatever floats his boat.

Despite Robbie’s delaying tactics we were early enough to get a good run and soon after 11am we were in Walcott. It was a beautiful day and we had a lovely relaxed lunch at the Beach Café in Mundesley, looking out across the beach. After all that had happened in the last week or so it was hard to believe that we are finally here with two whole weeks of freedom stretching ahead of us. We drove back to Walcott and set about unpacking. At last everything was put away, we were both exhausted and we had a very early night.

A Reluctant Farewell

I was awake very early on Saturday morning, I had to get up early but I woke even earlier. I went over and looked out of the window and saw the first silvery light of the sun rising over the sea. In the garden the bats were circling and I watched fascinated, I had never seen them flying in the early morning before. All too soon I had to drag myself away and attend to the pressing matters of real life. Before long I was washed and dressed and getting on with packing all the luggage into the car and cleaning and tidying the bungalow. Robbie took a few minutes to walk along the coast path to the shop to buy a paper and he took a lovely early morning photo of the beach.

Finally everything was packed into the cars and the cleaning was done. Robbie and I left mum and David and set off for Mundesley for a much loved breakfast at the beach cafe. We made a brief stop at the shop for Robbie and as I sat in the car looking at the sea I noticed that the gulls sitting on the groynes, they looked almost as if they were sitting in formation.

As I looked at all the familiar sights of Mundesley I couldn't help wondering when we would be back and how many things will have changed by then. After a delicious breakfast we returned to the car and drove back past Stow Mill, then Bacton and on through Walcott, we passed the shop, the bungalows and the beautiful church. Then on passed the turn to Happisburgh and a final glimpse of the lighthouse. Further on towards Stalham passed the now harvested fields and the familiar village signs. A series of reluctant farewells, then on to the wider and faster roads that would lead us home. 


We had a good journey traffic wise, but for me there was a feeling of sadness. We seemed to be leaving the summer behind us and heading back to face the worries and uncertainties of real life. There is one good thing about getting home, I love my own bed! 

All Good Things Come To An End

We are not going home until Sunday, but Saturday morning found me packing up most of our belongings and cleaning the bungalow as my mum and step father were coming to start their holiday. Every year i promise myself that we will take much less, but every year we break that promise. We were so busy before we came to Norfolk that packing was a rather hit and miss affair, but how did Robbie mananage to bring 28 Tshirts with him, did he seriously think he would wear two Tshirts every day? In reality he has only worn a handful of his favourite tops, because I have washed them so that he could wear them again.

Finally we were all packed up and the bungalow was clean and shining so we could get on and enjoy the day. Robbie was in a lot of pain and it was making him lose patients with his jigsaw, so I did a bit for him - it is so hard but I was determined that we would get it finished. I didn't do very much because Robbie took over again to finish it, it looked fantastic when it was completebut after taking a photo we had to break it up and pack it away.

we went down to the beach because I wanted to take some photos and as we stood there looking out across the beach a seal popped up directly in front of us, within seconds he was gone again, but for the next few minutes he kept popping up and then vanishing again. Robbie and I watched until he swam away along the coast. It was a very special way to mark our last day in Norfolk.

When we went to bed Robbie got me up to look out of the window at the moon and it's silver reflection on the sea -he can be romantic after all, he just hides it well!! 

My connection to the earth is reinforced through the rhythm of the waves - Mike Dolan

It was another lovely sunny day. I was up before before Robbie and I wandered out into the garden and stood looking over the gate at the waves lapping up the beach. It was a very special because it is rare that I have the time to just stand and enjoy the moment without having to dash off to do something more important. The most precious thing about coming to Norfolk is being able to take time to do nothing and to recharge my batteries.

By the time Robbie emerged to face the day I had already done some washing and hung it out, and been for a walk along the beach. The tide was in so there wasn't much beach but I like to look at the beautiful colours and shapes of the sea washed pebbles and with the sun shining on them they almost sparkle. A percularity of this beach are pebbles with holes worn all the way through, I am not sure why it happens, but when the children were young a friend told us that they were special because the ones with holes all the way through are wishing stones.I still look out for them, I need all the wishes I can find and it brings back happy memories of collecting shells and pebbles with the children.

We were happy to stay at the bungalow to enjoy the sunshine and the luxuary of time, it was a lovely relaxing day. We popped out to Stalham briefly in the afternoon to get milk and a few other bits and bobs and then back to the bungalow to enjoy a nice quiet evening, just us and the bats - they really are amazing. The sunset was amazing too, it looked as if the sky was on fire, there is nothing quite like a Norfolk sunset.

The sea hath no king but God alone - Dante Gabriel Rossetti

We had a beach day today, it was lovely. The sun was out, there was a gentle breeze and the only cloud on the horizon was the man next door. The sight of him in Speedos (again!) was more like a total eclipse than a cloud but we did our very best to ignore him. The beach stretches on as far as the eye can see, so when we went down to the beach and spotted him in the sea we took a brisk walk in the opposite direction and we found a nice section of beach all to ourselves.

Robbie sat and watched while I wandered around taking photographs. He was enjoying the sun and for the very first time this holiday he allowed me to take a photo of him. He is very unhappy with his hair at the moment because he was so busy before we came away that he didn’t have time to have his hair cut. Hopefully we will put that right in the next few days .


This evening we popped into Tesco for some milk, but Robbie really struggled to walk around the shop, the pain was almost beyond endurance and it has continued to be really bad all evening. He tries so hard not to make a fuss, but you can see that he hardly knows how to move. I wish I could do or say something to make him feel better, but it is usually better to say very little and not to make a fuss, the last thing he wants is sympathy. He will have to go back to the doctor when he gets home, he can’t go on like this.

Know, first, who you are; and then adorn yourself accordingly - Epictetus

Why do I have to wake up at 6am when I am on holiday? The things I do for a quiet life! Robbie absolutely had to go out at the crack of dawn to play trains, so I had to get up and take him to the station. The journey to the station at North Walsham is very pleasant if you have time to get there, but as always Robbie cut it rather fine so I had a stressful drive to the station. All was well in the end, he caught the train and I had a whole day to myself.

We had been promised a nicer day today - so it rained! I wouldn’t have minded so much if it had rained from the start, but it waited until I had hung all my washing out and then it rained. The rain didn’t last too long, before long it was replaced by sunshine, so I was able to get the washing dry after all.

Unfortunately the sunny afternoon brought unexpected perils. The chap who lives next door is rather difficult to like, he is thoughtless, noisy and always so pleased with himself. I have no idea why he feels so smug, perhaps he doesn’t possess a mirror, he has what my mum would call ‘a face to go ratting with’ and the body of a Moomin. I didn’t notice him when he went off for a swim but when he and his cronies came back from the beach the full ‘glory’ of his outfit was unmissable. Somehow he had poured himself into speedos! To add insult to injury he cavorted around the garden in just his speedos for the rest of the afternoon. Honestly, it shouldn’t be allowed, that man is a danger to shipping!

Robbie had to be picked up from the station at North Walsham and he chattered on and on about his day on the railway. I just can’t make him understand that I am not really interested, but Robbie has a knack of giving far too much information and not just when it comes to trains! The main thing is that he’d enjoyed his day. When we got back we had a nice walk on the beach and then a lovely quiet evening, the sea looked beautiful tonight, it was almost silver in the moonlight.

Enjoy the little things, for one day you make look back and realize they were the big things - Robert Brault

Today has been a day of noticing small things that I would usually be too busy to notice. To be strictly accurate something not quite so small nearly came to public notice this afternoon, but more about that later.



It was a nice morning, sunny but breezy, not a chilly breeze, a warm comfortable breeze. Robbie had missed his mouth and spilled coffee on his pale lemon coloured T-shirt yesterday, so I soaked it overnight and washed it out this morning. Robbie grumbled when I asked him to hang it out on the line, he was missing the tumble dryer, but having time to line dry clothes is one of the pleasures of Norfolk for me. Robbie spent the morning spotting ships (or perhaps they are called boats I am not sure) from the lounge window while I was fascinated by the t-shirt dancing in the breeze, it was dry within a couple of hours and so and it didn’t even need ironing!

Robbie’s excitement about ship spotting gets a bit exhausting after a while, so I left him with his binoculars and wandered down to the garden gate to look out across the sea. The sky seems to stretch on forever and the power of the sea can’t be ignored even on a fairly calm August morning, but then as I looked down at the rough grass by the gate and I spotted a ladybird scurrying about doing whatever ladybirds do. It reminded me to appreciate the beauty in small things as well as the more obvious things.

After lunch we went to North Walsham in search of razor blades for Robbie. Until now he has worn shorts, but he decided that jeans were the order of the day for a trip to North Walsham. He was dressed and ready to go when he discovered that he had not packed his belt. I thought it would be OK but as soon as we started walking around it became clear that it was only a question of time before his jeans fell down, he kept stopping to hoist them up, but it did no good. We had to buy a new belt to preserve his modesty. Ok I know modesty is not a word that most people would associate with Robbie, but you know what I mean. Even in North Walsham he found time for a bit of bus spotting – he never gives up!!


Robbie took a lovely moody picture of the sea as he walked along the coast path this evening, being here overlooking the beach really makes me appreciate the beauty of the world around me.

Back to Norfolk

My mum and step father (David) had asked us to go back to Norfolk for an overnight stay on Friday to help them with the packing and to bring their larger items of luggage home. David is feeling very frail at the moment because he has kidney cancer and he is a awaiting an operation to remove his kidney, so things that he used to do easily now leave him feeling totally exhausted. We were pleased to be able to help, so late on Friday afternoon we drove back to Walcott. As well as packing and loading the car we found time to take an evening walk by the sea, it was lovely, there is something so special about that place.

We were up early the next morning, to get the final cleaning and packing done, before long the car was packed, and Robbie and I took one last walk by the sea. The beach has changed so much in the last couple of weeks and some of the bungalows already have their shutters up ready for the winter. I wish I could turn back time to keep the summer and have our fortnight in Walcott ahead of us again. Reluctantly we said farewell to the bungalow and drove away from Walcott - but we only went as far as Mundesley. We parked the car and walked down to the beach to sit in the sunshine looking out at the sea and just enjoying being together. Then we went for breakfast at the cafe before heading home.

My Favourite Holiday Photos

What Norfolk Means to Me - by Robbie

There comes a point when even 'Robbie' needs a holiday and to me Norfolk is my sanctuary. Open sea, long deserted beaches, and flat expanses of land as far as the eye can see. Even if the weather is not so wonderful I still love it, but to me it is one of the only times of the year when I can spend some REAL family time. Not worrying about my train being late, not worrying if I forgot to send that email to Network Rail.....just 'us' time!

Addiction 20.08.07

Today, I found out the extent of my mother's blogging addiction, I found a letter in the letter box, containing a CD's worth of blog installments and instructions! What has become of postcards I wonder?! I'm now following orders by posting the entries she sent:

Saturday 11/8/07 Tell Them The War is Over

The alarm clock woke me ridiculously early; why does going on holiday involve so much hard work? As well as dealing with the last minute packing, and getting everything stowed safely into the car, I had to hand over the blog to Emily who is going to look after it while I am out of reach of the internet. If the wonders of snail mail permit I may be able to send some blog entries to her from Norfolk.

We started out much later than planned so the traffic was fairly busy, but the journey wasn't too bad. Robbie was a little put out that his services as navigator were not required - been there got the T shirt! Just to make him feel wanted I let him take me on a minor detour, but not until we were so close that he couldn't do too much harm.

I have become very fond of Norfolk and I always look forward to our time at Walcott, but I wish someone would tell the powers that be that the war is over! There is really no need to have such confusing road signs in peace time; there are plenty of road signs the problem is that they contradict each other and I am sure a number of visitors spend their holiday driving round in circles without ever reaching their destination.

I am pleased to report that we reached the bungalow without any problems. It was a lovely sunny day and as soon as the essentials had been unpacked we sat outside on our new loungers enjoying a well deserved cup of tea.

Holiday Time 04.08.07

There is just a week left before we go on holiday to Norfolk. I am really looking forward to it because it is so quiet and relaxing. The bungalow that we stay in is lovely, not especially modern, but it feels so good to be there. The back garden leads straight down to the beach and we can sit there and admire the amazing Norfolk skies and beautiful sunsets. A couple of years ago we saw a rainbow like a thick column reaching straight up fro the sea to the sky. Strictly speaking it wasn't a rainbow, there is another name for it, but to me it was a straight rainbow. It certainly makes you appreciate the world in a different way than when you are cooped up in the town with all the buildings around. At home you hardly notice the sky and you forget how small and insignificant you are in the grand scheme of things.

One of Sam's favourite holiday activities over the years has been bat watching. As long as it is not too windy there are quite a few bats flying around at dusk and when he was a bit younger he would expect me to sit outside with him for ages watching the bats. One year he had the crackpot idea of trying to photograph them or catch them on video, but they are too fast and erratic and you would need a much better camera than mine. I enjoy photography and I spend lots of time on the beach because there is always something new to see or a new angle for a photo. The picture with this post is of a butterfly that settled close to me in the garden at Walcott, it was (eventually) obliging enough to stay still while I took the photo.

It will not come as any great surprise that Robbie's favourite activities are train related. He usually goes off for a day to explore the North Norfolk Railway, this year he wants an extra day so that he can check out the Mid Norfolk Railway as well. That will not be the end of trains, we will have to go and buy a train jig saw for Robbie to do and there will be an expedition to Cromer to visit one of Robbie's favourite book shops. Then there will be at least one journey to Norwich on the train because he likes to see all the different units at the depot on the way into Norwich. With all that railway stuff to do it is an absolute certainty that he will spend the rest of the holiday talking about TRAINS!