Friday 6th – Monday 9th August

Surprise! I know, I can’t believe it either but, even though I’ve had a week with them already, I’m invited to join part of Em, Teddy and Stanley’s holiday at the flat in Southbourne, near Bournemouth.

Friday 6th August

I couldn’t travel down with them in the car as I had an appointment this morning, but I’m on my way by train. Below, the weather forecast and my suitcase with cagoule at the ready. Unfortunately a teenage girl was taken ill and the train had to stop for a while; the guard brought the girl and sat her across the aisle from me. He was so kind to her – a quiet hero.

I’ve arrived! Let the jollity begin – uh oh, Stanley needs a feed! How am I going to reach that cuppa?!

We’re off to the beach – Ted looking cool and super beach-ready!

I took Ted to the loo in the café at Mudeford; there was music playing and he began to dance in the hallway bringing great joy to an older lady watching him.

The plan is to have a fish/sausage and chip supper from The Lobster Hatch (takeaway) at The Noisy Lobster restaurant https://avon-beach.noisylobster.co.uk at Avon Beach. There was a bit of a queue, no worries, I joined the queue while Em found a picnic bench on the beach. Only when I got to the front after about 40 mins and ordered our food did I realise there was yet another group of people standing to the side around tables to which your takeaway food would be delivered …….. eventually. I guess it was about an hour and a quarter in all! Not to worry, the food was freshly cooked, delicious and to be highly recommended/re-visited.

Afterwards, some time for Teddy to play in the park …….. Stanley a little tired by now; his first real late night!

Saturday 7th August

Yay, a sunny day after all and we can see the sea from the flat.

We are off to the Tank Museum at Bovington https://tankmuseum.org. My brother will be ‘well-jel’!

Ted spent a lot of time asking where the play area was! But what was fascinating to me was that he was much more interested in the First World War exhibit which was quite dark and scary with trenches, dummy soldiers, gun fire, sounds of soldiers speaking etc., than he was in the actual tanks.

After dressing up and a pretend ride on a quad bike of a type used in Afghanistan, we had lunch an exciting spell for Ted in the soft play. This was followed by a mad rush around to get tickets for Ted and Em to get the last ride of the day outside in an M548 tracked vehicle – called Betty – noisly driving up and over mounds, through mud etc. Ted was a bit of a squeeze on the height restriction!

Dinner out – at least the second restaurant we found was open and let us in! The first, Harvester’s Cat & Fiddle at Hinton Admiral was closed as they’d been pinged with COVID-19 outbreak. The Somerford Beefeater https://www.beefeater.co.uk/en-gb/locations/dorset/the-somerford was fine. The waiter was very helpful in getting us a table, a highchair and he was fun with Teddy. Things are still tricky, but at least we got to eat out on a busy Summer holiday evening.

Sunday 8th August

Today it is Southbourne’s annual Shake & Stir Vintage Festival by the Sea https://www.shakenstirfest.com. We walked from the flat in strong winds, stopping at a Costa en route. Even with our lovely trip to the Isle of Wight, this event felt to me like COVID-19 was on the way out (ho ho ho!). Local people and holidaymakers had come out, gathered together chatting with each other, having drinks, being ‘normal’ and, the best bit, dancing to the live music on the paths and grass in front of the bandstand. It was a best bit!

Teddy made some great dance moves (I’ll save those videos until he’s older!) and had his face painted.

We left the ‘party’ and, after a picnic lunch in the sunken garden, strolled back towards the sea front. It was still pretty windy, but we’d promised Ted time in a park. Avoiding public baby change areas as much as possible, Em decided to change Stanley in the lee of the pushchair as the winds batted both us and our stuff around. Holding on to Teddy’s balloon became a full time mission. I do not believe it survived!

We then took the Fisherman’s Walk Cliff Lift https://www.bournemouth.co.uk/things-to-do/fishermans-walk-cliff-lift-p1565193 down to beach level and treated ourselves to ice creams/lollies, huddling in a corner of the outdoor café to stop our spoils blowing away!

A list and a mission to go to Tesco …….. until we realised it was Sunday and it was too late. So I chilled in the lounge while Em went to the Co-Op, did some washing, cleaned up, prepared the food and everything! Then bath night together for the boys and a story read to Ted.

Boys are asleep and we had a grown-up dinner and chat. A lovely day.

Monday 9th August

Anyone seen Teddy this morning?!

My last day and we are off to the beach, just a short walk around the corner. It is a very attractive beach but it is pretty windy, even on a normal day. Today was a windy day!

A quick stop at the flat to try to get the sand from between my toes before my journey home. Everyone else waited with the car.

A disappointing late-lunch at Stewart’s Garden Centre https://www.stewarts.co.uk, the main attraction of children’s exciting choice of lunch having been dropped, all hot food finished so cake alone remained.

Em took me back to Christchurch station for my journey home. Shortly after saying farewell and arriving on the platform, it was announced that, due to an ‘incident’ just down the line, my train was delayed by what turned out to be an hour. At least it did eventually turn up and it simply gave me more time to think about my lovely mini-break in Southbourne.