Just before we left to come back home this morning, after our eighth visit, I grabbed the visitor's book to make an entry. I had a flick through and rather embarrassingly I found that most of the entries were ours. Feeling self-conscious about leaving yet another comment about our children's latest milestones, this time I got Betty to draw a picture of a fairy.
Reading my very first entry, it brought back vivid memories of our maiden visit to this cottage, when Dolly was just a few months old, and Betty was two. I was completely done in, and don't think I had had any time out from my kids for quite a while. So I would get up at 6am every morning before Dolly woke to be fed, put my trainers on, and still in my pyjamas, I would go for a brisk walk to the lighthouse and back. This little lone jaunt made me feel positively euphoric,and would set me up for the day ahead - dirty nappies, sore nipples, wipes, snacks, rattles, naps, spare clothes, baby-proofing, sterilising, and whingeing.
Now that the kids are older, I haven't felt the need to go for my early morning escapades to the headland. These days, they will mostly wake up, get themselves a cereal box from the variety pack, fight over who has the Coco Pops for half an hour, play with the pot pourri, and then go off to play with the boy they have befriended who lives next door. Meanwhile Tom and I sit in bed reading, and pray they don't tire of the robot and alien roleplay games before we've managed to finish our cup of tea.
After our first couple of visits to this cottage, I noticed several menacing-looking foxes roaming around, and so I am now more than happy for Betty, Dolly and Tom to accompany me on my walk to the lighthouse, and at a more reasonable hour. Those 6am starts, although seemingly vital to my sanity at the time, now seem like a ludicrous way to spend a holiday.
7 comments:
I bet those were very healthy wake up walks so early in the morning in all that fresh air. I can't think of a better way to start the day. Like you said, you needed them then. By the way, I don't think foxes attack human beings. xox
Hi Irene, i think you are prob right, but I am scared of all animals - and foxes do have that wicked glint in their eyes... :) x
When you like a place so much I think it makes sense to keep going back, especially when you feel so comfortable there.
CJ x
Hi CJ, I completely agree, although I do sometimes wonder what we might be missing out on elsewhere :) x
ah, but so vital when you are in the fog that is being mum to a young baby.
I used to escape to the garden when I could, when my little flower was tiny. You just need a moment to hear your own thoughts and be 'you' and not 'mum'.
I see nothing wrong with going back to the same place. Makes a lot of sense, especially when you've got kids and you know they're going to be happy and enjoy it.
We spent last week in Sussex & Kent, which isn't exactly far away (just a couple of hours or so), but I'd happily go back again.
x
I've just experienced this same vacation flashback thing myself. Last time we flew back to the UK I had a 1 year old and a 4 year old. I was exhausted the entire time and kept taking baths to carve out some alone time. Two years later, two much more manageable and self-sufficent girls and I had a great vacation.
Rather shoots the idea of 3rd child in the foot.
What about you?
I enjoyeed reading this
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