Our Easter Holiday

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Good afternoon to you all. It has been a while since I've been here. I'd like to say it's because I've been busy but it's actually more that I forget. I have been busy. Mostly my monotonous 9 to 5 but I have also been doing some fun things. I took my youngest son, Mini, to Wales Comic Con in Telford (no, Telford isn't in Wales but the con moved there a few years ago as the event got too large for a venue in Wales). We had a couple of photos with some celebs. Mini and I both had a picture with Paul McGann and Colin Baker (the 8th and 6th Doctor Who). Mini also had a selfie with Nicola Bryant (who played Peri, a companion of the 6th Doctor). I shared a photo with my big sister with James Marsters (probably most famous as Spike from Buffy), and I had a picture on my own with Mark Sheppard and Ruth Connell (the King and Queen of Hell in Supernatural - Mark Sheppard has also been in Doctor Who, among other things). Mini and I enjoyed a Supernatural talk as well as a talk by Charles Martinet, the voice of Mario, etc. That was a fun day and Mini wants to go to the next one in December. I'll have to see if we can afford it! Apart from that, we've just come home from a holiday. I like to write blogs about my holidays but I've not been doing that. I think there is still an unfinished one from 2 years ago. We usually have a summer holiday. We used to also go away for my husband's birthday at the end of May but we can no longer manage both. The only time I've been away at a different time of year was for my honeymoon as that was October 2019. Anyway, it was my dad's 75th birthday earlier in the month so we took him away with us as his birthday present. The day after Dad's birthday was my husband's cousin's (Blue) 30th so we decided to visit the area where she lives, which is also where my step-daughters live on the south coast of England. They live in Hastings and we stayed in Eastbourne, which is 30 to 40 minute drive away. We were there Monday to Friday. My dad, my husband (D), my two sons (Midi and Mini) and I stayed at The Cavendish Hotel on Eastbourne seafront. On Monday, we started out about 1pm and got to the hotel around 6pm, I think. Once we were settled into our rooms, we went off to find somewhere for dinner. We chose a pub called The Stage Door. We didn't do much but sleep after that. Tuesday, we had hoped to see my youngest step-daughter but she'd been unwell and cancelled. Instead, we all had breakfast at at hotel then I had a wander into town and on the beach with Midi and my dad. We went on the ferris wheel and then came back to the hotel. There were a few more things I'd like to have done but didn't have the time or money to do them all. Later on, Dad stayed at the hotel while the rest of us visited a local art gallery, had a drink at the Victorian tea room on the pier, and went to a noodle place for dinner. It was one my husband said he used to go to regularly when he lived in Eastbourne. He was surprised the place was still there! On the Wednesday, we went to Hastings and met up with Blue, her partner, their 3 year old, and my oldest step-daughter (C) and her 3 children. Her 7 year old had asked to go on the fun park rides but C had said no. I asked if it was OK for them to go on the rides if we paid. As much as I love spoiling my grandbabies, I didn't want to go against their mum. But she agreed and they went on a few rides. Well, Blue's little one didn't go on any, C's 2 year old went on one, and her 7 and 5 year olds went on four rides. They had about an hour and a half at Flamingo Park then we all went on the land train. Blue said she had never been on it before. After that, D took Dad, the boys, and our 3 granddaughters for fish and chips while I had some time out with Blue and C. Blue's partner went off to see his mum with their little one. I was supposed to be taking Blue and C to an afternoon tea as Blue's birthday treat. I'd booked it at the British Tea Museum only to find that it was closed when we got there. I called them only to be told they don't open on Wednesdays and that the booking shouldn't have been confirmed! They did recommend somewhere else but the girls said that was too expensive and C recommended a different place - a pub called the Pump House. It wasn't the posh afternoon tea I'd planned but I think Blue and C appreciated the time away from being mums! Once we'd finished, we met back up with the men and the children. That was where we said goodbye and we went back to Eastbourne. I went for a wander later on. Midi came with me for a drive around the area. We drove up to Beachy Head then back the other way to Pevensey Bay. There wasn't much in either direction but it was a nice drive. When we got back, we had a drink in the bar at the hotel. We didn't do that again, it was very expensive! On Thursday, Dad and Midi had gone out early for a walk on the beach. Mini didn't want to go anywhere in the morning, and D was up quite late as the day with the little ones had worn him out. I walked down to the beach to find Dad and Midi, and we picked up a few treats from the beach market stalls (I got my dad a bottle of cranberry liquor, treated Midi to some cheeses, and bought some freshly made macaroons for me and D. I felt a bit bad because I didn't get anything for Mini but there wasn't really anything he would have liked. He did end up with some spring rolls that Dad had bought! In the afternoon, we drove to Pevensey Castle. It is larger than I thought it would be but the main attraction is quite small. It is an English Heritage site so, because D and I are members, we got in for free. Mini is included in our family membership but Midi is too old as children on the membership are up to 19 - which I think is excellent but Midi is 22. He's a student and my dad is old so they both got concessions anyway. I think we spent about and hour or so around the castle then went to the Castle tea room for a drink before heading back. I'd broken my phone before we started out so I went into town to get that fixed. Dad and Midi came with me and we had a drink at a place called Picasso's while I waited for my phone to be repaired. I suggested going somewhere nice for dinner. Mini asked to go to the Stage Door again. As it was the only thing he had asked, we did that. Later on, Midi and I went for a drive again. We went back to Pevensey Castle. It was closed by then but there is still a lot of the site you can walk around as it's open public space. I took some photos as I'd not been able to do so earlier (because my camera is on my phone, of course). Once we parked back up at the hotel, we walked along the beach and splashed in the sea. On Friday, it was time to go home but not before having another delicious breakfast at the hotel in their restaurant with views of the sea from the floor to ceiling windows. We then met up with C, Blue, their partners, and the children again. I didn't know C's husband would be there as I thought he would be at work. I forgot it was Good Friday so he wouldn't be working. C also brought Stitch the dog and Comfort the cockatiel. We had asked my other step-daughter to join us as she was feeling better but she said she had lots of revision to do. It was a little disappointing that she couldn't take an hour for her dad out of the two week holiday she's got for revision but we'll see her at the end of the month. We had a couple of hours with everyone else at Alexandra Park in Hastings. It's a really nice park that stretches quite a way and has various areas such as a bandstand, cafe, and enclosed children's play park, some wild areas, water features, etc. Midi is great with the children. They all love Mini as well but he isn't so good with interaction. Blue said her little one would only come out when they said my name to her! The three gradbabies all enjoyed getting me and Midi to chase them, they all adore their granddad D, and my dad was also popular with them. We were very lucky with the weather on Friday so it was a beautiful day for the park. We were sad to leave our girls but we had a long drive ahead to get home. We did well for time. I think we made it in about 4 and a half hours, including a comfort break and despite a few spots of heavy traffic. We had a lovely holiday. I love being by the sea but I was glad to get back to my own bed. Today, I have returned the car I hired, picked up some things for a colleague who is about to go on maternity, and popped in to see my big sister. Now I might spend some time crying at the amount I've spent this week. I wouldn't mind but, other than the hotel and car hire, most spending has been on food so I've not really got anything to show for it. I do have a fridge magnet as well as lots of lovely photos and memories. It was impossible to get a picture of everyone but I got most on the one I've included here. I'm not in it, of course, as I'm taking the photo, and I can't see the middle granddaughter. She's either hiding or she was near me at the time.