Beachy Barbecue

As a life-long vegetarian I have always longed after the joy that roasting meat seems to bring my fellow man. This primal urge manifested itself when I used my pocket money to buy my first barbecue at Pic-n-Save when I was twelve or so. Now that I live by the sea it seems like the most romantic thing in the world to experience the ritual at the beach as often as possible. Marinated vegetables wrapped in aluminium foil and Quorn hot dogs fit to be burnt we set the coals alight...




Du pan, du boursin, non tracteur.

Another fine carboot find.

 

Friends Buy Friends Cherries

One thing I always look forward to about summer are the mounds of cherries gifted to me by my friend Min. She finds the cheapest and juiciest cherries in London and makes sure I always get bags full. I'm not sure there was ever a more appreciative recipient.

Most things taste better when eaten out of good china.

 

 

Overdue Ordination

Not the most dignified picture of the day. But it's my favourite.



Ecclesiastical Excavations

On occasion I get overwhelmed with the almighty filth of a place and decide to take matters into my own hands. This was never more true than my intolerance of the pollution that had taken hold of the concrete surfaces of our little church. Power washer in tow I spent two days channelling the wrath of God against stains on the pavement.



Before.

 

After.

Side Entrance Before.

Side Entrance After.

London Reunion

Adventures in babysitting.

My life has been incredibly blessed by the presence of many wonderful people. Amongst them I count two kids (and their parents) who I had the pleasure of sitting when I lived in Napa. Having abandoned them for England shortly after graduating from university it was an almighty shock and pleasure to see what incredible young people they had turned into. London kindly showed her good side and gave us the perfect back drop for our reunion.

Hyde Park was serendipitously filled with the sounds of guns for Prince Philip's birthday and Sophia learned 'mushy peas' really live up to their name at the park cafe.



We later moseyed to the Natural History Museum where we took the 'spirit tour' and were engrossed with all the peculiar creatures suspended in jars of formaldehyde for eternity. Not the least of which hailed from the HMS Beagle.





My spirit animal.

My sister's spirit animal.

Learning all about epigenetics.



Devouring the DNA we had created.



Never miss an opportunity to celebrate the unicorn of the sea.

Sincere Sailing

Slightly more sophisticated boat.

We're having an Indian summer again here on the South Coast. It was a busy one and now that the evenings are shorter and cooler I have more time indoors to remember some of the adventures of 2014.
Studland was where our inflatable dingy, The HMS Poverty made her maiden voyage:



Plastic cups do not have to negate luxury.
 

My newest piece of carboot furniture, already worth it's £3.



How many an afternoon was spent at sea this summer.

Basking in the Braderie de Lille

After years of planning, my friend Min and I made the pilgrimage to the holiest of holies of flea markets in Europe: Braderie de Lille  

The journey rewarded us with more than we could have asked for including epiphany treasures, English china, picture frames and holy water fonts. Not to mention the delicious food and beautiful faces of Lille. Most importantly it gave us an escape from our every day lives to enjoy the kinder side of France and all the possibility she holds. 

We had coffee and croissants every morning for breakfast, chips for lunch and a variety of gastric pleasures for dinner. The most important being the moules-frites, which even I tried!  

The sun shone and we were completely in our element, and with disposable cameras in hand we captured our adventure: 

Min bargaining adeptly in French. 

Hostel Gastama in the old town. Min knows how to book 'em. 

New luggage to bring our loot back to the UK.

Breakfast of champions!

It's not a festival until someone is breathing fire. 

Resting my feet while I string together some of Min's broken chandelier crystals.

Min's new Tuscan china, circa 1930. Find of the weekend.

We're everywhere. 

...and so are we. Viva la Mexico!
(Incidentally the best Mexican I've had in Europe to date.)

One of the cooler toilets I've seen on my journeys.

Fin.