BEACH | Cider with Rosie

We don’t get away to the seaside nearly often enough, so whenever we make a pilgrimage to the coast, I like to savour it as much as possible. This trip was extra special, since I don’t think I’ve ever made it down to the beach, any beach, in winter before.

We arrived in Dorset a few days ago, with nothing in mind but pursuing that illusive thing named ‘rest and relaxation’. There’s not much better than sea and country air for a little R&R, and Jason’s Dad’s house, right on the edge of the New Forest and a stone’s throw from the coast, has both in ample quantities.

During this particular trip to the coast, the sun was warmer than you’d ever imagine it could be, so late in December, and the air had just enough of a bite to it that we were glad of the layers we’d piled on before heading beach-wards.

A few hours of walking and learning how to skim stones and paddling (with shoes on, of course) in the waves later, we left with cheeks and foreheads that tasted of salt, and very, very happy hearts.

What I wore :: Cashmere beanie || Wax jacket || Scarf || Jumper || Jeans || Boots

{ I’m publishing this post for the second time, because my site had to be restored from a backup today following server issues, and I lost the original copy of the post and all comments! I’ve had to re-write this post from a series of screenshots emailed over to me by a lovely reader named Penny! So if you’ve got a case of deju-vu whilst reading this post- it’s because you might have read it once before! ;) }

I want to thank you all a hundred times over for the sweet messages of congratulations Jason and I have received over the weekend. I’d been absolutely bursting to share the news here when we got engaged a week ago today, and have been so overwhelmed by all the sweet responses over the past few days! Jason and I read through all the comments on Saturday night just before going to bed, and they touched us more than we can say. Even though I only know a tiny fraction of the people who read this blog each day in person, it never feels like I’m writing to strangers when I share photographs and snippets of our life here. Jason and I have changed and grown such a lot as a couple over the past two years since I began writing Cider with Rosie, and I can’t even put into words how much affection I feel for everyone who follows along with us via my blog and how excited I am to have you all here to share with as Jason and I begin planning the day on which we become husband and wife! And I know that’s kind of a smooshy thing to say, but I don’t care a bit. If you can’t be overly sentimental when you’re riding high on a wave of newly-engaged joy, when can you? ;)

So, I hope you had a splendid Easter! We travelled down to visit Jason’s Dad and Stepmum at their new house in Dorset on Saturday morning, and spent a leisurely weekend enjoying the sea air with them both. Their house is just beautiful (it’s right on the edge of the New Forest, and about 2 miles from the coast) and Michaela is the most fabulous cook so we both came away with our jeans feeling uncomfortably tight. The feast she put together on Easter Sunday was so fantastic, Jason actually had to ask me to stop talking about it in the car on the way home. Apparently I’d mentioned it three times in the first 10 minutes of the journey. But there was slow cooked lamb, and potatoes cooked two ways (roasted in duck fat, and mashed!) and cauliflower cheese, and smashed parsnips! Oh man. It was a treat. I’m also very glad that Pilates starts again tonight after the Easter break, because I need it. And you know, wedding dress diet and all! ;) (I jest. I’m not going on a wedding dress diet. Not a chance.)

On Saturday afternoon, Jason, his Dad and I took Teddy down to Mudeford beach for a walk along the coast. It was Teddy’s first taste of sand and sea, and I really do mean ‘taste’ since Ted consumed liberal quantities of both. I was absolutely convinced he’d end up being sick from the amount of salt water he drank (great gulps of it!) but nope! The boy’s got a strong stomach (and a screw loose too, I think).

We watched people sailing, and kites flying, and hunted for pretty shells, and skipped stones, and I came home with Monica-Gellar-in-Barbados hair thanks to the salt air making it so puffy and textured. The one day I leave home without a hairband on my wrist…

^^ Pastel beach huts! Aren’t they gorgeous? ^^

^^ There were dozens of people lined up crab-fishing along the sea wall, with buckets full of teeny crabs sat next to them. I never realised before that crabs could be caught using little mesh bags full of raw bacon, and so was very confused seeing so many open packets of bacon sitting along the sea front. It was quite the struggle keeping Teddy from making mad dives towards the packets, let me tell you…. ^^

^^ Sand-beard. He needed hosing-down when we got home. ^^

After we came home from the beach, we ate tapas outside in the garden for our first al-fresco meal of this year. Also, champagne! Because we’re celebrating! I’ve kind of maxed out on the champagne-front over the past week or so! First world problem right? Seriously though, I haven’t turned down a glass of fizz once for a good few days now, and that, for someone who often goes weeks at a time without having a single drink, is quite the feat! Ugh. I know Dry January is a thing already, but I’m about to make Dry-May happen ;)