Nice, warm morning ....

26th December 2016 (Monday) ..... 08.00     We have a beautiful morning sky, at the moment the clouds, and jet trails, are a bonnie ‘oyster pink’ colour;  it looks like being a braw day .    I’m going down to Eastbourne with Emily

"JB".

and John, where we’re going to meet Jenny and “JB”.... actually I’d better get a move on... we’re leaving in an hour.    Have a lovely ‘Boxing Day’.

22.30    This has been a really pleasurable, “Full English” Boxing Day.     We went down to Eastbourne as ‘planned’.... “JB” even got the car ‘moored up’ not far from the “Eastbourne Bandstand”, which has ‘put on’ traditional English entertainment on Boxing Day for many years;  this our reason for being in Eastbourne .... not quite our only reason, but near enough.   This was England at its happiest.... I loved it.   There was a ‘refreshments’ bar nearby selling ... you know... teas/ coffees/ mulled wine and cider!    Mulled wine? .... I’d have to try that.   John had mulled cider, with “JB”, Jenny and Emily of tea.   My word, that mulled wine certainly cleared my eyeballs.     Meanwhile the entertainment began .... Morris Dancing at first,

Boxing day swimmers at Eastbourne,

followed by a band playing Rock ‘n Roll music.   Between the music, and the ‘mulled wine’ I was ready to go.... but I managed to control my dancing urge.    John, “JB” and I walked along to the ‘Pier’, and wander out to the end..... leaving the ‘girls’ to dance along to the music!  

  Eastbourne couldn’t have asked for better weather .... it was perfect:  that said, the folks that went in for the  traditional Boxing Day ‘dook’ (dip) didn’t stay in the water long!

The ‘boy’s wandered back towards the bandstand to find the ‘girls’ with glowing faces, and, having burnt off a lot of calories, well ready for the trip across the road to the Cavendish Hotel for a light lunch.

When we got back to Uckfield we went round to Leeann’s to Darcie’s(Leeann’s daughter)  birthday party (3) .... and ate some more nibbles, before heading back to

Eastbourne Bandstand.

“No 1”, where we ate more food.    Ann (Ritchie) dropped in to wish Janice and Mike “Merry Christmas”.... with Ann being known to us all, we had a real friendly ‘blether’.    Ann is a photographer and takes the most glorious photographs, .... landscape, wildlife, including macro’s of insects.... and the Moon!    It was good to see Ann again, and talk photography.

We played a board game, that demands a lot of concentration (which I’m not good at), and stretches the brain.    Janice’s brain was the maist active .... Janice won.

Eastbourne pier.

At last I feel that I am in Sussex .... it has taken five days to get acclimatized this time;  I imagine it has taken longer because it is the Festive season, when much has been ‘going on’.

Photographs : Top – “JB” ... ‘stood staunin’ at a funny angle;   this might have been caused by the mulled wine, Next – Eastbourne Bandstand,  Next – The band in the Bandstand, and Bottom – Eastbourne pier.