Hello my reader.  I beg forgiveness for having left you with nothing new to read for a whole five months.  This is unforgivable – which appears to be a paradox if I am begging forgiveness for something that is unforgivable!

I know that it is summer as I am sitting indoors on a Saturday afternoon in July writing this, watching the rain that is preventing me from getting out and enjoying the sun.

This year has been a relaxed and slow year so far, but I have organised this year’s holiday … to Chicago!  Things will no doubt liven up over the next few months planning and, as usual, I will be writing my usual daily holiday blog whilst there (subject to WiFi availability, which I seriously don’t expect in the USA to be any problem).

Having left you for so long with nothing to look at for so long, I thought I should post a picture from “Pensthorpe Natural Park” (did you see what they did there!), which is my local birdwatching, walking and picnicking site.

Yesterday we went for a bracing walk on the beach at Brancaster.

The place that we head for is as far west as possible before reaching a water course dividing the Brancaster beach from the next door neighbour, Titchwell RSPB nature reserve. At this spot (and we were not disappointed yesterday) we regularly see at lease one seal, swimming backwards and forwards (mostly underwater) and keeping a watch on the handful of walkers who make it out to that quiet spot.

Below is the view back inland to the village of Titchwell. It felt exactly how the sky looked – cold and damp. I was really grateful that we visited the Ship Hotel in Brancaster when we left the beach!

Well, how did that happen? Last time I was writing here we were on our way back from Orkney, stopping overnight in the small town of Doune, a pretty place with a quaint little castle.

Since then life has been quite busy and we are now enjoying a New Year break with our friends (and parents of our Godchildren) in Felixstowe.

The last time we saw them was in November when they visited us (including my Godson’s girlfriend) and we all went to the fireworks at Fakenham racecourse. This really was a spectacular display lasting about an hour in total with a break half way through. I’ve never been to such a long display before.

Last night was a bit of a party and we met the parents and two sisters of my Godson’s girlfriend.

Today everything is quiet, which suits me as I’m recovering from a slight cold. I don’t have the mythical “man flu” – I don’t believe it really exists. A nice seaside walk by the sea should help clear my sinuses and give me an appetite for fish and chips, even with the gale force winds and rain!