Curlews And Sea Salt

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Today we had two surprises.  The first one was the bill when we got to the checkout at the supermarket - it was much less than usual!  This is because of my new way of planning our shopping list.  It worked really well - during the week I checked off everything we needed against the items on my "Master List", and if the items weren't on the list, we didn't need them!  By yesterday I had the list finalised (it made me a little late getting the menu plan for next week's meals updated on the sidebar, so when I am done with this post I shall be updating that a day late!  Oops!). 

Althoughthe trolley was still full enough with all the things that we need for the week, it looked a little different.  There were a lot more fresh things in it, and also, there were quite a few "value" items, from the cheaper supermarket own-brand range, that normally we don't tend to get.  I thought perhaps we should be buying these more often, so instead of buying more expensive fruit juice, cheese, tea bags and kitchen towels, we got the "Value" ones - and the difference was very noticeable when we checked our shopping out!  Papa Bear was so impressed and proud of me that he said I deserved to be given a big treat for being such a helpful and supportive wife.  Just getting that compliment was enough for me - but no, he had a big surprise for me today!

He took us all out for a wonderful coastal road trip!  It was such a beautiful day today, after the almost constant winds and rain that we have been experiencing, that it was just the perfect day for a road journey! 

We all piled into the car and off we went - through the beautiful green countryside.  It was very different even from a month ago, when we last went out of town on our wedding anniversary.  Then there was lots of blossom in flower, and the trees were still coming into leaf.  Now, all of the trees were heavy with greenery and the fields were starting to show green too.  There were lots of wild animals about too - rabbits, pheasants, squirrels, ravens and many other birds besides.  And as we got closer to the coast, sea birds too - herring gulls and black headed gulls mostly, but on the coastline many others, including curlews, like the one pictured above.  They are beautiful birds with unusual long, curved down beaks and a strange, almost eerie, yelping call that is very distinctive.  We couldn't hear them today, but we saw three. 

As on our anniversary, we just had to stop off and enjoy some fish and chips for our dinner!  I think it must be the sea-salt in the air that makes us want to eat fish and chips whenever we visit the seaside.  This time we had them sitting in a small cafe overlooking the beach, which was such fun.  I couldn't finish all mine, so we went outside afterwards and fed them to the seagulls!  It was fun watching them all circling around so close above our heads.  They were very tame - almost as tame as our birds at home, and some of them even tried to grab the chips right out of my hand!  After that we enjoyed walking through the quaint streets and around the small shops.  Papa Bear bought me two gifts - a sweet seagull ornament, to remind us of our suprise day out, and a delightful wee china basket of flowers to match the others that he has given me on other occasions.  He said they were to thank me for being such a wonderful wife! 

Oh Papa Bear!  You are a wonderful husband too - I wouldn't be the wife or mother that I am, without you!  I am so proud of you too, for the way that you lead our family and work so hard to take care of us, and ensure that we have everything we need - both spiritually and materially.  You are a wonderful father, husband, brother and workmate, and I am so very blessed to belong to you.

Sometimes, the most special days are the ones you haven't planned for - like today!
It was just perfect - the cubs enjoyed themselves too, and treated us to a "cream tea" in a different cafe before we all headed back to the car and home.  Little Bear bought a cute denim skirt she saw in a thrift store, and Cubby got a frisbee at a stall selling all kinds of outdoor things including heart shaped buckets and spades for children (I would have bought some for Little Bear and I, but I think we are both a little too old for making sandcastles!) - I think Cubby is planning to take the frisbee to the park with Papa Bear this evening after tea! 

What a wonderful day - quite unexpected, but full of memories to treasure, and best of all, we spent it all together as a family.

"Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord that walketh in his ways.

For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it

shall be well with thee.

Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children

like olive plants round about thy table.

 Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord". (Psalm

128: 1-4).