“We need women who are so strong they can be gentle, so educated they can be humble, so fierce they can be compassionate, so passionate they can be rational, and so disciplined they can be free.” – Kavita Ramdas
Happy birthday Dirty Bird. As it’s your birthday, I’ll let you lick the salt water off my face. Knowing you the way I do, after 10 months of getting to know you since you arrived from the rescue coordinator, that mouth has been around something smelly and rancid within the past 24 hours.
I love the way you pounce on the bed in the morning like tigger, so excited to see me, like I’ve been gone for a year. The way you tell me that you want a treat by sitting next to the snack cupboard. The way you trash the bunkers on the golf course – sheer ecstasy, as you leap in and out, and go round and round. The way you nibble at your food, like a little (but hungry) lady. The way you chirrup, like a little bird, when you are tired of waiting for me to wake up. I especially adore the way you never leave my side, on land or in the sea.
I’m so happy you found a new home with us, I’ve loved every minute. Oh except the time when you slid your back across a dead dolphin, and the day the public toilets were closed and you ate …. ahem… maybe I won’t mention that. I’ve forgiven you.
This morning it was raining, I looked out of the window and decided that no matter what the weather I was going to have a great morning and an epic start to the day. I headed over to the cove to swim with Ginger & Bird. Swipe left to see my girls swimming along side me. I feel very blessed to live in such a beautiful place but it’s not by chance.
I bought a holiday home here over 20 years ago, and after spending many weekends here, dashing up and down the motorway each weekend, I made the decision to move here permanently.
I then moved to Portugal in 2018 with the intention of staying there for a very long time – maybe for the rest of my life. The chance to wake up to clear blue skies over 300 days per year was so tempting. But I missed; my beautiful little cove, fresh cool air, the coast path, the sound of the wind whistling through the mast and ropes of the yachts on the marina during a storm, the smell of the sea, watching the sea birds, seals and dolphins, drinking cider (lots of cider!), walking in the rain and sitting by an open fire after a chilly swim. I missed it all.
Ask me what I miss about Portugal and I will struggle to give you an answer. Truly the only thing I miss is all the wonderful friends who made my stay there special…. and maybe watching the sunset every night, sitting with a glass of wine by the millpond with swallows, swifts and house martins swooping down for a drink on the wing.
But nowhere on earth beats my little slice of Devon.
Where would you live if you had the choice of anywhere on earth?
I’m in my natural habitat today – down by the sea with Ginger and Bird. We saw dolphins, seals and plenty of sea birds. Sadly we also saw discarded beer bottles, disposable BBQ’s, coke cans, snack wrappers and empty cigarette boxes, thrown all over our lovely little viewing point we visit each day to take in the view and chill for a while. I attempted to collect it all but it was completely overwhelming. I will return later tonight with a bigger garbage bag to collect it from the rocks and shoreline.
We also saw kayakers getting up close with the seals which of course is a terrible idea as some of the seals are having pups at the moment and will abandon their young if disturbed too often. I headed on home in a terrible mood after seeing complete disregard for this beautiful area. I am not completely blaming visitors, as I know a lot of local teenagers will meet up, eat, drink and leave all the cartons for the litter fairy to collect on their behalf.
Anyway, enough of the grumping!
My hair!! One of my favourite subjects as you know! A couple of days ago I started leaving my hair to air dry after my sea swim. My hair dries a perfect shade of silver and has an incredible natural wave which is a complete surprise to me. So many people asking me which products I’ve started using, but the answer is none at all. I shall continue to cleanse it with sea water and leave it to dry naturally. I love the messy style too – so thank you for all the lovely messages about my new tousled hairstyle.
Apologies for the stories from the children’s park last night. I headed there after a large glass of rhubarb and ginger gin and found the visit funnier than ever! In case you missed it I will add one of the stories here for your entertainment. I use the zip wire each night after dark, Bird chases me and (gently) bites my legs. I never get tired of this nightly ritual, it makes me laugh every time and it sets me up for a good night’s sleep.
