A Spooky find On Teignmouth Beach

Nigel tells us that he had a very spooky moment on the beach of a late, great Derek Acorah (RIP) type nature, just as everyone was starting to pack up to go back to the caravan.   

He was taking Iris to wash her the sand off her feet in the sea when he just happened to look down and sitting there, as if he was meant to find it, was a holey stone.

By the tingles he felt, he  knew immediately it was a sign from Andy, Granny Shelia and Grandad Colin and Grandad Jack to let him know that they had all been looking over everyone while they had been away.

He says, the hairs on his arms (and legs) sprang up and began to prickle like there was tomorrow.  It’s been a long time since any of us have had the chance to look for holey stones and this one, he knew, was special.

Needless to say Nigel has the stone in a safe place until he gets home …… and Iris’s feet did get washed, as soon as the little fella had collected himself.  Spooky days!

Tickets Mean Prizes in Teignmouth

No trip to the seaside is complete without a little squanderment in the arcade on the front…….

…… and fortuitously, before leaving home, Nigel had had the foresight to raid our small change jar for a pounds worth of 2p’s each for Iris and Bertie to squander with unbridled holiday abandon ……….

…….. in the 2p machines in Teignmouth ………

…….. which Nigel excitedly informed me also give out tickets …….

……. and tickets mean prizes.

It soon became apparent that young Iris and Bertie quickly developed a knack of “scoring” great streams of said tickets, which, when all the 2p’s were gone, could then be excitedly exchanged at the Prize Kiosk……..

…… after a great deal of very careful consideration and deliberation on both their parts …..

….. swiftly followed by a robust game of hose the duck on Auntie LuLu …….. happy days!

Flipping Seagulls

Nigel says that when in Teignmouth beware of beady eyed seagulls ………

…… they will stop at nothing to get their greedy beaks on your  packed lunch

One glimpse of Iris’s lovingly prepared ham, tomato and lettuce sandwich ……….

…….. and, he said, you could see them waiting for the opportune moment pounce.

The poor little fella said that he was quite exhausted having had to circle Iris like something out of a John Wayne film ……..

……… shooing them away as poor Iris tried to eat her lunch……

What a hero!

A Little Hardy Perennial.

Nigel is absolutely convinced that little Miss Iris does not an “I feel cold button”……..

…… despite the sun being mostly behind a cloud and the occasional rain shower while they are away …….

……. that girl, it has to be said ……..

………. has embraced the sea!

Even when Nigel, has called her in because he could see her shivering ………

……. she never fails to plead, “…..pleeeeeeease, Uncle Nigel, just another five minutes!”

Nigel has always prided himself on his hardiness ………..

…….. but this little madam, he says has managed to beat him hands down!

Crabbing

Yesterday morning, while Lu was sorting breakfast, Nigel went for a quick look round the site to see what was occurring.

It quickly became obvious that crabbing was the order of the day ……

….. with Nigel suspecting competition was fierce and that some buckets may have even been placed along the estuary wall in the early hours of the morning in order to secure the prime crabbing spots …. and with that the little fella nipped to the shop to purchase two of their finest crabbing nets to Iris and Bertie …… the game was on.

It has to be said that young Bertie wasn’t all that keen on the idea, especially the thought of handling crabs, however a very competitive Lu quickly homed in on his net and took over, leaving Bertie to count the carriages of all the trains that passed by on the other side of the estuary……..

…….. Iris on the other hand was a demon ……

…… with every chuck of her net …….

………. she would be hauling up at least four or five crabs within minutes and on one chuck even a small fish …….

… all of which, in the end necessitated her drawing up a tally chart …

……. to prove that she was the worthy Crabbing Champion!

What is she like?

One or two crabs tried to make a break, but Iris insisted that Nigel catch them all and put them back in the bucket ……..

…….. lest there should be any need for a recount!

In the end, after the catching, 30 crabs were safely returned to their estuary home, with Iris indeed the victor ……..

…….. and bubbles, provided by Nigel as prizes, happy days.

Nigel’s Last Hurrah To The Summer

Lucy asked Nigel if he’d like to join her for a long caravan weekend in Teignmouth with Iris and Bertie, let’s just say his bags were packed before she’d even finished the sentence …….

……… and as I write, I can report that they have all arrived safely, after only having to stop four times for wee breaks on the journey……  

…….. and are now happily ensconced in caravan number 133, with it’s spectacular view over the estuary, at Devon Valley Holiday Village.

Nigel says the caravan is perhaps a tad bijoux and that he could see it being a little snug at times  ……….

…… but it has everything they could possibly need ………..

…… not that anyone was grumbling, because it was just sooooooo wonderful to be all together, by the sea, after being in meltdown for sooooooooo long …….

…. and with the world and his dog also looking for a late staycation Lucy, after many hours spent trawling the net, did unbelievably well in securing something so perfect for them all.  Nigel says he has high, high hopes for this short break.

The first order of the day, after they had decided who’s was having which bedroom and had unpacked their stuff was to go and get some proper seaside fish and chips …….

……. and nothing ever gets any better than that! 

Happy seasidey days!