My Colours

Going through my photos from some months past. I'm afraid this post will include yet another granny square throw. This time in the dusty colours I feel suit me best. It was hard to give this one away.





In fact, part of my affinity for the beach near my house is that the North Sea is rarely the bright turquoise of the Med. It's main colour is a dark, almost ominous grey and only sometimes is it a greyed-blue (my favourite colour of all). On a sunny day though it can be a pale silvery blue. It tends to be whatever colour the sky offers it. 





The beige sand often has flecks of black coal in it, burning it less a tan than a taupe shade, another of my favourites.  The algae that grows on the rocks can be anything from bright green to hot pink, other colours I love, though I rarely wear them. 



One day I cycled up the coast to my knitting group and luxuriated in the ease with which I could pull up and snap a photo when the scenery demanded it.




Sometime around then my craft group decided to do a project of indigo tie-dying. 



Indigo, the colour of jeans, is another of my colours, but I've been over tie-dying since the 70s so I didn't participate.

I did admire some of their results, however.

Another Granny Square Project

This is another of my watching-telly projects for the Age UK knitting group. Granny squares really are about the easiest thing to do with yarn and I still absolutely love playing with the colours. 




About the time I was delivering this, I was trying to exercise more and so I cycled the 3 or so miles to the Comrades Club at Whitley Bay, where my knitting group meets. 







It was a gorgeous day and I couldn't resist stopping to snap a few photos. 

On the way to Whitley Bay

Being able to stop at take pictures - along with not having to pay for parking (£1.20/hour!) - are two huge advantages (not to mention the exercise of course) of cycling over driving. 


I generally drive when a) the weather is bad; b) I have loads to carry; or c) I've let myself run short of time and in many cases I find the car as much a nuisance as a convenience. 

The pier and the Priory

The ability to walk to most places I would generally need to go is now firmly in my list of requirements for a place to live - not that I plan on moving any time soon! Folks in the US - particularly the midwest - never think of this, but my experience is that it adds a lot to quality of life, having that sort of convenience and community.

Catching Up

Gosh it's been busy since we got back from Ireland! We've been to a wedding, had Bill's sister and brother in law stay with us, been to Cragside and we'll soon be going to another wedding.

Makes me look back to my afternoon with Vivien with fondness. We just walked down to the beach for a meal at Riley's Fish Shack (two shipping containers on King Edward's Bay, one for the kitchen, the other for seating.) Of course we chatted non-stop, but it was restful all the same.





It was a beautiful day, but chilly. Our food was a while coming but well worth the wait. That said, I like to be warm and comfy when I eat, so I doubt I'll ever be a major fan of Riley's. But I've long been curious about this place, so it was good to have the experience. Box ticked!

Then we called into Lola Jeans on the way back, to have a leisurely cup of tea. I love the decor there.

Tea at the Grand

Vivien - as usual - won the raffle prize at some WI function or other last year. This time it was a £15 voucher for tea at the Grand Hotel. I've mentioned this place a few times here. Since being disappointed with their service at a Christmas luncheon it's not been high on my list of places to visit. However it is a popular local venue and I find myself there occasionally more than I realised! I must admit it has met every expectation bar that one visit; perhaps I should let them off the hook?




Vivien had graciously invited me to share in her good fortune and we initially talked about going during the winter and hoping to sit in front of a roaring fire. Somehow that never happened - we're both a bit busier than we'd expected and as the expiration date was approaching we set a date.

Pamela is another member of the WI and of our craft group and not only is she about our age, she is very good company. We both wanted to know her better so Vivien invited her as well. 

It was a brilliant afternoon. Vivien and I met up early and had a wander around the Green Ginger Arcade, where the shop turnover is fairly high. That is good - always interesting new things - but also bad, as you do want to see people do well. We made some brilliant discoveries and spent so long on the ground floor we never even made it upstairs.




We met Pamela at 3.30, for our table reservation. She ran into people she knew. Turns out there is a bridge club in the area; I had no idea.

We ordered our food: a choice of four 'sandwiches' (actually crust-less slices of sandwiches), a choice of fruit or cheese scone, a choice of tea - breakfast, Earl Grey, several fruit teas. Too much choice! The cakes just came as they were, little delicacies you would find in a pastry shop. Four per person!

Beef, salmon, chicken, ham sandwiches; fruit scone with creamy butter and strawberry jam! I took my cakes home to Bill - far too much sugar for me.

We chatted for over two hours and hardly noticed the time, but for the staff cleaning up and us being the only ones left in the room. Pamela had loads of news to share with us and I'm looking forward to seeing her - and Vivien - at the next WI meeting tomorrow! (A couple of weeks ago...)

There is nothing quite as satisfying as a good visit with friends, is there?

Walk on the Beach

I hope to exercise regularly again. I've put it aside the last few months, needing that energy for major preparations for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  

A container ship approaching the Tyne.

It got put aside again when we went to Chester to help Simon and Simone move into their new house (though I would say I got plenty of exercise on those three days!).

I knew I needed to start slowly and that anything is better than nothing, so one day I managed a walk on the beach. When the tide is out and I walk all the way end to end it is about 3-3 1/2 miles. 




It is usually breezy and cold but always beautiful. I sometimes forget to appreciate how lucky I am to be so close to something this special. 

Sunny Day in Tynemouth

The weather this August has been warm for a change!  This includes sunny and bright, dull and humid and horrific rain storms. 



Any excuse to be outdoors!

I'm content so long as I get to wear sandals and leave off the long underwear.


Long Sands Beach

 

Jubilee Beacon

Monday night we were watching the great concert on TV when Bill looked at his watch and said it was time to go. 

I thought it was a fantastic venue but I'm not sure the Queen necessarily
will have enjoyed all the acts.  I think she has to tolerate a lot of
nonsense; it's part of the job.

One of the many things going on around the country was the lighting of several thousand beacons after which the Queen herself would light the last one.





As we reached the riverside, Bill commented on the large orange moon rising out of the sea. 



I noticed the sea spray on the beach at South Shields, over the river.  Also a yacht heading upstream.




These are called the light nights, but in truth they are neither light nor dark but somewhere in between.

My camera isn't good enough, or perhaps I simply lack the skill, to capture a sharp image with this level of light.  That didn't stop me pausing to take a few snaps anyway.






There were quite a few of us gathered out there, running about trying to find the beacon at The Priory.





One young man said he'd hurried down all the way from Alnwick, 

I never tire of the dramatic skies here.

about 40 miles north, to see the beacon lit. 








We knew we'd missed something when the fireworks went off across the river in South Shields, indicating they had lit their beacon. 



We were all quite disappointed when someone pointed out the tiny flame - Bill said someone lit a match -



by the Coast Guard station behind the priory. 



I just managed to get a photo by standing on top of a bench.  English Heritage and whoever else was involved in that should be ashamed of themselves. 

Love the dog watching us out the window!

The moon was amazing, however, and on our way back home we noticed someone else was having a good time at least.

Happy Diamond Jubilee

Bill and I ventured out yesterday to the Tynemouth Metro station to see the goings-on there. 

As we approached it looked like business as usual, ie a usual weekend fleamarket. 

However we had noticed that the decorations were were different and the areas under the newly refurbished glass roofing - a job that's needed done for all the years I've lived in the area - were now open. 



There was miles of bunting - each flag handmade, by
school children probably; best source of free labour ever!



There was a brass band (The North Tyneside Orchestra) playing things like Soul Man and the Blues Brothers. 

On the other side there was a hip hop band with dancers.  Later there was a local dance school doing something called Alice and Wonderland.   It seemed almost too much to keep up with.

As we walked along to the end of the platform, I remarked to Bill it was like walking off the edge of the earth - we'd never been this far along! 

We found an Indian food stand called 'Spice Hut' and a £5.00 plate was enough to fill both of us nicely.  We wished we had room for the French food next to it.  If these are the new additions to the fleamarket I can see us having lunch there on a regular basis.

There were stalls selling, but I don't think they were doing much business.

When the Concert Band was finished, another band called Sweet and Hot was ready to take over.  I couldn't get anywhere near enough to take their photo.

The announcer mentioned that Health and Safety regulations didn't allow him to encourage people to dance, but the Queen had just texted him and said she thought it might be alright if folks kept it sedate.  

Shops in the village have also decked their windows.

I remarked to Bill that the 'queen' was in fact present; I'd noticed Mayor Linda Arkley in the crowd.



Not every house, but quite a few, are decorated for the occasion.



We were told that the band would just play their numbers and if anyone wanted to know the names of the song, to just ask an 'old geezer'.  After recognizing 'My Heart Belongs to Daddy' and 'A Tisket A Tasket' I got the message. 



Loads of folks around enjoying the sunshine and the sparking blue water.



There were a few folks around us who had to make some moves and we watched them for a bit before taking a stroll around the village.



Some people actually felt it was warm enough to picnic
outside Tynemouth Castle.



It was warm in the sun (about 13 C; 55 F), but with the sharp 14 mph breeze, it was more like 10 C; 50 F.

The sea was up a bit, enough that the pier was closed.

Such is life here in the North East.  



I can't envy the people on that ship, though
no doubt they've seen far worse weather.



I gather that tonight a Beacon will be lit at The Priory (behind the castle), one of thousands around the country. 



We decided there must be a ferry docked upstream to account for
all the people around. 

We might just venture back out to see that happen.  

At some point I hope to catch up with some of the television broadcasts of various goings on in London around this DiamondJubilee celebration (I can't for the life of me remember seeing much for the Golden Jubilee - her 50th - in 2002).  We've been absorbed in other things, not least a lovely visit from two of Bill's children, Simon and Helen and her husband Martin.   I suspect had the TV been present in the sitting room I may have been tempted to keep it on, but that is the very best reason I can think of to not have the TV there.  People who come to see us deserve our full attention.

This afternoon, we are invited to a block party - only in someone's back garden, not in the street.  I'm honoured to be invited as, strictly speaking, we don't live in that street, though being on a corner, the long side of our house extends along that road.  It will be an opportunity to get to know some of the neighbours a bit better.  The last New Years Eve party at Ann & Geoff's vastly increased my opportunities for exchanging friendly waves. 

In looking for TV programmes, I've discovered a couple of websites with vaguely interesting information about the Queen:

From ITV, from ABC and, best of all (though I can't voucher for her sources), Tabitha of Bourbon & Pearls.

Have you been watching the Jubilee celebrations?