A Grand Day Out

I'm sure I have used that as a title before, but too bad. It was a grand day out, so what else do I call it?

Friday was our wedding anniversary. A rather large number of years has accumulated - not a truly noteworthy number, that comes next year, but enough, given the year we have had, to raise flags over. (Thinks - I should have got fireworks - maybe for next year?)

The DSM took a day off work, and agreed to my suggestion of a day out at the seaside. So we set off bright and early, except that the promised sunshine didn't materialise, and we actually left around midday. Ah, well. We picked up sandwiches in town, and after pootling around the lanes of Lancashire found a very pleasant rural gateway, only lightly supplied with inquisitive bullocks who were anyway safely behind a stout gate. Then on to the "coast".

This is not the sea shore that I am used to, it has to be said. But it has its own charms. First of all, we found the Lune estuary.



Move to the left upper corner of the shot and keep going, you will hit the sea at some point...... really and truly you will.

Then on down the coast to St Annes. St Annes has a pier, a rather charming Victorian one. Unfortunately, due to being now out of season, the end that is not infested with "amusements" and is open to the sea breezes was padlocked. Neither, sadly, does it have any sea underneath it. So just where do they launch their lifeboat from, then, eh?



But they do have a very nice promenade, where we sat for a while in a very staid, middleaged fashion, enjoying the late afternoon sunshine - the quality of the light really was pretty much as it is in these photos.



I liked the bandstand, too.



We then went on to Preston to an extremely nice Chinese restaurant that himself had been to with work colleagues a couple of weeks before and had a great meal.

It truly was a lovely day.

Guild was the following day, so two long days out on the trot and we are feeling that a pleasant relax today will be a good idea. The weather is cooperating, so we are even getting to sit out in the garden. The cats approve, too. Herewith some gratuitous cat photos in lieu of fibre stuff.



Sir and Neelix, or if you prefer, Sir and the DSM.....



Max's favourite way to sit.



Except when he is being an elegant china ornament in the sitting room window.

We have given up on sitting outdoors now - the lateish October chill has increased as the sun has started to dip down below the rim of the hill. It has been quite gorgeous sitting out there reading, or even chatting to neighbours, with butterflies and bees zooming all arund. We have been having a rich late flush of butterflies, and unexpected treat. There were, we think, some commas today - I was trying to get photographs, but they wouldn't co-operate.

Still, can't have everything. Hah.