HAPPY NEW YEAR
Last night us old folk went into town to enjoy the New Year's party in The Square while the youngsters all stayed at home. The boys to play war games and the girls to draw and talk anime.
It was very cold but dry so it was a safe journey into town. It was very much a whole town event with everybody from well wrapped up grandparents & kids to extremely scantily glad youngsters whose bodies were presumably being kept warm by vast quantities of alcohol. There was a disturbingly large number of young men in tights and tutus plus all the usual fancy dress - cave men, super heroes, 118s, Mexicans, knights, mice and many more. There was a good police presence in the Square so it didn't feel at all threatening. It was a real party atmosphere with a few stalls selling candyfloss and pancakes and live music.
The local museum was lit up and the surrounding streets and trees were festooned with Christmas lights.
Just before midnight we walked onto the Old Bridge to watch the firework display. Fireworks bring out the real child in me and I Oohed and Aahed along with everyone else.Once the fireworks were over we joined the crowds of families heading back to their cars while the young people queued outside the night clubs or headed for the pubs that were open for an evening of serious partying. While we had been waiting on the bridge we saw 2 orange lights moving slowly across the sky. We thought that they were helicopters from the nearby military base at Chivenor. As we drove out of town there were 4 more of those lights, holding formation and moving slowly across the sky. 'Aliens', Peter kept saying and it wasn't until we were nearly at Shirwell and just before we saw 1 more that the penny dropped. Chinese fire ballons! They had been on sale quite cheaply at several shops in town and people were obviously setting them off as part of their celebrations. It was an excellent night for it as there was little wind and it was a very clear night. So not aliens.
Today the sun made a long awaited appearance. One of the many drawbacks about living in a steep valley is that at this time of year the sun shines only for a short time and by midday is already going down behind the hill leaving the house in chill shadow. Peter and I decided to head out for the coast. It was very cold but the roads were dry and safe ...... or so I thought. I was driving along the back road when I hit a long stretch of ice that I had assumed to be water. I didn't react quickly enough and we ended skidding into the mud at the side of the road but coming to a halt before hitting the hedge. With Peter at the wheel and me in the mud pushing we got the car out and carried on to Morthoe. It seemed as everyone and his brother had decided to go for a New Year's Day walk. The car park was full, the overflow car park was full and the overflow overflow car park was full. Luckily someone pulled out as we were waiting. And the tight wad council are now charging for car parking in the winter which they never used to do.
One side of the headland was bathed in bright sunshine but the other side was rather chilly. Not a single seal to be seen today though there were a group of cormorants sunning themselves on the rock at the point (first picture). Even though there were a lot more people out today for most of the walk we were still able to enjoy the grand scenery with rocks towering above us. Good warg country.
I couldn't really begrudge sharing my favourite bit of coast because I expect a lot of those people were visitors to the area and we can nip out to the coast at any time.
Vytas, Kate and Alex left this evening to drive back to Tewkesbury. Kate's 2 guinea pigs survived sharing a house with our 4 cats and Milo though tonight they will be sharing with Milo and the biggest most ferocious of cats - Sherlock, a much more dangerous prospect.
