9 October 2010 (Saturday) - Eastbourne - Ice Creams & Fireworks


For once I didn’t have to be up early, and so had a lie in till 9am. How cool was that? Mind you if I stay in bed much longer than that I get backache. And so with ‘er indoors TM kicked out of the pit we put our new mattress into place. During the week we acquired a new mattress. It just turned up. Things like that happen in my world; over the years I’ve learned not to question this, but to go with the flow.
During the week we laid new carpet by the back door. This morning we used the off-cuts to replpace the bathroom carpet. Over the years it had got rather worn out. Mostly because of  “My Boy TMrefusing to dry himself in the bath and insisting on dripping all over the carpet. He’s been given a lesson in how to use baths and towels, and we shall see how long the new carpet lasts. Whilst we were carpeting, next door’s dogs barked and howled and screamed constantly, despite next door doing her best to shut them up. I know many of my loyal readers are dog lovers, but I really can’t see the attraction.

And then with the clans gathered we set off to Eastbourne for the annual Ice Cream Extravaganza. Normally we leave for Eastbourne fairly early to spend a couple of hours in the pub first, but a combination of economy and common sense had us leaving somewhat later so there would only be time for the one pint before everyone else arrived. And with that one pint drunk we went for ice creams.
There was a dodgy couple of minutes outside the ice cream parlour spent pulling faces at Charlotte, only to find it wasn’t Charlotte, but one of the normal people. Such is life. And then having met up with the birthday girl and the rest of our party, over a dozen of us set about ice creams. Whilst my beloved had a strawberry Pavlova ice cream, I had “Honeycomb Heaven”, followed by banana and malteser ice cream. Meanwhile “Daddies Little Angel TMwas having a “Girl Vs Food” episode which, after the second bucket of ice cream, food won (this time!).

Suitably stuffed we went for a walk along the prom. On the way we went down to the sea and threw stones in the water (and in the Rear Admiral’s mush). We found an open-air stage where I gave a rendition of “Keep Young and Beautiful”, and we had some chips. Having given myself a rather impressive guts ache from over indulgence in ice cream I had this idea that chips might settle my stomach, They didn’t. However I got to meet the nice police lady who Simon had dragged over to be photographed with me. I pretended to be my “special” identical twin, and offered the nice police lady a chip. And another chip. And another chip. She was incredibly patient with what she saw as a “special” gentle giant who was clearly on a day out from the “special” hospital. And then I realised I’d started something, and periodically for the rest of the day I would go into “special” mode and wind up the normal people. I’m not quite sure how, but I managed to keep a straight face when all around me were falling about laughing.

Having said goodbye to those who had to be home for bed time we made time for a crafty pint, then found a good place to watch the fireworks. We dragged the public benches along the sea front to where we wanted them, and then silenced the normal people who said we couldn’t move the benches by moving benches for them. Luminous flashing rabbit ears were bought and activated, a s is always the case for fireworks. And a couple of passing fit birds took a fancy to “Yours Truly” and asked if they could have their photo taken with me. I was up for that!
An old friend recently moved to Eastbourne found us, and after playing sparklers we cheered at the bonfire procession and settled back for one of the best firework displays I’ve seen in a long time. It would have been good to have stayed and checked out the beer tent, but we knew we had a long drive home.

A great day out – a shame Eastbourne is so far away…


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