En route to see the Minions, I took BeAnne for a walk on the local beach.  At long last she has got the plot with the car dog harness (in her youth, she could wriggle out of it) and will sit quietly in the car, hating every minute.

But the reward makes it worth it.  BeAnne gets to go to the beach with me.

And she does like the beach.

Before we left, I put a couple of tennis balls in my pocket and I became a very good retriever after a while.

Mostly because, although enthusiastic to start with, Her Maj would then quickly lose interest and I would be the one going to fetch the ball.

She has me pretty well trained!

There were a few seabirds about – including a Great Skua (“Bonxie”) who was on his own and mooching around, annoying anyone he could.

We also saw a single gannet (“Solan“).

And a few Artic terns (“Tirrick”)

I was mostly looking for cowrie shells but the tide was too high and I couldn’t get my eye in. They are usually easier to find on a low tide as there is line of little stones to follow.

But I did see goose barnacles. They give me the willies.  Always have.

So BeAnne and I walked up and down the beach enjoying the wind and the waves.  We pretty much had the place all to ourselves.

Obviously the neighbours’ curtains were twitching.

BeAnne tried her best with the tennis balls.

I am the owner of two soggy tennis balls in my coat pocket.

As I write, a not-so-small someone is snoring her head off beside me, though obviously not in her bed as Monster has still not vacated.

 

She dreams of her intrepid adventures.