People

Life has changed. What's left of work is very complicated and difficult. Direction has changed dramatically. But scary and difficult as the future is, I trust in my faith, my God, to see me and Amanda come out the other side still together.

We have been to Whitesands Bay at St. Davids a few times this year. One, in the summer, had us meet several people at the beach. The lovely Hannah, who worked in the ice cream shack. We talked about life in general. Forgive my look, it had been a tough lead up.

We took in an excellent performance of Macbeth at the Abbey ruins. Quite cold, but hot tea and coffee was supplied. We felt very close to each other on this trip, and enjoyed this play immensely. Whitesands is a very special place for us, and the wildness of it is awesome. Around October, Parasol mushrooms are gathered from the coast path, very tasty fried in a little butter. Bladder Wrack seaweed we use to make a shampoo that you can use in saltwater. A morning bathe to clean is a bracing favourite of mine. Also loads of wild plants that can be eaten. Sea Spinach is my favourite.

Our 'room' for the week.

Janek was a fascinating guy. In charge of the sauna shack in the car park, we started chatting, I made a couple of cups of tea, and we sat and talked for a couple of hours about the world and life. He had a very calm view of life.

Orca was a slightly insane dog, running everywhere, and it's a long beach. He made friends with every dog around, and us, although I think the fat from my lamb steaks helped with that.

Travel Ted was, well, Travel Ted. He's very lazy, has been with us since we met, and loves to just sit like this during the day watching the world go by, then settling for the night under a blanket on the van seats.

We met Sid (yes, apparently named after his mums heartthrob Sid James) a few times. Just a guy taking a few days escape on his own, and trying to teach himself to surf for the first time. He was always smiling, and gave off good energy. He left the following day and it was sad to see him go.

Leslie was another one staying in the car park for the week. She was fascinating, intense, interesting. Can sing, paint, play a musical instrument, on our fifth day came back over to see us munching a bowl of pasta before setting off on her next adventure some distance away, a Buddhist retreat for three months. We had spent quite a long time talking with her during her stay, and another soulful person that we missed.

We went back to Whitesands several weeks later, and the weather was somewhat different. Barely anyone around, cold, wind, very stormy night to the extent that we had to retreat from the beach side and put the van behind the sauna shack. Needless to say everywhere was closed, but the sea was cold and wonderful.

We are now in the process of preparing to leave this lovely home next March. We own it, but alas can't afford to live in it. We pick up our next campervan at the end of Novermber, which will be our home for 8 months back at Whitesands Bay and the immediate surrounding area. Then it's off to Nazare and Porto for Christmas 2027

The house is already feeling odd, and this Christmas will be spent at Keyhaven, where will shall enjoy midnight mass and Christmas Day at Christchurch Priory. Third year without a Crimbo tree.