It was only for a few hours but it was certainly a very pleasant change and such a thrill to be heading for the sea again after a long damp, drizzly winter in landlocked Worcester. Despite the day starting amid a deluge of heavy rain, the weather forecast for Wales was optimistic so hubby and I set off on a two hour car ride to the coast. Undeterred by the general drabness outside I got myself comfy in the back seat with my colourful crochet installed in the passenger seat beside me. No room in the front for the both of us you see!

Always time for a coffee stop on the way. This magical beany liquid does a good job of stopping me nodding off on car journeys which means super productivity on the granny square front.

As predicted by those clever people at the Met Office, the clouds started to thin out as we crossed the border into Wales and as soon as we arrived at our destination the sun was out and shining in all it’s radioactive glory.

Yipee, all my dreams were answered! So we trotted off into town to buy some sandwiches (and some yarn of course) and then headed off to see the sea front.

I’ve been using quite a lot of variegated yarns recently for mitten knitting so these new yarns will be a good replacement for the stuff I’ve used up and will be all ready to go when I get the urge to make a few more pairs. Got to keep those stash levels in the healthy ‘full-to-bursting’ category! I made sure to buy some more ‘manly’ colourways too, as my boys are not really into the pretty pink and rainbow look… I’ll save those brighter ones for me.

Oh what a gorgeous view. I love the smell of seaweed and salt and the sound of seagulls and I love walking aimlessly along the shoreline, crunching through the broken shells and shingle, watching the boats go by.

All that Ozone makes you hungry though. Good job we got stocked up.

Time to head back to the sea wall and get munching on our goodies.

And time too, to square up a few more circles and watch the world sail by.

We follow the sun down to the waves and away from the shade of the sea wall as the afternoon gets later.

I could stay here like this forever, but of course it won’t be warm and sunny for much longer and so we move on for a final walk.

This time we head in the opposite direction and make for the pier.

Watching a big container ship heading for Cardiff is surprisingly engaging!

That’s us two nosey boat watchers on the right and a random nosey boat watcher on the left. It’s so peaceful and calming to just hang around sometimes, doing nothing much, with no particular agenda, simply making time to take in the surroundings and be fully present in the moment.

As the early evening chill starts to set in a cup of piping hot tea has the desired warming and revivifying effect as we admire the views from our new vantage point.

And then it’s time to head off home where I get to add my newly squared circles to the pile of others waiting patiently to become enough to make a blanket.

Not quite there yet, but it’s jolly good fun trying!

Now I have a bit of seaside in my latest make. I love how I’ll be reminded of all the places that I’ve been to with my blanket as it continues to grow.

As the weather get ever brighter heading on towards the summer, I’m hoping for plenty more recreational adventures to add to the blankety memory bank, each contained within a random square or two. Granted, I’m not at all likely to remember exactly which square was made where but the tapestry of my travels and travails over the next few months will all be woven in somewhere.