Hello dear readers, I did miss sitting down to blog yesterday! I'm sorry I missed you, I was working late, and then I rushed straight off to my Wednesday night knitting circle. So it was all go, go, go! It felt very strange not having my usual chat with you, I felt like something was missing from my day.
Discombobulated is the best way to describe how I felt!
Outside it is sunny and the wind is blowing blustery. It feels like a beach day. I keep on getting an image in my mind, of children making sand castles, while Mum and Dad sprawl on deck-chairs, relaxing, keeping an eye on their children. And the thick, gooey smell of sun tan cream keeps on wafting into my nostrils every now and then.
On my way to the post office on Tuesday, I passed our local toy shop. It's a proper old-fashioned toy shop, the sort that looks like Aladdin's cave when you step inside.
On the pavement outside the toy shop, was a stand crammed with buckets, spades and fishing nets. The impact of their combined colour was like an explosion! If it had that effect on me, imagine how excited children must get when they see all those colourful toys, and then think about all holes they could dig, and sandcastles they could build, and fishing for seaweed they could do!
I was meant to be rushing to the post office, so as I sped on, with my step a little lighter from the colour rush, I thought, "I'll post my package, and then go home to get my camera, then I can take some photos of those buckets and spades!"
And that is exactly what I did, which you can see the evidence of!
Whilst taking the photographs I had the strangest sensation of feeling like a visitor to my own town! I've had that once before, a long time ago, when I lived briefly near Portobello Road, in Notting Hill, London. I used to buy fruit and veg from the stalls in the market, I thought of the market as my local spot for food shopping. One day, I was taking photos of the stalls and people, and one of the traders yelled out for all to hear, "watch out everyone, there's a tourist about". It just so happened that the man working on the stall next door, was on the same life-guard course as me, so he knew me. He said to the man that I wasn't a tourist, I was a local! It was all a bit embarrassing for me, and the loud-mouth who had wanted to embarrass me. Luckily the people in the town I live in now are nice people, and wouldn't dream of saying anything horrible. Still, I felt uneasy about taking the photos, never-the-less.
It was so tempting to buy the full set, bucket, spade and fishing net! But when would I use them?! When I go to the beach now, I'm like the Mum and Dad's I relax, with my crochet! No building sand castles for me these days!
I can still appreciate the joy of looking at brightly coloured buckets and spades though.
I do have a little admission to make. I bought a bucket! One of the little ones with the picture of the boat on the outside! You can see it in the third photo from the top. What do I intend to do with it? Well, that's like asking what I intend to do with that small yellow plastic watering can I bought years and years ago, the one with the white daisy on the spout. I haven't a clue what I'll do with them, probably not use them, too precious for that! I bought them............. just because.......... you know how it is?
Well, it is lovely to be sitting down and connecting with everyone again, after a gap of a day. So, I'll look forward to seeing you again tomorrow, Friday! Yep, it's Friday again tomorrow! Love Vanessa xxx
yummy colours, it reminds me of last week, poor joshy did succumb to the bright plastic rainbow displays!! and well i did succumb to the bright rainbow cath kidston displays!! he he!!
cant wait to see your new crochet colours! theres a nice wave/stripe bright blanket in crochet today magazine, have you seen it?
felicity xx
Posted by: felicity | July 09, 2009 at 04:28 PM
Hi Vanessa,
You know you don't have to justify your purchases to us! I often wonder what on earth people must think when I snapping away for my blog. It doesn't stop me though!
My purchases today were not as exciting as yours but the foam pad is very comfy to sit on on my hard bench. Now I just need to choose the fabric to make the cover for it but that's proving an impossible task.
When done on the fabric purchasing. Surely I should get a referrer's discount now?!
Hen x
Posted by: Hen | July 09, 2009 at 05:07 PM
What a glorious riot of summer colour. Those little buckets you bought are perfect for collecting sea glass, and I KNOW you love a bit of sea glass.
We are headed of to the beach tomorrow with 90 six year olds! That will be a lot of buckets and spades and nets to watch over (and photograph) x
Posted by: lucy@theantidote | July 09, 2009 at 05:24 PM
Hi Vanessa,
Oh the colours are just amazing! A yummy rainbow of buckets and spades just waiting to go and have some fun, oh you are lucky to live near such a shop and I agree what does it do to the kids when they see that display? We missed you yesterday, we were also discombobulated for the day from your lack of posting! hope you enjoyed your knitting class, what are you making?
Moe xx
Moe xx
Posted by: Moe (Seaweed, Roses & Wool) x | July 09, 2009 at 05:45 PM
Those are knock out colours, wow! Darned nice photos, too.
Posted by: Lululiz | July 09, 2009 at 05:51 PM
what wonderful photos Vanessa...I love them, you have such an eye for things...the colours are so vibrant....you should have taken a picture of the man for the blog...and the life guard of course......
Posted by: Helen Lambert | July 09, 2009 at 06:15 PM
Your lovely pictures have cheered up a right old soggy day. Takes me back to being about six!
Deb x
Posted by: Deborah | July 09, 2009 at 06:17 PM
Lol I love the word discombobulated! My brother uses it a lot too! Love all the colours, and I am now dreaming of a lazy fun filled day at the beach.
Can you feel the gentle pull of the waves?
MBBx
Posted by: Mummy Boo Bear | July 09, 2009 at 07:39 PM
Those colours are amazing, not sure though if you should incorporate them all in your next craft project. I'd have had to make a purchase too, yours will look pretty somewhere in the garden I'm sure. You've left me wanting to go to Scarborough for a colour shock.
Posted by: Jennyff | July 09, 2009 at 09:06 PM
I am filled with a need to travel to England just for those buckets and spades. I have to admit buckets and spades don't last long in our house between the boys and the dogs (I almost wrote gods... hmmm.). Poor boys, they are now the only one on the beach with yoghurt containers and clothes powder scoops. They also look a bit odd because they insist on wearing their new life jackets making me look like Safety Mum - I counteract it by letting them take giant machetes and flick knives to the beach as well. You have to have balance.
Posted by: Kate Bruning | July 09, 2009 at 09:09 PM
We have a couple of lovely shops like that on our seafront and my choice would have been the bucket with the little boat on too.
Our best bucket came floating down the River Dart on Dartmoor and my oldest son then aged about 5 waded in to retrieve it. It was shaped like a castle and we still have it 10 years on. Karenx
Posted by: Karen | July 09, 2009 at 09:39 PM
You certainly have an eye for pleasing colors! I love the cheerful brightness of the buckets and spades and the beach fun they imply!
Posted by: Laura | July 09, 2009 at 09:53 PM
Fabulous photos - they remind me of our summer holiday last year in Pembrokeshire. It was probably the only colour we saw in a miserable grey week, weatherwise!
Posted by: Dragonfly | July 09, 2009 at 11:12 PM
Gorgeous pictures Vanessa. they just burst out of the screen! Hurray, it's Friday and hopefully life will slow a little for you xx
Posted by: Pipany | July 10, 2009 at 07:31 AM
Nice to see photos of proper seaside buckets and spades, I love the sight of them too. There is a child in us all still!!
Posted by: Pippa | July 10, 2009 at 08:19 AM
Great to have a real toyshop, the sort that children can be children in, not little adults conversing about the latest electronic games. I hate the way children are made (in some cases) to be grown up, too soon. I loved, loved the colours of this posting, and why shouldn't you buy a bucket? I have bought silly children's things like that in the post, with the excuse I would one day give them to my grandchildren. HaHaHa... .paltry excuse. I just loved the look of the thing and had to have it, usually they don't cost more than a couple of pounds, so where's the harm in indulging the inner child.. even if some would say I should no better. Come here and say that if you dare!!!
Posted by: Maggie | July 10, 2009 at 09:01 AM
Of course, that should be KNOW better at the end, just in case you were thinking I really had reverted to childhood and couldn't spell proper!
Posted by: Maggie | July 10, 2009 at 09:02 AM
COLOUR EXPLOSION!!!!!!
Posted by: The Curious Cat | July 10, 2009 at 09:21 AM
they are fantastic colours. We are off on a beach trip soon, and I'm itching to be sand castle building, rock pooling and the rest with the children. Even more now I've seen your inspiration!
Posted by: Julie | July 10, 2009 at 02:13 PM
What fantastic colours!!! I want to rush out and buy some too - but I don't live near the coast :( As soon as I saw them I thought they'd make funky garden plant pots!
Posted by: Liz | July 10, 2009 at 05:01 PM