Our Wedding Anniversary Trip Out

I always love an excuse to go to Whitby and a trip to the Magpie. Last Friday was our wedding anniversary, so what better place to go to celebrate than over the North York Moors and far away. But not before we had done some jobs. I armed myself with the hedge cutter. Jack to the chainsaw to get some bushes and plants cut back in the garden. Getting that done was better than getting a soppy anniversary card. As far a bunch of flowers -Jack doesnt do soppy -well that is what he says. He has been known to come in with daffodils that have bent over. Shoving the yellow heads in a milk jug in front of my desk. And it wont be the first time I have found a bunch of bluebells on the side. Whitby is only 38 miles from home and easily done in a less than an hour. Gone are the days when I could clag it there in 35 minutes. In those days there was no speed cameras. Nor was there so many cars on the road. We were lucky to take advantage of the fact parking was free until March the 1st. Despite Jack thinking we could "just park outside and nip in" we braved the winds blowing off the North Sea. We parked up near the whalebone and walked down. Walking back up wasnt quite as easy, but then we were full of fish. It was lovely to see the sea and the rolling waves. I always remember an old friend ,Peter Gascoigne-Mullet, who used to say " Whitby, my beloved Whitby". Lovely memories of Peter and our times with him at the Star in Harome. After the fire brought down the middle section of the Star last backend I immediatly wondered what Peter would have made if it all when his bedroom had gone up in flames - a replica of Ancient Egypt and its treasures. We soon got seated in the Magpie and sorry that Ian wasn't about ,but the staff looked after us very well. I had the most amazing crab pate to begin with and Jack had kippers topped off with strawberry jam and bread and butter. The jam was quite runny and I thought any minute it would land down the front of his shirt but glad to say the shirt escaped a jammy finish. Jack had a large pot of proper tea with tea leaves and master the art of catching the tea leaves very well.I stuck to my usual tipple of tap water. All too soon it was time to come home. We were too full to eat anything else and the fresh air soon had us both snoring.

Oh to be beside the sea.

Oh to be beside the sea

At times like this we all day dream of being in different places. I love the sea. These photo remind me of the last time I was there with my friend Susan .She lives on the coast so she likes to come in land . To be truthful I think we should all be grateful we are just well and ok and about to be at home.

I know a lot of my guests at the bed and breakfast like to come to stay with us . They like  the countryside views rather than looking out to sea , the wild birds singing rather than seagulls squawking. We dont have fog horns and sea frets. We have beautiful sunrising and sunsets.  We have wonderful restaurants and eating places even places thats serve up amazing fish and chips and sea food dishes...

 but I will continue to dream about going to the seaside ...to Whitby ...to the Magpie ... and eating fish that tastes as if it has just jumped out of the sea.  My last supper at the seaside when I chatting with Ian Robson and we put the world to rights.  I do hope we will meet up again before too long maybe Ian will venture over here into our territory and we will eat simple country food.
To eat with friends is the best thing in the world and what I miss the most. I eat with my best friend ever day but we both look forward to sharing our table with friends.